Heins, Samuel D., 1947-

Samuel D. Heins (born May 31, 1947) is the former United States Ambassador to Norway. The wait for confirmation of a new ambassador by the United States Senate led to the Embassy being without a Senate-confirmed Ambassador for 29 months. He succeeded Barry B. White, who had resigned the position in 2013. He was confirmed by the Senate on February 12, 2016, and presented his credentials to Harald V of Norway on March 10, 2016. He served until January 12, 2017.

While his father taught at the University of Illinois in Champaign-Urbana, Heins attended the university’s Laboratory School, graduating in 1964. He then went on to the University of Minnesota, where he was an editor, along with future A Prairie Home Companion star Garrison Keillor and others, of the undergraduate literary magazine. Heins earned a BA in 1968 and his JD in 1972, then clerked for U.S. District Judge Earl Larson in Minneapolis until 1973, when he became an associate at the Firestone Law Firm.

Heins moved out in 1976 and became a partner at Tanick and Heins in Minneapolis. In 1989, Heins moved to Opperman, Heins and Paquin and five years later left that firm, taking his name to Heins, Mills & Olson (HMO), a firm specializing in securities fraud, antitrust cases and class actions. Aside from his legal work, Heins also has been active in human rights campaigns. In 1983 he co-founded The Advocates for Human Rights and served as its first board chair and in 1985 he helped found the Center for Victims of Torture. Heins human rights work also includes the Ploughshares Fund, where he serves as a board member, and the PEN American Center, as a trustee.

Heins speaks French. He is married to Stacey Mills, his former law partner, and has two grown daughters.