Foley Hoag is pleased to announce that Ambassador David Pressman has joined the firm as a partner in its New York office, bringing decades of experience at the intersection of national security, international law, and crisis management.

Described as a “brilliant orator” (Le Monde), “one of the world’s leading human rights advocates” (CNN), and a “high-profile diplomat” (The Guardian), Ambassador Pressman has represented some of the world’s most prominent individuals and institutions confronting a wide array of legal, reputational, and transnational threats.

Ambassador Pressman has served as lead counsel on cutting-edge national security litigation spanning dozens of jurisdictions and presenting novel immunity, state secrets, and related claims. He has represented major corporations and highly visible individuals in sensitive matters including high-stakes congressional investigations, international litigation, and complex crisis situations.

"Ambassador Pressman’s record operating across legal, political, and diplomatic arenas makes him a natural fit for our firm, and his insights will be an asset to our clients in a time of global change,” said Managing Partner Jim Bucking. “His arrival follows that of fellow former government officials Greg Craig and Hampton Dellinger and the launch of our First Amendment and Media practice group, all of which underscore our commitment to advocating on matters of national importance.”

“In a moment defined by timidity, few law firms have been as unwavering about what it means to stand up fearlessly for our clients and for rule of law as Foley Hoag. Foley Hoag has the country’s premier international law practice, one of the country’s very first human rights practices, and it is a firm prepared to take on the most important matters at a time of global uncertainty. I couldn’t be more pleased to work with this extraordinary team at a firm designed to meet the challenges our clients are confronting in a rapidly evolving landscape,” said Ambassador Pressman.

Ambassador Pressman served under three U.S. presidents in senior national security and foreign policy roles and has twice been confirmed by the U.S. Senate. He is the most recent U.S. ambassador to Hungary, where he led diplomatic engagement during Russia’s war against Ukraine.

Previously, Ambassador Pressman served as U.S. ambassador to the United Nations Security Council, assistant secretary of homeland security, and as director for war crimes and atrocities at the National Security Council. In these roles, he directed missions comprising dozens of government departments and agencies, led U.S. negotiations on international disputes around the world, and shaped policy on the full gamut of national and homeland security matters.

Ambassador Pressman was the founding executive director of the Clooney Foundation for Justice and began his government service as an aide to Secretary of State Madeleine K. Albright. He received his B.A. from Brown University and his law degree from New York University School of Law, where he graduated magna cum laude and Order of the Coif.