Theodore C. Sorensen, former special counsel and adviser to President John F. Kennedy and a widely published author on the presidency and foreign affairs, practiced international law for over 36 years as a senior partner, and now of counsel, in the prominent US law firm of Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP. Former chairman of the firm's International Practice Committee, he has represented US and multinational corporations in negotiations with governments all over the world and advised and assisted a large number of foreign governments and government leaders, ranging from the late President Sadat of Egypt to former President Mandela of South Africa.

A director of the Council on Foreign Relations (until 2004) and the Century Foundation, Mr. Sorensen is the author of the 1965 book Kennedy, an international best seller; seven other books on the presidency, politics and foreign policy; and numerous articles on these subjects in Foreign Affairs, The New York Times and other publications. He has served in a number of governmental, political and civic posts, including the board of the Central Asian-American Enterprise Fund (covering Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, and Turkmenistan) and the Commission on White House Fellows. In 2002, Mr. Sorensen was a fellow at the Institute of Politics in Harvard University's Kennedy School of Government.

Born in Lincoln, Nebraska, in 1928, Mr. Sorensen graduated from the University of Nebraska in 1949 and earned his J.D. at its College of Law in 1951. He has received honorary doctorates from seven universities.