Senator George J. Mitchell

Senator George J. Mitchell represented Maine in the U.S. Senate, and served as majority leader for the last six of his fifteen years in that body. Since leaving the Senate in 1995, Senator Mitchell has played an active and distinguished role in international affairs. In 1996, the governments of the United Kingdom and Northern Ireland asked Senator Mitchell to chair the peace negotiations in Northern Ireland. Senator Mitchell led the negotiations that resulted in the historic “Good Friday” accord that ended decades of conflict. For his role in the peace talks, Senator Mitchell received the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest civilian honor the U.S. government can bestow. At the request of President Bill Clinton and Israeli and Palestinian leaders, Senator Mitchell served as chairman of an international fact-finding committee on violence in the Middle East. The committee’s recommendation, widely known as The Mitchell Report, was endorsed by the Bush Administration, the European Union, and many other governments. Senator Mitchell is the author of four books, including Making Peace, an account of his experiences in Northern Ireland. He is currently partner in the law firm Piper Rudnick.