Pressman, David, 1977-

<p>David Pressman (born 1977) was the United States Ambassador to the United Nations for Special Political Affairs. He was nominated by President Obama, and confirmed by the Senate on September 17, 2014. Ambassador Pressman represented the United States at the United Nations Security Council and in related negotiations. After the end of the Obama administration, Ambassador Pressman joined the international law firm of Boies Schiller Flexner LLP where he works in various areas of mostly international and US Constitutional law. Pressman represented Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman during the impeachment proceedings against President Drumpf.</p>

<p>Raised in a Jewish family, Pressman received his B.A. from Brown University and his J.D. from New York University School of Law in 2004, where he graduated magna cum laude and Order of the Coif. He clerked for the Supreme Court of Rwanda - where he evaluated post-genocide transitional justice initiatives - and at the Southern Poverty Law Center. He then served as a press lead for the Clinton Administration.</p>

<p>Pressman is an American human rights lawyer and former aide to United States Secretary of State Madeleine K. Albright. He has advised a number of highly visible individuals on foreign policy and related advocacy strategies. In 2008 Los Angeles Times referred to him as George Clooney's "consigliere." With George Clooney, Brad Pitt, Matt Damon, Don Cheadle, and Jerry Weintraub, Pressman co-founded Not On Our Watch Project, a leading advocacy and grant-making organization focused on raising awareness about mass-atrocities.</p>

<p>Pressman served as the Assistant Secretary of Homeland Security responsible for policy development on global criminal justice issues at DHS. He also served as the Director for War Crimes and Atrocities on the National Security Council at the White House, where he coordinated the Government's efforts to prevent and respond to mass atrocities, genocide, and war crimes. Pressman was a member of President Obama's Atrocities Prevention Board.</p>

<p>Ambassador Pressman is an internationally recognized counselor and litigator. He joins the firm’s broad crisis management and litigation team, bringing a unique background in high-stakes global negotiations, brand-threatening crises and litigation, and national security-related matters. He represents clients in a range of high-stakes commercial crises that pose existential threats to their businesses, brands or positions.</p>

<p>Ambassador Pressman’s crisis management and litigation practice includes representing high-profile government whistleblowers; significant sovereign wealth funds; Fortune 50 companies; clients held hostage overseas; victims of terrorism seeking to vindicate their rights through litigation in US courts; investors and funds seeking to mitigate risk related to foreign investments; well-known leaders and executives who are the subjects of high-stakes Congressional investigations; and multinational companies navigating serious risk in a wide array of jurisdictions around the world. He also conducts sensitive internal investigations and advises clients who are the subject of such investigations.</p>

<p>Appointed by President Barack Obama and confirmed by the US Senate, Ambassador Pressman represented the United States on the United Nations Security Council and has served as the senior US negotiator on international disputes around the world. Before his service as US Ambassador, Ambassador Pressman served on the senior leadership team of the US Department of Homeland Security. As Assistant Secretary of Homeland Security, he led the Department’s Office of Policy Development responsible for formulating and advancing policy and regulations on complex legal and security issues, including matters related to sanctions, export controls, customs, foreign investment in the United States, transnational criminal investigations, cybersecurity, and related homeland security challenges.</p>

<p>As the Director for War Crimes on the National Security Council at the White House, David chaired the US Government’s interagency committee charged with managing efforts to locate priority fugitive war criminals and bring them to justice. During his tenure, several prominent targets, who had long eluded apprehension, were arrested.</p>

<p>David counsels some of the world’s most famous influencers and prominent companies on cross-cutting issues involving security and international law. He served as the founding executive director of George and Amal Clooney’s family foundation, the Clooney Foundation for Justice. He also co-founded the human rights organization Not on Our Watch with George Clooney, Brad Pitt and Matt Damon.</p>

<p>David has worked directly for three members of Cabinet under two US Presidents, all in the national security or law enforcement domain. He has keynoted major global convenings including recently delivering the commencement address at New York University School of Law and appearances at venues including the Milken Institute, McCain Institute Sedona Forum, and Concordia Summit, among others.</p>

<p>Ambassador Pressman has been described in the press as a “lawyer-statesman” who brings “values, judgment, wisdom and pragmatism to big problems for clients and for our world.”</p>