BOSTON – Oct. 24, 2024 – Robert A. Sherman, senior counsel at global law firm Greenberg Traurig, LLP and former U.S. ambassador to Portugal, was awarded an International Leadership Award by the Portuguese-American Leadership Council of the United States (PALCUS). The PALCUS Leadership Awards are presented annually to outstanding Portuguese-Americans who have distinguished themselves with noteworthy achievements in their professions or service to the community. Sherman and fellow honorees were honored Oct. 11-12 at the annual PALCUS Leadership Award Gala, where they were recognized for their personal accomplishments as well as for the honor that they have brought to the Portuguese-American community.
PALCUS Chair Katherine S. Soares said, "Ambassador Robert Sherman and fellow honoree Kim Sawyer exemplify the spirit of true leadership through their unwavering commitment to fostering connections between Portugal and the United States. Their dedication to cultural exchange, diplomacy and community support through initiatives like Connect to Success not only enriches our nations but inspires others to follow in their footsteps. We are honored to recognize their profound impact and tireless efforts in strengthening these vital ties."
“We congratulate Bob on receiving the prestigious International Leadership Award from PALCUS,” Greenberg Traurig Boston office Co-Managing Shareholders David J. Dykeman and Terence P. McCourt said in a joint statement. “Bob’s extraordinary service as U.S. ambassador to Portugal and his tireless efforts to strengthen ties between Portugal and the United States are truly inspiring. This award is a testament to his extraordinary leadership, diplomacy, and commitment to fostering global collaboration.”
During the course of his 40+ year career, Sherman has held both public and private sector roles. From 2014-2017, he served as the U.S. ambassador to Portugal, having been nominated by President Barack Obama and unanimously confirmed by the United States Senate. As ambassador, he focused heavily on bilateral economic development and international security issues, such as cybersecurity, refugees, narcoterrorism, and NATO. In recognition of his work in the country,
Portuguese President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa decorated him with the country’s highest civilian award, the Grand Cross of the Order of Prince Henry the Navigator.
Sherman is a founding member and former co-managing shareholder of Greenberg Traurig’s Boston office. He has wide-ranging trial and regulatory experience in the areas of government investigations and litigation, internal corporate investigations — with an emphasis on Foreign Corrupt Practices Act compliance — as well as consumer protection matters. Sherman has also represented clients in complex, high-profile cases, including those that have generated significant media attention. He served as co-lead counsel for hundreds of victims in the Boston Archdiocese clergy abuse scandal, which was the subject of the Academy Award-winning movie Spotlight.
Sherman was selected as a Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly 2024 Hall of Fame honoree. He also received a Lifetime Achievement award from Law.com, and is regularly recognized for his legal contributions by the top peer-ranked legal honors in the world, including Best Lawyers in America, Who’s Who in American Law, Super Lawyers of Massachusetts, and New England Super Lawyers. Sherman holds appointments as a distinguished visiting professor at universities on both sides of the Atlantic.
PALCUS is a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization founded in 1991 by a group of Portuguese-Americans with the purpose of “providing a singular national voice that would advocate for the interests of Portuguese-Americans in the United States.” PALCUS’s goal was to establish and maintain communication between the Portuguese government and the U.S. congressional delegation representing Portuguese-American communities.
About Greenberg Traurig’s Boston Office: Celebrating 25 years of legal excellence, Greenberg Traurig’s Boston office is home to more than 90 attorneys practicing in the areas of banking and finance, corporate, emerging technology, energy, environmental, gaming, governmental affairs, intellectual property, labor and employment, life sciences and medical technology, litigation, public finance, real estate, restructuring and bankruptcy, tax, and white collar defense and investigations. An important contributor to the firm’s international platform, the Boston office includes a team of nationally recognized attorneys with both public and private sector experience. Working collaboratively with the firm’s global network, the Boston team collectively offers clients decades of experience advising on complex legal matters and providing hands-on knowledge of the local business community.
About Greenberg Traurig: Greenberg Traurig, LLP has more than 2750 attorneys in 48 locations in the United States, Europe and the Middle East, Latin America, and Asia. The firm is a 2022 BTI “Highly Recommended Law Firm” for superior client service and is consistently among the top firms on the Am Law Global 100 and NLJ 500. Greenberg Traurig is Mansfield Rule Certified Plus by The Diversity Lab. The firm is recognized for powering its U.S. offices with 100% renewable energy as certified by the Center for Resource Solutions Green-e® Energy program and is a member of the U.S. EPA’s Green Power Partnership Program. The firm is known for its philanthropic giving, innovation, diversity, and pro bono. Web: www.gtlaw.com.