Ambassador Charlene Barshefsky, a retired senior international partner at WilmerHale, was recognized as a recipient of The American Lawyer’s highest honor, the 2022 Lifetime Achievement Award. The award recognizes those who have left an indelible mark on society and the legal profession through their substantive work in the public and private spheres.
Barshefsky’s work on international business, economic and trade issues, both as a private practitioner and public official, has helped shape the global economic landscape as we know it. Serving as US Trade Representative during the Clinton administration, Barshefsky rose to global prominence as the architect and chief negotiator of the landmark trade agreement that paved the way for China’s entry into the World Trade Organization and the opening of the country’s economy to the global market.
In 2001, Barshefsky joined WilmerHale as a partner and chair of the firm’s International Trade Practice. She brought with her an impeccable reputation among leaders in countries around the globe, and a deep commitment to opening markets and removing regulatory barriers for her clients.
In addition to her work on behalf of clients, Barshefsky was a member of numerous professional organizations, including the Board of the America-China Society, a Fellow of the Foreign Policy Association and a member of the American Academy of Diplomacy and the Trilateral Commission. She served on the Boards of Directors of American Express Company, The Estée Lauder Companies Inc., MDC Partners, and Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. She was a trustee of the Howard Hughes Medical Institute, a member of the Council on Foreign Relations and a former Intel Corporation board member.
This is the fifth consecutive year a WilmerHale lawyer has received The American Lawyer’s Lifetime Achievement award. The four others include Seth Waxman (2021), Robert Mueller (2020), Bill Lee (2019) and Jamie Gorelick (2018). This year’s honorees were recognized at The American Lawyer Industry Awards on Thursday, November 10 at Cipriani 42nd St in New York.