Norman L. Eisen

Norman L. Eisen (born November 11, 1960) is the former United States Ambassador to the Czech Republic. He assumed that position on January 28, 2011.

Early life and education

Eisen's parents were immigrants to the United States and he grew up working in his family's hamburger stand in Los Angeles. He received his B.A. from Brown University in 1985 and his J.D. from Harvard Law School in 1991, both with honors. While at Harvard, he first met President Barack Obama, also a first-year law student.

Professional career

From 1985 to 1988, between college and law school, Eisen worked as the Assistant Director of the Los Angeles office of the Anti-Defamation League. He investigated anti-semitism and other civil rights violations, promoted Holocaust education and advanced US-Israel relations.

After graduating from Harvard in 1991, Eisen practiced law in Washington, D.C. for over 18 years with the Zuckerman Spaeder law firm. He was named as one of Washington's top lawyers by Washingtonian Magazine. He specialized in investigations of complex financial fraud, including Enron, Refco, the ADM antitrust case, and the subprime financial collapse.