Former U.S. Secretary of State James A. Baker III
“You’re never going to be a good negotiator unless you are willing to walk away from a negotiation when it isn’t going to succeed. You don’t ever stake out a maximalist position. If you’re not ready to walk, you’re not going to get anywhere,” said former U.S. Secretary of State James A. Baker III at HLS on March 29. Baker was at the law school to receive the 2012 Great Negotiator Award and to talk about some of the notable challenges he faced during his tenure at the State Department, including the reunification of Germany within NATO, the Gulf War and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The award, established 12 years ago by HLS’s Program on Negotiation, recognizes individuals whose lifetime achievements in the field of negotiation and dispute resolution have had a significant and lasting impact.