2017 Taplin Environmental Lecture: The Honorable James A. Baker, III
Taplin Environmental Lecture by The Honorable James A. Baker, III, 61st U.S. Secretary of State
A native Houstonian, Mr. Baker graduated from Princeton University in 1952 with a bachelor’s degree in History. After two years of active duty as a lieutenant in the United States Marine Corps, he entered The University of Texas School of Law at Austin and graduated with honors in 1957. Mr. Baker is a senior partner in the law firm of Baker Botts L.L.P. He is Honorary Chairman of the James A. Baker III Institute for Public Policy at Rice University and serves on the board of the Howard Hughes Medical Institute. In recent years, he has served with former Congressman Lee Hamilton as co-chairmen of the Iraq Study Group, with President Jimmy Carter as co-chairmen of the Commission on Federal Election Reform and with the late Secretary of State Warren Christopher as co-chairmen of the National War Powers Commission. He and his wife, the former Susan Garrett, reside in Houston, and have eight children and 18 grandchildren.