We were deeply honored to host an off-the-record conversation with the legendary Robert Barnett of Williams & Connolly in Washington, DC. In addition to representing major corporations in litigation matters, corporate work, contracts, crisis management, and government relations, Bob is without a doubt the premier authors’ representative in the world and one of the most revered and respected negotiators in the country. He generously shared stories, negotiation advice, and guiding principles developed over decades of experience.
His clients have included: President Barack Obama; President Bill Clinton; President George W. Bush; Secretary of State and First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton; First Lady Michelle Obama; First Lady Laura Bush; Bob Woodward; Mary Higgins Clark; Vice President Dick Cheney; Bern Bernanke; The late Congressman John Lewis; Governor Andrew Cuomo; Ambassador Nikki Haley; The late Tim Russert; Barbara Streisand; The late Jack Welch; Sen. Mitch McConnell; Jake Tapper; Prime Minister Tony Blair; Queen Noor of Jordan; The Prince of Wales; Secretary of State Madeline Albright; Secretary of State James Baker
Bob also has worked on ten national presidential campaigns, focusing on debate preparation. In addition to playing a major role on the debate preparation teams in 1976, 1980, 1984, 1988, 1992, 2000, 2004, 2008 and 2012, he played the role of George Bush in practice debates with Geraldine Ferraro in 1984, with Michael Dukakis in 1988, and practice debated Bill Clinton more than twenty times during the 1992 campaign. In 2000, he played the role of Dick Cheney in practices with Joe Lieberman. In 2004, he played the role of Dick Cheney in practices with John Edwards. In 2000 and 2006, he assisted Hillary Rodham Clinton with her Senate debate preparations and helped prepare her for 23 presidential primary debates in 2008. He assisted Barack Obama with debate negotiation and preparation in 2008 and 2012. He assisted Secretary Clinton with her 2016 debates, including playing the role of Bernie Sanders in practice primary debates and Mike Pence in practices for the vice-presidential debate with Tim Kaine.