Stephen G. Rademaker

Stephen G. Rademaker became Senior Counsel to BGR Holding, LLC (formerly Barbour Griffith & Rogers, LLC) in January 2007, following a distinguished career in all three branches of government. He continues to serve as the U.S. representative on the U.N. Secretary General’s Advisory Board on Disarmament Matters, a position he has held since 2003.

Mr. Rademaker came to BGR Holding from the staff of Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, where he served as Policy Director for National Security Affairs and Senior Counsel. In this position he assisted the Majority Leader in managing all aspects of the legislative process relating to foreign policy, defense, intelligence, and homeland security matters, including pertinent authorization and appropriations bills, presidential nominations, and treaties.

In 2002, Mr. Rademaker was confirmed by the Senate as an Assistant Secretary of State, and from then until 2006 he headed at various times three bureaus of the Department of State, including the Bureau of Arms Control and the Bureau of International Security and Nonproliferation. He directed nonproliferation policy toward Iran and North Korea, as well as the Proliferation Security Initiative. He also led semiannual strategic dialogues with Russia, China, India, and Pakistan, and headed U.S. delegations to numerous international conferences, including the 7th Review Conference of the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty in 2005, the 1st Review Conference of the Chemical Weapons Convention in 2003, the 5th Review Conference of the Biological Weapons Convention in 2002, and the First Committee of the United Nations General Assembly from 2002 through 2005.

Immediately prior to joining the Department of State, Mr. Rademaker was Chief Counsel to the Select Committee on Homeland Security of the U.S. House of Representatives, where he was responsible for drafting the legislation that created the Department of Homeland Security.

For most of the previous decade, Mr. Rademaker held positions on the staff of the Committee on International Relations of the House of Representatives, including Deputy Staff Director and Chief Counsel (2001-2002), Chief Counsel (1995-2001), and Minority Chief Counsel (1993-1995). While on the staff of the International Relations Committee, he played a key role in developing the Committee’s legislative and oversight agenda. He also advised members of the Committee on such issues as the deployment of U.S. armed forces abroad, NATO enlargement, arms control, nonproliferation, foreign assistance, international law, reorganization of the foreign affairs agencies, and the promotion of democracy and human rights.

From 1992 to 1993, Mr. Rademaker served as General Counsel of the Peace Corps. He returned briefly to the agency in 2000-2001 as the Bush-Cheney Transition’s Director of Transition for the Peace Corps.

From 1989 to 1992, Mr. Rademaker held a joint appointment as Associate Counsel to the President in the Office of Counsel to the President and as Deputy Legal Adviser to the National Security Council. In this position, he provided legal advice to the President and the National Security Advisor on foreign assistance, arms control, war powers, intelligence, export control, counter-narcotics, and international environmental and economic matters.

From 1987 to 1989, Mr. Rademaker served as a Special Assistant to the Assistant Secretary of State for Inter-American Affairs. From 1986 to 1987, he served as Counsel to the Vice Chairman of the U.S. International Trade Commission. In 1986 he was a law clerk for the Honorable James L. Buckley of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit. From 1984 to 1986, he was an associate at the Washington, D.C. law firm of Covington & Burling.

Mr. Rademaker received three degrees from the University of Virginia: a B.A. With Highest Distinction in 1981, a J.D. in 1984, and an M.A. in Foreign Affairs in 1985. While at the University of Virginia he was made a member of Phi Beta Kappa and the Order of the Coif. He was elected Student Body President for 1980-81. Mr. Rademaker is married and has four children.