Robert B. Barnett, Attorney

Robert (Bob) Barnett is an American lawyer from Illinois. He graduated from the University of Wisconsin with a bachelor’s degree in political science in 1968, and he earned a JD from the University of Chicago in 1971. While at the University of Chicago, Barnett was a comment editor for the University of Chicago Law Review.

In 1972, Barnett took a clerkship in Washington, D.C. for Supreme Court justice Byron White. One year later he went to work for Minnesota Senator Walter Mondale.

Three years later, Barnett joined the firm Williams & Connolly LLP. He became a partner at the firm in 1978. While there, Barnett has represented many clients. He has guided prominent corporations in the US and abroad on legal matters including crisis management, transactions, government relations, media relations, and contracts. His clients have included Toyota, Revlon, the NBA, McDonald’s Corporation, Toll Brothers and General Electric. His high-profile clientele includes James Patterson, Khaled Hosseini, Queen Noor of Jordan, and a handful of journalists, athletes, authors, and business leaders.

With a background in politics himself, Barnett represents prominent politicians and government officials. He has represented Bill Clinton, Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton, Karl Rove, John Boehner, and many other senators and congressmen. As a skilled orator, he has worked with presidential hopefuls on the campaign trail to prepare debates. From the 1970s through 2012, he has coached clients on negotiation strategies and debate tactics. He also worked with Secretary Clinton in her 2016 debates and helped Mike Pence in his vice-presidential debates with Tim Kaine.

School	Degree	Major	Graduation
University of Chicago Law School	JD	Law School	1971
University of Wisconsin	BA	Political Science	1968

• Media & Entertainment (DC), Chambers USA (2004-2017)  
  
  The 100 Most Influential Lawyers in American, The National Law Journal (2013)
  
  Ranked #1 on Washingtonian magazine’s list of “Washington’s Best Lawyers” (2004)
  
  Names one of the 100 most powerful people in the entertainment industry by Entertainment Weekly Magazine
  
  Lawdragon magazine Hall of Fame (2015)
  
  Recognized as one of The Best Lawyers in America for Commercial Litigation, Corporate Law, and Media Law (2006-2017)