California’s Leading Legal News Publication Recognizes Managing Partner of Firm’s Los Angeles Office

LOS ANGELES – September 30, 2011 – Robert C. O’Brien, managing partner of Arent Fox’s Los Angeles office, has been named one of the Daily Journal’s Top 100 Lawyers in California for 2011. The Daily Journal, California’s leading provider of legal industry news, selected its Top 100 from more than 1,000 nominations.

A reception honoring the attorneys named to the Daily Journal Top 100 Lawyers list was held at the Beverly Hills Hotel on Tuesday, September 20. A special supplement naming all 100 honorees was published in the Daily Journal on September 27.

“Under O’Brien’s leadership, the number of attorneys in the Los Angeles office of Arent Fox LLP has increased sixfold in four years,” reports the Daily Journal. “The quality of these new attorneys is also notable, among the newly recruited are a former federal judge, a former US attorney, a former US war crimes prosecutor, and a leading auto industry lawyer.”

In addition to his work on a number of high profile litigation matters in California, the newspaper noted Robert’s work as a leader of the US State Department’s Public-Private Partnership for Justice Reform in Afghanistan, which is charged “with the difficult task of rebuilding and solidifying the law” in the war-torn nation. “O’Brien was appointed co-chair in 2007 by then-Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and had the rare distinction of being asked to remain in his position by Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. ‘I think she was impressed by the progress that we were making,’ O’Brien said. ‘We wanted to ensure that this effort had bipartisan support ... We thought that establishing the rule of law in Afghanistan was a cause that lawyers from all political backgrounds could support, and it worked out well.’”

Robert’s practice focuses on commercial litigation and domestic and international arbitration, including intellectual property, entertainment, complex business disputes, and election law matters for Fortune 500 corporations, privately held companies and individuals. He also has significant private practice and government experience in international legal affairs.

In addition to his work in Afghanistan, he was appointed by President George W. Bush to serve on the Cultural Property Advisory Committee in 2008, which advises the US Government on the Convention on Cultural Property Implementation Act. Robert served as the US Alternate Representative to the 60th session of the United Nations General Assembly, which met in New York 2005-2006.

Lawdragon magazine named Robert one of the nation’s 500 Leading Lawyers in America in 2008, 2010, and 2011. Robert is also the recipient of the 2011 Stefan A. Riesenfeld Memorial Award from the Boalt Hall School of Law, where he was honored for his contributions to the field of international law.

Robert is a widely published commentator on issues of international law, civil procedure, foreign affairs, and national security. His articles and op-eds regularly appear in law journals and the popular press in publications such as CBSNews.com, The Huffington Post, and The Daily Caller.

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About Arent Fox
Arent Fox LLP (www.arentfox.com), with offices in Los Angeles, Washington, DC, and New York, is a recognized leader in areas including intellectual property, real estate, telecommunications, health care, automotive, sports, white collar, international trade, bankruptcy, and complex litigation. With more than 350 lawyers nationwide, Arent Fox has extensive experience in corporate securities, financial restructuring, government relations, labor and employment, finance, tax, corporate compliance, and the global business market. The firm represents Fortune 500 companies, government agencies, trade associations, foreign governments and other entities.