WilmerHale Senior International Counsel Ambassador Robert M. Kimmitt has been named a 2026 Lifetime Achievement Award recipient by The American Lawyer, recognizing his distinguished career and longstanding contributions to the legal profession, public service and the global business community. 

Throughout a legal career spanning more than four decades, Kimmitt has held senior roles across government, private practice and business, working at the intersection of international law, national security, public policy and global finance. At WilmerHale, he serves as senior international counsel, advising clients on matters involving public policy, national security, international investment and governance. 

Kimmitt’s public service has included serving as US Ambassador to Germany, Deputy Secretary of the Treasury, Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs, General Counsel to the Department of the Treasury, and Executive Secretary and General Counsel of the National Security Council. A graduate of the US Military Academy and a combat veteran, he also served in the US Army Reserve until 2004, achieving the rank of major general. 

His private-practice work has likewise included matters of significant international consequence. Most recently, Kimmitt led a WilmerHale team that helped Dow Jones secure the 2024 release of Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich from detention in Russia. He has also played important roles in efforts that secured the freedom of journalists and other Americans detained abroad, including Maziar Bahari, Jason Rezaian, Trevor Reed and Morad Tahbaz. 

The Lifetime Achievement Award is part of The American Lawyer Industry Awards, which recognize outstanding achievements and contributions by individuals, law firms and legal departments across the legal profession. The 2026 awards ceremony will take place on November 12 at Cipriani Wall Street in New York.