WASHINGTON, D.C., May 12, 2025 — Arnold & Porter announced today that Barbara A. Leaf, former U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs and U.S. Ambassador to the United Arab Emirates, has joined the firm's Global Law and Public Policy group as a Senior International Policy Advisor, resident in Washington, D.C.
Ellen Kaye Fleishhacker, Global Co-Chair of Arnold & Porter, said: "We are honored to have Ambassador Leaf join the firm after her remarkable career in government service. Her profound knowledge and insights, especially in the Near East region, will be invaluable in guiding our clients through matters of business and public policy, including international challenges."
Michael Daneker, Global Co-Chair, added: "Ambassador Leaf is a distinguished diplomat that is highly regarded by governments in the Middle East and North Africa, particularly the Gulf states, as well as by U.S. companies operating in the region. She is well-positioned to help expand the firm's practice in the Middle East."
As Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs, Ambassador Leaf led diplomatic and commercial advocacy across the region, overseeing U.S. missions from Morocco to the Gulf. Prior to this role, she served as Special Assistant to the President and Senior Director for the Middle East and North Africa. Ambassador Leaf was the U.S. Ambassador to the United Arab Emirates from 2014 to 2018, leading a bilateral diplomatic mission focused on deepening bilateral trade, and deepening defense and security ties, and counterterrorism, counterproliferation, and law enforcement cooperation. From 2018-2021 at The Washington Institute for Near East Policy, she directed the Beth and David Geduld Program on Arab Politics, regularly writing on Iraq, Iran, Gulf Politics, and broader U.S. foreign and national security policy. Earlier in her career, Ambassador Leaf served as Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for the Arabian Peninsula and Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Iraq, directed U.S. stabilization and reconstruction programs in Basrah, Iraq, and was the Department's first Director of the Office of Iranian Affairs. Her earlier postings included Rome, Sarajevo, Paris, Cairo, Tunis, Jerusalem, and Port-Au-Prince.
In joining the firm, Ambassador Leaf said: "I am excited to embark on a new professional chapter in joining the storied firm of Arnold & Porter, where I look forward to leveraging my diplomatic experience to assist clients in navigating and resolving complex policy matters."
A member of the Senior Foreign Service, Ambassador Leaf was awarded the Distinguished Honor Award and received numerous Superior Honor and Meritorious Honor Awards throughout her career. She earned her B.A. in Government from the College of William and Mary and M.A. in Foreign Affairs from the University of Virginia, with a focus on Soviet affairs.
Arnold & Porter's Global Law and Public Policy practice is co-chaired by Ambassador Tom Shannon, the former Undersecretary of State for Political Affairs, and John Bellinger, the former Legal Adviser of the State Department. The practice has unique abilities to assist U.S. and non-U.S. clients in addressing international legal and policy matters involving both the U.S. and other governments and international organizations.