Texan lawyer Robert Strauss, one of the founders of law firm Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld, has died in Washington this week aged 95. He was a consumate political insider who was very influential within the Democratic Party and served in a number of top political and government jobs. He was Democratic national chairman and special trade representative during President Carter's presidency. He also helped on Middle East issues and was the first US ambassador to Russia after the breakup of the Soviet Union.

Dealmaker

Mr Strauss formed Akin Gump in Dallas with his friend Richard Gump in 1945. The firm focused on energy law and expanded into Washington in 1971. Seen as a deal-maker more than a law technician, he refused to work by the hour, according to an anecdote in the New York Times. The newspaper reported that  over a Thanksgiving dinner in 1990 at the Four Seasons restaurant in Manhattan, Mr Strauss brokered final details of Matsushita Electric’s takeover of MCA for $6.6 billion. His reported $8 million fee was split between both sides, because he had represented both.
Afterward, he told a Washington Post reporter that, as usual, he had not counted hours to arrive at his fee. “I don’t do windows,” he said. The businessman, lobbyist and dealmaker hated to be known as a fixer, regarding the term as cheap but was seen as the ultimate Washington fixer.   Sources: The New York Times; The Washington Post