Martin J. Silverstein

Ambassador Martin J. Silverstein is senior counsel with the international law firm of Greenberg Traurig in the Global and Corporate practices. An attorney for 40 years, he represents multi-national businesses and is a member of the bars of Texas, New York, District of Columbia, U.S. Court of International Trade and U.S. Tax Court. He maintains the highest possible AV® rating for legal skills, integrity and professional excellence, reflecting the confidential opinion of members of the Bar, Judiciary and Clients under Martindale-Hubbell’s Peer Review Rating system and Client Review Rating system.

Silverstein earned his LL.M. from University of Pennsylvania Law School, J.D. from Temple University Beasley School of Law (senior member of Law Review) and B.A. in political science from Rutgers College.

Silverstein serves as a Trustee of the University of Pennsylvania, a Board of Visitors member at Temple University Beasley School of Law and was a Trustee of the Public School Employees' Retirement System. He sits as a Judge Pro Tempore and on the Federal Judicial Nomination Advisory Panel. He is professionally competent in Spanish and Hebrew.

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 an $1.5 billion U.S. Treasury emergency loan to salvage Uruguay's banking system; worked to reopen markets to banned Uruguayan commodities; 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.

He has been awarded the Citizens Commendation for Bravery from the Philadelphia Police Department, Legion of Honor from the Chapel of Four Chaplains, Certificate of Merit for Service to Veterans from the United States Congress and twice received the Maimonides Award from Magen David Adom.

Silverstein lectures on a variety of contemporary topics including international relations, diplomacy, economics, and global trade. Venues have included Center for Latin American studies at Georgetown University School of Foreign Service, Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania, The Institute for International Law and Public Policy, and The Pan American Association.