Partner, Atlanta, Washington DC
303 Peachtree Street, NE
Suite 5300
Atlanta, GA 30308

TEL: 404.527.4020
FAX: 404.527.4198
EMAIL: ggiffin@mckennalong.com

PROFILE

Ambassador Giffin is the Chair of the Public Policy and International department of McKenna Long & Aldridge. He maintains offices in Washington, DC and Atlanta, Georgia. His practice is focused on international transactions and trade matters, government procurement, federal and state regulatory matters and public policy. He serves on the Firm's Board of Directors and Partner Compensation Committee.

Professional Experience

Ambassador Giffin has been engaged in the practice of law or government service for over thirty years. His law practice involves substantial experience at the state and federal levels in regulatory and administrative litigation in the energy, technology and telecommunications fields; government procurement counseling and litigation; public policy strategic counseling and advocacy; corporate compliance counseling and internal audits; election law; international transactions; trade matters, including trade disputes and policy counseling.

From August 1997 to April 2001, Ambassador Giffin served as the nineteenth U.S. Ambassador to Canada. As Chief of Mission at the U.S. Embassy in Ottawa, he managed U.S. interests in the world's largest bi-lateral trading relationship in the context of the North American Free Trade Agreement, as well as U.S. collaboration with Canada on global issues in international fora. In addition to the Department of State complement in Canada, more than 900 personnel from 21 federal departments and agencies, along with six consulates, reported to the Ambassador. He received the Superior Honor Award from the Department of State for negotiating a pre-clearance agreement.

From 1975-1979, he was Legislative Director and Chief Counsel to U.S. Senator Sam Nunn in Washington, DC. 

JAMES Magazine named Gordon as one of Georgia's Most Influential People in its 2007 annual listing.

Corporate Board of Directors

Ambassador Giffin is a member of the boards of directors for AbitibiBowater Inc., the Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce, Canadian National Railway Company, Canadian Natural Resources Limited, TransAlta Corporation and The Canada-U.S. Fulbright Program Foundation. He is also on the board of advisors for Kissinger-McLarty.

Community Service And Pro Bono

Ambassador Giffin serves on the Council on Foreign Relations, the Board of Trustees for the Carter  Center, the Board of Advisors of the Woodrow  Wilson  International  Center, the Board of the Canadian-American Business Council, and he is chairman of the Board of the Friends of the National Arts Centre ( Ottawa, Canada). He served on the Board of Directors of the Overseas Private Investment Corporation from 1993-1997. He has served as an adjunct professor of law at Emory University School of Law.