Brooksley Born Receives Prestigious Profile In Courage Award From The John F. Kennedy Library Foundation

Washington, DC, March 25, 2009 -- The John F. Kennedy Library Foundation announced that Arnold & Porter LLP's Brooksley Born will receive a Profile in Courage Award for her leadership in public service. The award will be presented at a ceremony in Boston on May 18, 2009.

The Foundation cited Ms. Born's political courage, as chair of the US Commodity Futures Trading Commission (1996-1999), in sounding early warnings about conditions that contributed to the current global financial crisis.

"Brooksley Born and the other honorees all share uncommon courage," said Caroline Kennedy, President of the John F. Kennedy Library Foundation. "As an appointive official, she has inspired all those who wish to bring about meaningful change to their political systems."

"I feel so honored to receive the Profile in Courage Award," said Ms. Born. "President Kennedy has been a hero of mine for fifty years and an inspiration to engage in public service."

Ms. Born joined Arnold & Porter in 1965. She left the firm in 1996 to serve a three-year term as chair of the CFTC, returned to the firm in 1999, and retired in 2003.

She was head of the firm's derivatives practice for many years and represented domestic and international clients in legislative, litigation, regulatory, and transactional matters involving derivatives transactions and financial markets. She served on the firm's Policy Committee and chaired its Pro Bono Committee.

"Brooksley is a leader in her field, having paved the way for a generation of women lawyers," said Arnold & Porter Chair Thomas Milch. "Her commitment to excellence and public service has been unwavering throughout her ground-breaking career. We congratulate her on this distinctive honor."

Ms. Born is known for her trailblazing role in the legal field. She was first in her class at Stanford in 1964 and President of the Stanford Law Review, the first woman to hold either distinction. This month, Stanford Magazine featured Ms. Born in a cover story entitled "Prophet and Loss ."

Ms. Born became a partner at Arnold & Porter working on a part-time schedule in order to raise her family while pursuing her career. This was a first in Washington, DC in the 1970s. Ms. Born was one of the first women to become a forceful and effective leader in the American Bar Association. In 1977, she was the first woman appointed to the prestigious ABA Standing Committee on Federal Judiciary, which evaluates all nominees for federal judgeships. She led the effort in rewriting the standards for evaluation of judicial nominees, ensuring that more women and minorities could be appointed to the federal courts. Ms. Born served on the ABA's board of governors and is a founder of the ABA Women's Caucus. She also chairs the board of the National Women's Law Center.

The John F. Kennedy Profile in Courage Award is the nation's most prestigious honor for public servants. The Profile in Courage Award was created in 1989 by members of President Kennedy's family to honor President John F. Kennedy and to recognize and celebrate the quality of political courage that he admired most. Recipients have included Rep. John Lewis, Sen. Russ Feingold, UN General Secretary Kofi Annan, Mayor Shirley Franklin and Sen. Edward M. Kennedy.