Dean Fealk

Dean Fealk is a Founding Member of the Halifax International Security Forum and serves as it Global Chair of Strategy and Innovation. He served as its General Counsel until June 2019. Based in San Francisco, Dean is an award-winning international attorney, WSJ bestselling author and civic leader bridging sectors to partner alongside business, government, and NGOs to promote international security, democracy and shared prosperity. As Northern California co-managing partner of global law firm DLA Piper, he advises multinational companies on key strategic and legal issues related to growing their business internationally, having counseled on more than US$40 billion in cross-border transactions. Dean also serves in leadership capacities to various civic organizations, including on the board of directors of the National Democratic Institute, CEO business groups, NGOs, and think tanks, and has advised and convened government leaders and politicians around the world - from the NATO Secretary General, to the Mayor of Seoul to the Justice Minister of India - on a range of international public policy issues. Passionate about service and public policy, Dean has advised three US presidential campaigns on foreign policy and represented the State of California in trade and investment missions around the world. He serves as a governor’s appointee on the California Workforce Development Board, promoting job quality, worker voice, equity, and environmental sustainability for the state’s 18 million workers. He is past chair of the Northern California District Export Council, appointed by the U.S. Secretary of Commerce to represent and advocate on behalf of the region’s diverse array of exporters, resulting in $75 billion in annual in exports. He has also advised the U.S. trade representative on international trade issues impacting the technology and innovation ecosystem. Recognized for his leadership in public diplomacy, Dean has been designated a Fulbright Scholar to Korea, an Honorary Senator of the German Economy, an Eisenhower Fellow to China, a Presidential Leadership Scholar, a Marshall Memorial Fellow to the EU, a US-Spain Council Young Leader, an International Fellow of Center for Strategic International Studies, a Truman National Security Fellow, and a Carnegie New Leader. Dean is an elected life member of the Council on Foreign Relations.