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Experience
John Schmitz represents US and European companies in complex international transactions and regulatory matters, with a focus on antitrust, telecommunications, energy and environmental issues. He has special emphasis on US and German political regulatory concerns, with experience with numerous high-profile business and regulatory matters involving both American and German public policy and legal activities. John’s clients include the US Chamber of Commerce, Deutsche Welle (German TV), General Electric, Bayer AG, Bertelsmann, Bosch GmbH, Gillette and Pfizer.
Before joining Mayer Brown in 1993, John held a wide range of significant public policy positions. Between 1985 and 1993 he served as Deputy Counsel to George H. W. Bush in both the White House and the Office of the Vice President. Following his law school graduation John was both Law Clerk to The Honorable Antonin Scalia, US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia (1983-1984) and Special Assistant to William Baxter, Assistant Attorney General for Antitrust, US Department of Justice (1981-1982). Prior to law school he was Legislative Assistant to US Representative Goodloe E. Byron (1977) and Legislative Aide to US Congressman Charles W. Sandman, Jr. (1973-1975).
John has also held a number of high-profile fellowships. In Germany under a Robert Bosch Foundation Fellowship he served at the Office of Bundestag Member Matthias Wissmann (Bonn), and the Office of General Counsel, Robert Bosch, GmbH (Stuttgart). He was also Research Fellow at the California Institute of Technology Environmental Quality Lab in Pasadena, CA (1982-1983), and Research Assistant to Professors John Ferejohn and Morris Fiorina, Pasadena, CA, and London, England (1978-1980).
John is fluent in German and has received numerous German-related honors including the Distinguished German American of the Year Award in 2000 from the United German American Committee, the Ellis Island Medal of Honor from the National Ethnic Coalition Organization, and the Officers Cross of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany (Deutsches Bundesverdienstkreuz), awarded in 1990 by German President Richard von Weizsaecker.
Notable Engagements
Co-Chair of the Federalism Initiative of the US Chamber of Commerce, seeking legal reform in the United States.
Global trade and regulatory consultant for US energy clients in Germany.
Negotiated numerous international agreements, including the 1996 US-German Open Skies Aviation Agreement, and the 1997 US-EU Heavy Electrical Equipment Procurement dispute and agreement (resulting in the reform of the German Procurement Code).
Education
Stanford Law School, JD, 1981; Founding member, Stanford Foundation for Law and Economic Policy; Member, Stanford Law Review California Institute of Technology, MS, Economics, 1978; Completed all coursework and exams toward PhD Georgetown University, BA magna cum laude, 1976; Phi Beta Kappa; Dobriansky Fellowship
Admitted
District of Columbia, 1994
Pennsylvania, 1985 | 