Robert Lighthizer

Robert Emmet Lighthizer (born October 11, 1947) is an American lawyer.[1][2] He was the 18th United States Trade Representative from May 15, 2017 to January 20, 2021.[3]

Robert Lighthizer
18th United States Trade Representative
In office
May 15, 2017 – January 20, 2021
PresidentDonald Trump
Preceded byMichael Froman
Succeeded byKatherine Tai
Personal details
Born
Robert Emmet Lighthizer

(1947-10-11) October 11, 1947
Ashtabula, Ohio, U.S.
Political partyRepublican
EducationGeorgetown University (BA, JD)

Lighthizer is a partner with the law firm of Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom, where he works to gain access to foreign markets on behalf of U.S. corporations.[4] In the 1980s, he served as deputy trade representative during President Ronald Reagan's administration.[5]

Early life

Lighthizer was born in Ashtabula, Ohio. He graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in 1969 and a Juris Doctor in 1973 from Georgetown University.

Career

From 1973 through 1978, before working in government, Lighthizer worked for the Washington, DC law firm of Covington & Burling.[6]

In 1983, during the administration of President Ronald Reagan, he became deputy trade representative.[6][7] He negotiated two dozen bilateral international agreements on subjects ranging from steel to grain.[7]

In 1985, Lighthizer negotiated against the United States, on behalf of Brazil, in a trade dispute over ethanol.[8] Between 1985 and 1990, Lighthizer represented five foreign clients.[8]

He has been a long time supporter of the U.S. steel industry.[9] He convinced Japan, South Korea, Mexico, and the United Kingdom to accept “voluntary restraint agreements” to limit the amount of cheap steel they could dump on the U.S. market.[10]

United States Trade Representative (2017–2021)

On January 3, 2017, then-President-elect Donald Trump announced that he planned to nominate Lighthizer as U.S. trade representative, a cabinet-level position.[11]

Lighthizer's nomination was confirmed by the United States Senate on a 82-14 vote.[3]

Personal life

Lighthizer lives in Rockville, Maryland[6] and has 2 children.[6][12]

References
  1. Rasky, Susan F. (September 30, 1984). The steel trade negotiations; the experts who will forge the new quotas. The New York Times. Last visited January 3, 2017.
  2. Nomination of Robert Emmet Lighthizer To Be a Deputy United States Trade Representative Archived 2018-08-24 at the Wayback Machine. The American Presidency Project. Last visited January 3, 2017.
  3. Needham, Vicki (2017-05-11). "Senate confirms Trump's chief trade negotiator". TheHill. Retrieved 2017-05-11.
  4. MARA LIASSON (January 3, 2017). "Trump Picks Robert Lighthizer To Be U.S. Trade Representative". NPR.
  5. Robert E. Lighthizer. Skadden.com. Last visited January 3, 2017.
  6. "Ronald Reagan: Nomination of Robert Emmet Lighthizer To Be a Deputy United States Trade Representative". Archived from the original on 2018-08-24. Retrieved 2017-01-09.
  7. "Robert E. Lighthizer". Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom.
  8. Bill Allison (January 25, 2017). "Trump's Trade Pick May Face Hurdle Over Past Lobbying for Brazil". Bloomberg L.P.
  9. Estelle Tran (January 5, 2017). "STEEL INDUSTRY CHEERS NOMINATION OF LIGHTHIZER AS US TRADE REPRESENTATIVE". Platts.
  10. David Francis (January 9, 2017). "Trump's New Trade Guru May Actually Be the Adult in the Room". Foreign Policy Magazine.
  11. Jacobs, Jennifer (January 3, 2017). Trump Taps China Critic Lighthizer for U.S. Trade Representative. Bloomberg. Last visited January 3, 2017.
  12. Anne Swardson (January 19, 1987). "ROBERT E. LIGHTHIZER". Washington Post.

Other websites

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