Jose W. Fernandez '80 Nominated by President Obama to be Assistant Secretary of State

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New York, July 23, 2009 – President Barack Obama has nominated Jose W. Fernandez ’80 to become the next Assistant Secretary of State for Economic, Energy and Business Affairs.

 

Fernandez is currently a partner in the New York office of Latham & Watkins, and co-chairs the firm’s Latin America practice, where he has focused on international commercial and banking law in the areas of financial investments and acquisitions.

 

Fernandez has served as an adviser on numerous privatizations, securities offerings, arbitrations and joint ventures throughout Latin America. A substantial part of his work has involved infrastructure projects for the mining, energy and telecommunications industries throughout Latin America, Europe and Africa.

 

Fernandez received a distinguished alumni award last year from the Latino/a Law Students Association at the Law School.

 

A graduate of Dartmouth College, Fernandez is also a member of the Council of Foreign Relations and a com`missioner for the New York City Latin Media and Entertainment Commission. He also founded the Latino International Theater Festival in New York.

 

Columbia Law School, founded in 1858, stands at the forefront of legal education and of the law in a global society. Columbia Law School joins its traditional strengths in international and comparative law, constitutional law, administrative law, business law and human rights law with pioneering work in the areas of intellectual property, digital technology, sexuality and gender, criminal, and environmental law.