News
2 May 2008
TIME Magazine names DLA Piper’s Senator George Mitchell One of “World’s 100 Most Influential People”
Firm’s Chairman Recognized in Annual TIME 100 List
Press Release
US Careers News
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(Washington, D.C.) –
TIME Magazine announced today that Senator George J. Mitchell, chairman of DLA Piper, has been selected as one of “The World’s 100 Most Influential People.” The annual
TIME 100 list profiles men and women whose power, talent or moral example has made a significant difference in the world.
TIME’s “World’s 100 Most Influential People” list is comprised of individuals spanning politics, business, arts, science and more – all considered to have transformed the world in some way.
“Senator Mitchell has dedicated his entire life to public service. As a Senator, statesman, prosecutor and peacemaker, he has made a tremendous impact over his lifetime,” said Francis B. Burch, Jr., Joint Chief Executive Officer of DLA Piper. “He has worked tirelessly to advance peace, justice and equality both in the US and abroad, and we are enormously proud to have him as Chairman of our Global Board.”
In 1996, Senator Mitchell chaired the peace negotiations in Northern Ireland. According to author Samantha Power, “After three long years of squabbles that made the partisan headaches of the Senate seem quaint, Mitchell presided over 36 hours of negotiations that produced the historic Good Friday Agreement.”
During his 14-year career in the Senate, Senator Mitchell served on the Finance, Veterans Affairs, and Environment and Public Works committees. He led the successful 1990 reauthorization of the Clean Air Act, including new controls on acid rain toxins. He was the author of the first national oil spill prevention and cleanup law. In addition, he led the Senate to pass the nation's first child care bill and was principal author of the low-income housing tax credit program. He was instrumental in the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act – landmark legislation extending civil rights protections to the disabled.
His efforts also led to the passage of a higher education bill that expanded opportunities for millions of Americans. He was a leader in opening markets to trade and led the Senate to ratification of the North American Free Trade Agreement and creation of the World Trade Organization.
Power notes that Senator Mitchell “succeeded in his shuttle diplomacy because he managed to build trust among the parties. And when he was invited by the commissioner of Major League Baseball to head up an investigation of steroid use in the league, he was asked to restore trust in baseball.” She goes on to explain that “by making officially known what was long knowable, Mitchell has added yet another chapter to his distinctly American story.”
Among his many achievements, Senator Mitchell served as chairman of the board of The Walt Disney Company. He is also chancellor of The Queen’s University of Northern Ireland. He served as chairman of the International Crisis Group, a nonprofit organization dedicated to the prevention of crises in international affairs; as chairman of the Special Commission investigating allegations of impropriety in the bidding process for the Olympic Games; and as chairman of the National Health Care Commission.
Senator Mitchell was the independent overseer of the American Red Cross Liberty Disaster Relief Fund, an organization formed to help victims of the 9/11 attacks, working pro bono. In addition, at the request of President Bill Clinton and Israeli and Palestinian leaders, he served as chairman of an international fact-finding committee on violence in the Middle East. The committee’s recommendation, The Mitchell Report, was endorsed by the Bush Administration, the European Union, and many other governments.
He is the author of four books:
Men of Zeal, co-authored with his colleague, then-Senator William S. Cohen, on the Iran-Contra investigation;
World on Fire, speaking to the threat of the greenhouse effect and recommending steps to curb it;
Not For America Alone: The Triumph of Democracy and The Fall of Communism; and
Making Peace, an account of his experiences in Northern Ireland.
Senator Mitchell’s service has earned him many high honors, including the Presidential Medal of Freedom and the Liberty Medal. He was recently the recipient of the U.S. Association of Former Members of Congress 2008 Distinguished Service Award.
Please find the complete text of the article at:
http://www.time.com/time/specials/2007/article/0,28804,1733748_1733756_1735914,00.html