Fresh from working 15-plus hour days at the White House, thousands of miles from his family, Bay Area lawyer Jeff Bleich has been tasked with a new assignment: ambassador to Australia. The Munger, Tolles & Olson partner took a leave from the firm in March to work for his friend, President Obama, in the White House counsel’s office, vetting nominees and other sensitive stuff. Legal Pad isn’t quite sure how a posting Down Under will help Bleich further his career -- he's long been said to dream of the appellate bench -- and he declined to answer questions. But we gotta think serving in a country that’s a close ally, with stunning landscapes and killer weather, has gotta be attractive.
The Australian press is giddy about having the American ambassador be the personal friend of the president, thinking it reflects the importance with which Obama views Canberra. One article even called Bleich Obama’s “superman.” Legal Pad can only hope this will form the basis for weeks of trash talk from his friends.
— Dan Levine
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