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Andrew H. Schapiro

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Andrew Schapiro
Headshot of Andrew H. Schapiro
Official portrait, 2014
8th United States Ambassador to the Czech Republic
In office
September 30, 2014 – January 20, 2017
PresidentBarack Obama
Preceded byNorm Eisen
Succeeded bySteve King
Personal details
Born (1963-04-25) April 25, 1963 (age 61)
Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
Political partyDemocratic
SpouseTamar Newberger
Children2
EducationYale University (BA)
Merton College, Oxford (MA)
Harvard University (JD)

Andrew H. Schapiro (born April 25, 1963) is an American attorney and diplomat who served as United States Ambassador to the Czech Republic from September 30, 2014, to January 20, 2017.[1] He was nominated by President Barack Obama March 6, 2014 and confirmed by the Senate in July 2014. He was sworn in on August 14, 2014, and presented his credentials to President Miloš Zeman on September 30, 2014.[2] He is currently a partner of Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan.

Early life and education

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Schapiro grew up in the Chicago metropolitan area, the son of Raya Czerner Schapiro and Joseph Schapiro. His mother, a Czech immigrant who was born in Prague, was a psychiatrist and Holocaust refugee. His father was a pediatrician.[3]

Schapiro graduated from Homewood-Flossmoor High School in 1981. He attended Yale University, graduating with a B.A. in history magna cum laude in 1985. Schapiro then attended the Merton College, Oxford on a Marshall Scholarship, earning a B.A. (later promoted to an M.A.) in philosophy, politics and economics, with first-class honors, in 1987. He then entered Harvard Law School, where he served on the Law Review with Barack Obama. Schapiro was awarded a J.D. degree in 1990.[4]

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Schapiro served as a law clerk for Judge Richard Posner of the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit in Chicago, and then clerked for U.S. Supreme Court Justice Harry Blackmun, in Washington, DC. Schapiro is credited with helping to shape Blackmun's eventual position as a death penalty "abolitionist". Schapiro wrote to the justice, "Efforts to fine-tune the machinery of death cannot succeed".[5]

Following his clerkships, Schapiro spent five years as a public-interest lawyer in the office of the Federal Public Defender in New York City, defending individuals charged with federal crimes who could not afford to hire their own attorneys. As a partner at two global law firms—first Mayer Brown and then Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan—he specialized in intellectual property and commercial litigation and appeals.[6] Following diplomatic service, he returned to Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan, again as a partner.

He has been ranked in Best Lawyers In America and Legal 500 USA, and was twice chosen as the American Lawyer's "Litigator of the Week" for landmark victories on behalf of YouTube and Google in the $1 billion Viacom v. YouTube litigation.[7][8][9] He has been described in the press as a "superstar" and "one of the brightest legal minds of his generation".[10]

Ambassadorship

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On March 6, 2014, President Obama nominated Schapiro to be U.S. Ambassador to the Czech Republic. He was confirmed by the U.S. Senate by a voice vote on July 23, 2014.[11] In his first year as ambassador, he visited each of the country's 14 regions.[12] Schapiro's 2015 appearance on the popular Jan Kraus talk show drew notice after he sang and played "Jumpin' Jack Flash", by The Rolling Stones, with the house band, at the host's invitation.[13][14][15]

In April 2015, Schapiro suggested in a television interview that it could be "awkward" for Czech President Milos Zeman to go ahead with plans to attend a military parade in Moscow, which other Western leaders were avoiding due to the Russo-Ukrainian war and where Zeman was expected to be the only European head of state on the reviewing stand. President Zeman responded by condemning Schapiro for his comments. Zeman's reaction drew criticism from across the Czech political spectrum, and Zeman then decided not to attend the parade.[16][17][18]

Schapiro has emphasized the importance of a strong NATO partnership, and in 2015 traveled to Afghanistan with Czech military commanders to visit Czech and American troops serving together at Bagram Air Base.[19] During Schapiro's tenure as ambassador, the US Embassy increased its focus on innovation and entrepreneurship, and initiated a new Ambassador's Fund for Women's Empowerment to assist Czech groups working to deepen the participation of women in business, government and public life.[20][21][22][23]

Civic and political activity

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Schapiro has served on the board of directors of the Chicago Low-Income Housing Trust Fund, the Criminal Justice Act Advisory Board of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit, the Board of Directors of the Jewish Council on Urban Affairs, and the advisory board of the institute on the Supreme Court of the United States. He was a member of the Democratic National Committee's 2012 Platform Committee as well as its National Finance Committee.[24]

Personal

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Schapiro is married to Tamar Newberger, and they have two children, Galia and Alex.

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Revesz, Rachel (January 20, 2017). "Donald Trump has fired all foreign US ambassadors with nobody to replace them". The Independent. Archived from the original on 2017-01-20. Retrieved January 20, 2017.
  2. ^ Andrew H. Schapiro U.S. Department of State, accessed may 12, 2016
  3. ^ Another Obama Bundler From Chicago Gets a Plum Diplomatic Post Chicago Magazine, March 11, 2014
  4. ^ Ambassador to the Czech Republic: Who Is Andrew Schapiro? AllGov, June 1, 2014
  5. ^ Documents Reveal the Evolution of a Justice The New York Times, March 4, 2004
  6. ^ Obama bundler and Harvard law colleague confirmed as ambassador to Czech Republic Archived 2016-06-09 at the Wayback Machine The Daily News 724, July 23, 2014
  7. ^ "Andrew Schapiro, U.S. Ambassador to Czech Republic," https://2009-2017.state.gov/r/pa/ei/biog/232288.htm
  8. ^ Tom Huddleston Jr., "Quinn Emanuel Adds High-Profile Litigator Schapiro," AmLaw Daily, Oct. 4, 2011, http://amlawdaily.typepad.com/amlawdaily/2011/10/quinn-schapiro.html.
  9. ^ Jan Wolfe, "Litigators of the Week: Andrew Schapiro of Quinn Emanuel and David Kramer of Wilson Sonsini," The Litigation Daily April 25, 2013 http://www.litigationdaily.com/id=1202597584022/Litigators_of_the_Week_Andrew_Schapiro_of_Quinn_Emanuel_and_David_Kramer_of_Wilson_Sonsini_?slreturn=20161111102333
  10. ^ [Eriq Gardner, "Megaupload Adds Superstar Lawyer to Defense Team," Hollywood Reporter, April 6, 2012. 1. http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/thr-esq/megaupload-andrew-schapiro-kim-dotcom-309127]
  11. ^ Bob Goldsborough, "Andrew Schapiro Confirmed As Ambassador To Czech Republic," Chicago Tribune, July 24, 2014
  12. ^ "Ambassador Schapiro's First Year In The Czech Republic," retrieved Dec. 12, 2016
  13. ^ Echo24, "Video- Velvyslanec USA u Krause Rozjel Rolling Stones," retrieved Dec. 12, 2016
  14. ^ YouTube, “Píseň Jumpin' Jack Flash - zpěv Andrew H. Schapiro - Show Jana Krause 10. 6. 2015,” retrieved Dec. 12, 2016
  15. ^ IMDb, "Show Jana Krause Episode dated 10 June 2015 (TV Episode 2015)," retrieved Dec. 12, 2016
  16. ^ Sean Carney, "Czech President Clashes With U.S. Ambassador Over Russia," Wall Street Journal, April 5, 2015
  17. ^ Sean Carney & Leos Rousek, "Czech President Decides Not To Attend Military Parade In Moscow," Wall Street Journal, April 10, 2015
  18. ^ Hana de Goeij, "Czech Leader Won’t Attend Moscow Parade After Criticism," New York Times, April 10, 2015
  19. ^ "Ambassador Schapiro Visits Czech Forces In Afghanistan," retrieved Dec. 12, 2016
  20. ^ "American Center Holds Entreprelooza Conference In Support Of Global Entrepreneurship Week," retrieved Dec. 12, 2016
  21. ^ "Ambassador Schapiro Opens Global Entrepreneurship Summit 2015," retrieved Dec. 12, 2016
  22. ^ "U.S. Embassy Focuses on Science, Technology, Engineering and the Environment," retrieved Dec. 12, 2016
  23. ^ "US Embassy Prague Launches A New Fund For Women's Empowerment," retrieved Dec. 12, 2016
  24. ^ “Andrew Schapiro, U.S. Ambassador to Czech Republic,” retrieved Dec. 12, 2016
Diplomatic posts
Preceded by United States Ambassador to the Czech Republic
2014–2017 		Succeeded by
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