Ambassador Martin J. Silverstein is senior counsel with the international law firm of Greenberg Traurig in the Global and Corporate & Securities practices. An attorney for over 30 years, he has represented multi-national businesses and is a member of the bars of Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York, Texas and U.S. Court of International Trade. He maintains the highest AV® rating for legal skills, integrity and professional excellence under the Martindale-Hubbell Peer Review Rating system.
Silverstein earned his LL.M. from University of Pennsylvania Law School, J.D. from Temple Law School (senior member of Law Review) and B.A. in political science from Rutgers College.
Ambassador Silverstein served as U.S. Ambassador to Uruguay for four years (2001- 2005). During his tenure, he worked diligently to protect the American homeland in the immediate post 9/11 environment; facilitated a $1.5 billion U.S. Treasury loan to salvage Uruguay's banking system; worked to reopen markets to banned Uruguayan beef; and engineered the signing of the first Bilateral Investment Treaty of the Bush Administration. These actions led the President of Uruguay to publicly credit President Bush with saving his government and preventing economic collapse.
The United States government decorated the Ambassador with the Superior Honor Award Medal and The Foreign Affairs Award for Public Service for his "performance with exceptional dedication and distinction." The Republic of Uruguay decorated him with the Medalla de la Republica Oriental del Uruguay, rank of Gran Oficial, the highest honor it ever bestowed on an American citizen.
Silverstein serves as a Trustee of the (Pennsylvania) Public School Employees' Retirement System, a public pension fund with $50 billion in assets. He also sits as a Judge Pro Tempore in the First Judicial District of Pennsylvania and has served on the Federal Judicial Nominating Commission. He also serves on the Board of Overseers at University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing, Board of Visitors at Temple University School of Law and as a founding board member and vice president of Global Democracy Alliance. He is professionally competent in Spanish and Hebrew.
Areas of Concentration
· Global trade practice
· International
· Corporate and securities
Professional & Community Involvement
· Member, Board of Overseers, University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing
· Member, Board of Visitors, Temple University Beasley School of Law
· Member, Board of Directors and Vice-President, Global Democracy Alliance
· Member, Council of American Ambassadors
· Judge Pro Tempore, First Judicial District of Pennsylvania
· Member, Lubavitch Centers
· Northwest Women's Shelter, Washington, DC
· United Negro College Fund
Awards & Recognition
· The Medalla de la Republica Oriental del Uruguay, rank of Gran Oficial, awarded by the President and Government of the Oriental Republic of Uruguay. The highest honor ever bestowed on an American citizen by the nation of Uruguay.
· Superior Honor Award Medal, awarded by United States government, Department of State. A unique recognition for a non-career Ambassador.
· The Foreign Affairs Award for Public Service, awarded by United States government, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice for "performance with exceptional dedication and distinction."
· Joined President George W. Bush as part of a U.S. Honorary Delegation to attend celebrations in honor of the 60th Anniversary of the State of Israel on May 14-15, 2008, in Jerusalem, Israel
· Philadelphia Police Department Citizens Commendation for Bravery
· U.S. Congress Certificate of Merit for service to veterans
· Maimonides Award awarded by American Friends of Magen David Adom
· Rated, AV® Preeminent™ 5.0 out of 5
Noteworthy Experience
· Reserve Police Officer, Elizabeth, NJ
· Ocean Lifeguard, Key Biscayne, Dade County, Florida
Other Experience
· U.S. Ambassador to Oriental Republic of Uruguay
· Member, U.S. Presidential Delegation to the Uruguayan presidential inauguration
· Delegation Member, MERCOSUR 4 plus 1 Council on Trade and Investment negotiations
· Delegation Member, U.S.-Uruguay Joint Commission on Trade and Investment
· Member, Federal Judicial Nominating Commission (EdPA)
· Accredited Delegate, Ukraine Presidential Election IRI Observation Mission
Articles, Publications, & Lectures
Lectures
· Lectures on a variety of contemporary topics including international relations, diplomacy, economics, and global trade. Recent venues have included Wharton School and the Lauder Institute at the University of Pennsylvania, Center for Latin American studies at Georgetown University School of Foreign Service, The Institute for International Law and Public Policy at Temple University Law School, Bryn Mawr College, and The Pan American Association of Philadelphia.
(Also at New York, N.Y. Office)