Bob Bauer Biography

The American lawyer and academic and public servant Bob Bauer has established himself as a leading figure through his work in election law and presidential power and democratic governance. His academic background includes Harvard College and University of Virginia School of Law and he has been a dominant force in U.S. political and legal history since the 1990s.

Bauer started his national legal career by advising Senate leaders during President Bill Clinton's impeachment trial and by serving as co-counsel for the New Hampshire State Senate when they tried Chief Justice David Brock. Bauer led the Democratic Party's legal approach through his roles as general counsel for both Obama presidential campaigns in 2008 and 2012. Bauer served as White House Counsel to President Barack Obama from 2009 until 2011 where he provided guidance on vital matters including judicial nominations and national security issues.

As Professor of Practice and Distinguished Scholar in Residence at NYU School of Law he directs the Legislative and Regulatory Process Clinic alongside his colleagues. His research focuses on presidential power together with regulatory policy and democratic reform. Bauer has co-chaired two Presidential Commissions: the election administration commission from 2013-2014 and the Supreme Court reform commission in 2021 while maintaining his active involvement in bipartisan work regarding campaign finance and debates and voting rights and judicial ethics.

Bauer published The Unraveling: Reflections on Politics without Ethics and Democracy in Crisis (2024) alongside After Trump: Reconstructing the Presidency (2020) which received praise for their profound analysis of American democratic challenges. His scholarly and journalistic contributions have appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Atlantic, Lawfare, and Just Security.

The American Bar Association honored Bauer with its “Unsung Heroes of American Democracy” award in 2024 because of his crucial yet unseen work to protect democratic institutions.

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