Jeff Bleich
Encyclopedia
Jeffrey Laurence "Jeff" Bleich is an American lawyer
from California
who is the United States Ambassador to Australia
. Formerly a partner
at the firm
of Munger, Tolles & Olson
, Bleich is a longtime friend of President
Barack Obama
. He joined the White House
staff in March 2009, holding the title of Special Counsel to the President, and on September 11, 2009 was nominated by Obama to become United States Ambassador to Australia
. The United States Senate
confirmed Bleich on November 10, 2009.
in West Hartford. Bleich graduated from Amherst College
magna cum laude
with a Bachelor of Arts
degree
in political science
in 1983. Bleich was admitted to study at Harvard University
but deferred for a year to take a public policy fellowship at the Coro Foundation
in St. Louis, Missouri
, where he became involved in juvenile justice issues. At Harvard Bleich went to the John F. Kennedy School of Government
as a 1986 John F. Kennedy Fellow, graduated with a Master of Arts in Public Policy
.
Bleich attended the University of California, Berkeley School of Law and received his J.D.
in 1989. He was editor-in-chief of the California Law Review
and Order of the Coif
. In May 2011, Bleich was an awarded an honorary Doctor of Laws degree from San Francisco State University. http://www.calstate.edu/honorarydegrees/2011/bio-bleich.shtml
to Judge Abner J. Mikva
of the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit
from 1989 to 1990 and to Chief Justice
William H. Rehnquist of the Supreme Court of the United States
from 1990 to 1991. He was legal assistant to Judge Howard M. Holtzmann of the Iran-United States Claims Tribunal
at The Hague
from 1991 to 1992. He received a Certificate of Study in Public and Private International Law from the Hague Academy of International Law
, Netherlands
in 1993.
Bleich joined the San Francisco-based firm Munger, Tolles & Olson LLP in 1992, and was made partner three years later, in December 1995. His practice there was focused primarily on general civil
litigation, with emphasis on complex litigation, appellate practice, media law, communications law, and intellectual property
.
Since 1993 he has served as an adjunct lecturer in law at Berkeley Law, teaching constitutional law
and upper-level seminar courses in international human rights, habeas corpus
, and appellate advocacy. He was president of the San Francisco Bar Association in 2003. Bleich served as president of the State Bar of California
from 2007 to 2008.
Bleich was elected to the American Law Institute
in 2003 and served as chair of the American Bar Association
Amicus Curiae Committee from 2006-2009. He also served on an ABA subcommittee on corporate social responsibility
and on the ABA Section on International Law. He is also a member of the Council on Foreign Relations
and the Pacific Council on International Policy
, the International Law Association
, and the American Society of International Law
, in addition to the Edward J. McFetridge American Inn of Court. He has written over 100 articles and served on some 20 different boards, including the boards of Human Rights Watch
and Legal Community Against Violence.\ as well as the Boalt Hall Alumni Association and the Legal Aid Society of San Francisco.
Bleich was a member of the board of trustees of California State University
, serving a term from 2004-2009. He served as vice chair from 2006 to 2008 and as chair from 2008-09.
, Bleich served as director of the White House Council on Youth Violence, formed during the aftermath of the Columbine High School massacre
.
Bleich met Barack Obama almost 20 years before Bleich was nominated to become U.S. Ambassador to Australia, when Bleich tried to recruit Obama to become a law clerk to Abner Mikva. The two later became friends. Bleich was in attendance during Obama's keynote address
at the 2004 Democratic National Convention
and shared breakfast with him two days later.
During Obama's 2008 presidential campaign
, Bleich was a founding member and co-chair of Obama's national finance committee, co-chair of Obama's higher education
advisory board, and California co-chair. He donated to Hillary Rodham Clinton
and raised funds for her to retire her campaign's debt after the Democratic primary
.
Bleich joined the White House team in March 2009. Among his tasks was to address confirmation and personnel issues and to advise on other sensitive matters. He moderated a discussion on human rights in the new administration at the 2009 American Bar Association
's Section of International Law Spring Meeting in April 2009.
The Senate confirmed Bleich to be United States Ambassador to Australia
in a voice vote on November 10, 2009.
memorabilia.
Lawyer
A lawyer, according to Black's Law Dictionary, is "a person learned in the law; as an attorney, counsel or solicitor; a person who is practicing law." Law is the system of rules of conduct established by the sovereign government of a society to correct wrongs, maintain the stability of political...
from California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
who is the United States Ambassador to Australia
United States Ambassador to Australia
The position of United States Ambassador to Australia has existed since 1940. U.S.-Australian relations have been close throughout the history of Australia...
. Formerly a partner
Partner (business rank)
A partner in a law firm, accounting firm, consulting firm, or financial firm is a highly ranked position. Originally, these businesses were set up as legal partnerships in which the partners were entitled to a share of the profits of the enterprise. The name has remained even though many of these...
at the firm
Law firm
A law firm is a business entity formed by one or more lawyers to engage in the practice of law. The primary service rendered by a law firm is to advise clients about their legal rights and responsibilities, and to represent clients in civil or criminal cases, business transactions, and other...
of Munger, Tolles & Olson
Munger, Tolles & Olson
Munger, Tolles & Olson LLP is a California law firm that has offices in Los Angeles and San Francisco. Charles Munger founded the firm in 1962 with six other lawyers.-Legal practice:...
, Bleich is a longtime friend of President
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
Barack Obama
Barack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in...
. He joined the White House
White House
The White House is the official residence and principal workplace of the president of the United States. Located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW in Washington, D.C., the house was designed by Irish-born James Hoban, and built between 1792 and 1800 of white-painted Aquia sandstone in the Neoclassical...
staff in March 2009, holding the title of Special Counsel to the President, and on September 11, 2009 was nominated by Obama to become United States Ambassador to Australia
United States Ambassador to Australia
The position of United States Ambassador to Australia has existed since 1940. U.S.-Australian relations have been close throughout the history of Australia...
. The United States Senate
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
confirmed Bleich on November 10, 2009.
Early life and education
Bleich grew up in Connecticut and graduated from Hall High SchoolHall High School (Connecticut)
William H. Hall High School, also known as Hall High School, is a four-year public high school located in West Hartford, Connecticut. The school colors are blue and white, and the mascot is the "Warrior." It is one of two public high schools in the West Hartford Public Schools, the other being...
in West Hartford. Bleich graduated from Amherst College
Amherst College
Amherst College is a private liberal arts college located in Amherst, Massachusetts, United States. Amherst is an exclusively undergraduate four-year institution and enrolled 1,744 students in the fall of 2009...
magna cum laude
Latin honors
Latin honors are Latin phrases used to indicate the level of academic distinction with which an academic degree was earned. This system is primarily used in the United States, Canada, and in many countries of continental Europe, though some institutions also use the English translation of these...
with a Bachelor of Arts
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
degree
Academic degree
An academic degree is a position and title within a college or university that is usually awarded in recognition of the recipient having either satisfactorily completed a prescribed course of study or having conducted a scholarly endeavour deemed worthy of his or her admission to the degree...
in political science
Political science
Political Science is a social science discipline concerned with the study of the state, government and politics. Aristotle defined it as the study of the state. It deals extensively with the theory and practice of politics, and the analysis of political systems and political behavior...
in 1983. Bleich was admitted to study at Harvard University
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
but deferred for a year to take a public policy fellowship at the Coro Foundation
Coro (non-profit organization)
Coro is an American non-partisan, non-profit organization best known for its fellowship program dedicated to teaching skills useful in leadership in public affairs to young adults....
in St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis is an independent city on the eastern border of Missouri, United States. With a population of 319,294, it was the 58th-largest U.S. city at the 2010 U.S. Census. The Greater St...
, where he became involved in juvenile justice issues. At Harvard Bleich went to the John F. Kennedy School of Government
John F. Kennedy School of Government
The John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University is a public policy and public administration school, and one of Harvard's graduate and professional schools...
as a 1986 John F. Kennedy Fellow, graduated with a Master of Arts in Public Policy
Master of Public Policy
The Master of Public Policy , one of several public policy degrees, is a master's level professional degree that provides training in policy analysis and program evaluation at public policy schools. The MPP program places a focus on the systematic analysis of issues related to public policy and the...
.
Bleich attended the University of California, Berkeley School of Law and received his J.D.
Juris Doctor
Juris Doctor is a professional doctorate and first professional graduate degree in law.The degree was first awarded by Harvard University in the United States in the late 19th century and was created as a modern version of the old European doctor of law degree Juris Doctor (see etymology and...
in 1989. He was editor-in-chief of the California Law Review
California Law Review
The California Law Review is the flagship law journal of UC Berkeley School of Law . Founded in 1912, the Review was the first student law journal published west of Illinois....
and Order of the Coif
Order of the Coif
The Order of the Coif is an honor society for United States law school graduates. A student at an American law school who earns a Juris Doctor degree and graduates in the top 10 percent of his or her class is eligible for membership if the student's law school has a chapter of the...
. In May 2011, Bleich was an awarded an honorary Doctor of Laws degree from San Francisco State University. http://www.calstate.edu/honorarydegrees/2011/bio-bleich.shtml
Legal career
Bleich served as a law clerkLaw clerk
A law clerk or a judicial clerk is a person who provides assistance to a judge in researching issues before the court and in writing opinions. Law clerks are not court clerks or courtroom deputies, who are administrative staff for the court. Most law clerks are recent law school graduates who...
to Judge Abner J. Mikva
Abner J. Mikva
Abner Joseph Mikva is a Democratic former U.S. Representative, federal judge and law professor from Chicago.-Biography:Born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Mikva attended the University of Chicago Law School, from which he graduated in 1951...
of the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit
United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit
The United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit known informally as the D.C. Circuit, is the federal appellate court for the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. Appeals from the D.C. Circuit, as with all the U.S. Courts of Appeals, are heard on a...
from 1989 to 1990 and to Chief Justice
Chief Justice of the United States
The Chief Justice of the United States is the head of the United States federal court system and the chief judge of the Supreme Court of the United States. The Chief Justice is one of nine Supreme Court justices; the other eight are the Associate Justices of the Supreme Court of the United States...
William H. Rehnquist of the Supreme Court of the United States
Supreme Court of the United States
The Supreme Court of the United States is the highest court in the United States. It has ultimate appellate jurisdiction over all state and federal courts, and original jurisdiction over a small range of cases...
from 1990 to 1991. He was legal assistant to Judge Howard M. Holtzmann of the Iran-United States Claims Tribunal
Iran-United States Claims Tribunal
The Iran-United States Claims Tribunal is an international arbitral tribunal established out of an agreement between Iran and the United States, under an understanding known as the Algiers Accords of January 19, 1981. The Algiers Accords were the outcome of negotiations between Iran and the United...
at The Hague
The Hague
The Hague is the capital city of the province of South Holland in the Netherlands. With a population of 500,000 inhabitants , it is the third largest city of the Netherlands, after Amsterdam and Rotterdam...
from 1991 to 1992. He received a Certificate of Study in Public and Private International Law from the Hague Academy of International Law
Hague Academy of International Law
The Hague Academy of International Law is a center for high-level education in both public and private international law housed in the Peace Palace in The Hague, The Netherlands...
, Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
in 1993.
Bleich joined the San Francisco-based firm Munger, Tolles & Olson LLP in 1992, and was made partner three years later, in December 1995. His practice there was focused primarily on general civil
Civil law (common law)
Civil law, as opposed to criminal law, is the branch of law dealing with disputes between individuals or organizations, in which compensation may be awarded to the victim...
litigation, with emphasis on complex litigation, appellate practice, media law, communications law, and intellectual property
Intellectual property
Intellectual property is a term referring to a number of distinct types of creations of the mind for which a set of exclusive rights are recognized—and the corresponding fields of law...
.
Since 1993 he has served as an adjunct lecturer in law at Berkeley Law, teaching constitutional law
United States constitutional law
United States constitutional law is the body of law governing the interpretation and implementation of the United States Constitution.- Introduction :United States constitutional law defines the scope and application of the terms of the Constitution...
and upper-level seminar courses in international human rights, habeas corpus
Habeas corpus
is a writ, or legal action, through which a prisoner can be released from unlawful detention. The remedy can be sought by the prisoner or by another person coming to his aid. Habeas corpus originated in the English legal system, but it is now available in many nations...
, and appellate advocacy. He was president of the San Francisco Bar Association in 2003. Bleich served as president of the State Bar of California
State Bar of California
The State Bar of California is California's official bar association. It is responsible for managing the admission of lawyers to the practice of law, investigating complaints of professional misconduct, and prescribing appropriate discipline...
from 2007 to 2008.
Bleich was elected to the American Law Institute
American Law Institute
The American Law Institute was established in 1923 to promote the clarification and simplification of American common law and its adaptation to changing social needs. The ALI drafts, approves, and publishes Restatements of the Law, Principles of the Law, model codes, and other proposals for law...
in 2003 and served as chair of the American Bar Association
American Bar Association
The American Bar Association , founded August 21, 1878, is a voluntary bar association of lawyers and law students, which is not specific to any jurisdiction in the United States. The ABA's most important stated activities are the setting of academic standards for law schools, and the formulation...
Amicus Curiae Committee from 2006-2009. He also served on an ABA subcommittee on corporate social responsibility
Corporate social responsibility
Corporate social responsibility is a form of corporate self-regulation integrated into a business model...
and on the ABA Section on International Law. He is also a member of the Council on Foreign Relations
Council on Foreign Relations
The Council on Foreign Relations is an American nonprofit nonpartisan membership organization, publisher, and think tank specializing in U.S. foreign policy and international affairs...
and the Pacific Council on International Policy
Pacific Council on International Policy
The Pacific Council on International Policy is a non-partisan organization headquartered in Los Angeles with members and activities throughout the West Coast of the United States and internationally....
, the International Law Association
International Law Association
The International Law Association is a non-profit organization based in Great Britain that — according to its 2004 constitution — promotes "the study, clarification and development of international law" and "the furtherance of international understanding and respect for international law."The ILA...
, and the American Society of International Law
American Society of International Law
The American Society of International Law is a nonprofit, nonpartisan, educational membership organization, based in Washington, D.C.. It was founded in 1906, and was chartered by the United States Congress in 1950...
, in addition to the Edward J. McFetridge American Inn of Court. He has written over 100 articles and served on some 20 different boards, including the boards of Human Rights Watch
Human Rights Watch
Human Rights Watch is an international non-governmental organization that conducts research and advocacy on human rights. Its headquarters are in New York City and it has offices in Berlin, Beirut, Brussels, Chicago, Geneva, Johannesburg, London, Los Angeles, Moscow, Paris, San Francisco, Tokyo,...
and Legal Community Against Violence.\ as well as the Boalt Hall Alumni Association and the Legal Aid Society of San Francisco.
Bleich was a member of the board of trustees of California State University
California State University
The California State University is a public university system in the state of California. It is one of three public higher education systems in the state, the other two being the University of California system and the California Community College system. It is incorporated as The Trustees of the...
, serving a term from 2004-2009. He served as vice chair from 2006 to 2008 and as chair from 2008-09.
Involvement in politics
During the Clinton administrationPresidency of Bill Clinton
The United States Presidency of Bill Clinton, also known as the Clinton Administration, was the executive branch of the federal government of the United States from January 20, 1993 to January 20, 2001. Clinton was the first Democratic president since Franklin D. Roosevelt to win a second full term...
, Bleich served as director of the White House Council on Youth Violence, formed during the aftermath of the Columbine High School massacre
Columbine High School massacre
The Columbine High School massacre occurred on Tuesday, April 20, 1999, at Columbine High School in Columbine, an unincorporated area of Jefferson County, Colorado, United States, near Denver and Littleton. Two senior students, Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold, embarked on a massacre, killing 12...
.
Bleich met Barack Obama almost 20 years before Bleich was nominated to become U.S. Ambassador to Australia, when Bleich tried to recruit Obama to become a law clerk to Abner Mikva. The two later became friends. Bleich was in attendance during Obama's keynote address
2004 Democratic National Convention keynote address
The keynote address at the 2004 Democratic National Convention was given by then Illinois State Senator, United States Senate candidate , and future President Barack Obama on the night of Tuesday, July 27, 2004...
at the 2004 Democratic National Convention
2004 Democratic National Convention
The 2004 Democratic National Convention convened from July 26 to July 29, 2004 at the FleetCenter in Boston, Massachusetts, and nominated John Kerry and John Edwards as the official candidates of the Democratic Party for President and Vice President of the United States, respectively, in the 2004...
and shared breakfast with him two days later.
During Obama's 2008 presidential campaign
Barack Obama presidential campaign, 2008
Barack Obama, then junior United States Senator from Illinois, announced his candidacy for the presidency of the United States in Springfield, Illinois, on February 10, 2007. On August 27, 2008, he was declared nominee of the Democratic Party for the 2008 presidential election...
, Bleich was a founding member and co-chair of Obama's national finance committee, co-chair of Obama's higher education
Higher education
Higher, post-secondary, tertiary, or third level education refers to the stage of learning that occurs at universities, academies, colleges, seminaries, and institutes of technology...
advisory board, and California co-chair. He donated to Hillary Rodham Clinton
Hillary Rodham Clinton
Hillary Diane Rodham Clinton is the 67th United States Secretary of State, serving in the administration of President Barack Obama. She was a United States Senator for New York from 2001 to 2009. As the wife of the 42nd President of the United States, Bill Clinton, she was the First Lady of the...
and raised funds for her to retire her campaign's debt after the Democratic primary
Democratic Party (United States) presidential primaries, 2008
The 2008 Democratic presidential primaries were the selection process by which voters of the Democratic Party chose its nominee for President of the United States in the 2008 U.S. presidential election...
.
Bleich joined the White House team in March 2009. Among his tasks was to address confirmation and personnel issues and to advise on other sensitive matters. He moderated a discussion on human rights in the new administration at the 2009 American Bar Association
American Bar Association
The American Bar Association , founded August 21, 1878, is a voluntary bar association of lawyers and law students, which is not specific to any jurisdiction in the United States. The ABA's most important stated activities are the setting of academic standards for law schools, and the formulation...
's Section of International Law Spring Meeting in April 2009.
The Senate confirmed Bleich to be United States Ambassador to Australia
United States Ambassador to Australia
The position of United States Ambassador to Australia has existed since 1940. U.S.-Australian relations have been close throughout the history of Australia...
in a voice vote on November 10, 2009.
Family and personal life
Bleich's wife is Rebecca Pratt "Becky" Bleich, and they have three teenage children, Jake, Matthew, and Abby. He collects Elvis PresleyElvis Presley
Elvis Aaron Presley was one of the most popular American singers of the 20th century. A cultural icon, he is widely known by the single name Elvis. He is often referred to as the "King of Rock and Roll" or simply "the King"....
memorabilia.