Edwin D. Williamson

Secretary

Upon graduation from the New York University School of Law in 1964, Edwin Williamson began work at the firm of Sullivan & Cromwell LLP in 1964, becoming a partner in 1971 and Senior Counsel in 2006. He is an expert in public international law and national security issues, serving as the Legal Adviser of the U.S. Department of State from 1990–1993. In this capacity, he helped form the legal positions of the United States in the 1990–1991 Persian Gulf conflict; after the dissolution of the Soviet Union and the related issues of state succession; after the dissolution of Yugoslavia; and during the attempt to end the Serbian-Bosnian conflict.

In addition to his public policy work, Mr. Williamson has been an active participant on panels and other forums concerning public international law and national security issues. He is a member of the Council of Foreign Relations and the American Law Institute, and has served on the Executive Council of the American Society of International Law.

Mr. Williamson has extensive experience serving on both corporate and philanthropic boards, including as vice chairman and a member of the Executive Board of the Business and Industry Advisory Committee (BIAC) to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and of the Executive Committee of the U.S. Council for International Business (USCIB). He is a former chairman of the board of regents and a former trustee of the University of the South.

In addition to his J.D., Mr. Williamson received a B.A. from the University of the South in 1961 and a Doctor of Civil Law from the University of the South in 1992.