Robert C. O'Brien (attorney)
Encyclopedia
Robert C. O'Brien is an American attorney who was nominated by President George W. Bush
on November 10, 2005 and confirmed by the US Senate as the US Alternate Representative to the 60th session of the United Nations General Assembly
, which met in New York 2005-2006. In addition to his other duties as a US delegate, he addressed the General Assembly on the question of Palestine
and represented the United States in the General Assembly's Sixth Committee, which considered the Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism
.
O'Brien currently serves as Co-Chairman of the United States Department of State
's Public-Private Partnership for Justice Reform in Afghanistan, launched in December 2007 by Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice
. On July 31, 2008, President George W. Bush announced his intention to appoint O'Brien to serve in his administration as a member of the Cultural Property Advisory Committee and represent the interests of the general public, for the remainder of a three-year term expiring April 25, 2011.
O'Brien is the partner-in-charge of the Los Angeles office of Arent Fox LLP, a national law firm. He has represented Dr. Buzz Aldrin in a number of high-profile cases and was the federal court-appointed Discovery Master in the MGA v. Mattel (“Barbie v. Bratz”) case.
In October 2011, Robert was named to Mitt Romney’s Foreign Policy and National Security Advisory Team as Co-Chair of the International Organizations Work Group.
From 1996 to 1998, O'Brien was a legal officer with the United Nations Security Council (Compensation Commission) in Geneva, Switzerland, where he led a multinational team of attorneys, loss adjusters and accountants in the government claims (F) section and was responsible for the United Nations Secretariat
's review and processing of billions of dollars in claims resulting from Iraq's 1990-91 invasion and occupation of Kuwait
. He also served as a major in the Judge Advocate General's Corps
of the US Army Reserve.
O’Brien is a frequent commentator on foreign affairs and national security issues for publications such as CBS News.com, Huffington Post, Daily Caller, Newsmax and Australian Conservative. His law review articles on international law and civil procedure have been widely published.
In 2011, O'Brien was selected as one of the Top 100 Lawyers by the Daily Journal. O'Brien received the 2011 Stefan A. Riesenfeld Memorial Award from the Boalt Hall School of Law for his contributions to the field of international law. In 2009, O’Brien received the Erwin Chemerinsky Defender of the Constitution Award from the Federal Bar Association for his work promoting the rule of law in Afghanistan. He also received the J. Reuben Clark Law Society's Outstanding Lawyer award in the same year and was the 2006 recipient of the Cardinal Newman High School Alumni Scholarship/Leadership Award for Public Service. In 2008 and 2010, he was recognized as one of the nation’s top attorneys in the 4th and 5th annual Lawdragon 500 Leading Lawyers in America guides. O’Brien was named one of the top 100 Irish-American lawyers in the United States by Irish America magazine in 2009 and 2010. He was selected as a Super Lawyer and Rising Star by Los Angeles Magazine and Southern California Law and Politics Magazine for 2004-2010. In 2004, the Daily Journal named Robert one of the top 20 lawyers in California under the age of 40.
Born in Los Angeles, California
, O'Brien attended Cardinal Newman High School in Santa Rosa, California
. He received his Juris Doctor degree from the University of California, Berkeley
, Boalt Hall School of Law, and his Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of California, Los Angeles
.
George W. Bush
George Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
on November 10, 2005 and confirmed by the US Senate as the US Alternate Representative to the 60th session of the United Nations General Assembly
United Nations General Assembly
For two articles dealing with membership in the General Assembly, see:* General Assembly members* General Assembly observersThe United Nations General Assembly is one of the five principal organs of the United Nations and the only one in which all member nations have equal representation...
, which met in New York 2005-2006. In addition to his other duties as a US delegate, he addressed the General Assembly on the question of Palestine
Palestine
Palestine is a conventional name, among others, used to describe the geographic region between the Mediterranean Sea and the Jordan River, and various adjoining lands....
and represented the United States in the General Assembly's Sixth Committee, which considered the Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism
Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism
The Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism is a proposed treaty which intends to criminalize all forms of international terrorism and deny terrorists, their financiers and supporters access to funds, arms, and safe havens...
.
O'Brien currently serves as Co-Chairman of the United States Department of State
United States Department of State
The United States Department of State , is the United States federal executive department responsible for international relations of the United States, equivalent to the foreign ministries of other countries...
's Public-Private Partnership for Justice Reform in Afghanistan, launched in December 2007 by Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice
Condoleezza Rice
Condoleezza Rice is an American political scientist and diplomat. She served as the 66th United States Secretary of State, and was the second person to hold that office in the administration of President George W. Bush...
. On July 31, 2008, President George W. Bush announced his intention to appoint O'Brien to serve in his administration as a member of the Cultural Property Advisory Committee and represent the interests of the general public, for the remainder of a three-year term expiring April 25, 2011.
O'Brien is the partner-in-charge of the Los Angeles office of Arent Fox LLP, a national law firm. He has represented Dr. Buzz Aldrin in a number of high-profile cases and was the federal court-appointed Discovery Master in the MGA v. Mattel (“Barbie v. Bratz”) case.
In October 2011, Robert was named to Mitt Romney’s Foreign Policy and National Security Advisory Team as Co-Chair of the International Organizations Work Group.
From 1996 to 1998, O'Brien was a legal officer with the United Nations Security Council (Compensation Commission) in Geneva, Switzerland, where he led a multinational team of attorneys, loss adjusters and accountants in the government claims (F) section and was responsible for the United Nations Secretariat
United Nations Secretariat
The United Nations Secretariat is one of the five principal organs of the United Nations and it is headed by the United Nations Secretary-General, assisted by a staff of international civil servants worldwide. It provides studies, information, and facilities needed by United Nations bodies for...
's review and processing of billions of dollars in claims resulting from Iraq's 1990-91 invasion and occupation of Kuwait
Kuwait
The State of Kuwait is a sovereign Arab state situated in the north-east of the Arabian Peninsula in Western Asia. It is bordered by Saudi Arabia to the south at Khafji, and Iraq to the north at Basra. It lies on the north-western shore of the Persian Gulf. The name Kuwait is derived from the...
. He also served as a major in the Judge Advocate General's Corps
Judge Advocate General's Corps
Judge Advocate General's Corps, also known as JAG or JAG Corps, refers to the legal branch or specialty of the U.S. Air Force, Army, Coast Guard, and Navy. Officers serving in the JAG Corps are typically called Judge Advocates. The Marine Corps and Coast Guard do not maintain separate JAG Corps...
of the US Army Reserve.
O’Brien is a frequent commentator on foreign affairs and national security issues for publications such as CBS News.com, Huffington Post, Daily Caller, Newsmax and Australian Conservative. His law review articles on international law and civil procedure have been widely published.
In 2011, O'Brien was selected as one of the Top 100 Lawyers by the Daily Journal. O'Brien received the 2011 Stefan A. Riesenfeld Memorial Award from the Boalt Hall School of Law for his contributions to the field of international law. In 2009, O’Brien received the Erwin Chemerinsky Defender of the Constitution Award from the Federal Bar Association for his work promoting the rule of law in Afghanistan. He also received the J. Reuben Clark Law Society's Outstanding Lawyer award in the same year and was the 2006 recipient of the Cardinal Newman High School Alumni Scholarship/Leadership Award for Public Service. In 2008 and 2010, he was recognized as one of the nation’s top attorneys in the 4th and 5th annual Lawdragon 500 Leading Lawyers in America guides. O’Brien was named one of the top 100 Irish-American lawyers in the United States by Irish America magazine in 2009 and 2010. He was selected as a Super Lawyer and Rising Star by Los Angeles Magazine and Southern California Law and Politics Magazine for 2004-2010. In 2004, the Daily Journal named Robert one of the top 20 lawyers in California under the age of 40.
Born in Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
, O'Brien attended Cardinal Newman High School in Santa Rosa, California
Santa Rosa, California
Santa Rosa is the county seat of Sonoma County, California, United States. The 2010 census reported a population of 167,815. Santa Rosa is the largest city in California's Wine Country and fifth largest city in the San Francisco Bay Area, after San Jose, San Francisco, Oakland, and Fremont and 26th...
. He received his Juris Doctor degree from the University of California, Berkeley
University of California, Berkeley
The University of California, Berkeley , is a teaching and research university established in 1868 and located in Berkeley, California, USA...
, Boalt Hall School of Law, and his Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of California, Los Angeles
University of California, Los Angeles
The University of California, Los Angeles is a public research university located in the Westwood neighborhood of Los Angeles, California, USA. It was founded in 1919 as the "Southern Branch" of the University of California and is the second oldest of the ten campuses...
.