Appointment of J. Michael Farrell as Deputy United States Commissioner on the Commission for the Study of Alternatives to the Panama Canal

The President today announced his intention to appoint J. Michael Farrell to be Deputy Commissioner of the United States of America on the Commission for the Study of Alternatives to the Panama Canal. This is a new position.

Since 1987 Mr. Farrell has been a partner with the law firm Manatt, Phelps, Rothenberg & Evans in Washington, DC. Prior to this he was General Counsel at the Department of Energy, 1985-1987. From 1981 to 1982, he held several Federal Government appointments including: Private Sector Coordinator of the Caribbean Basin Initiative at the Department of State, Deputy Director, Office of Presidential Personnel at the White House, and Assistant Counsel in the office of the Counsel to the President.

Mr. Farrell graduated from Georgetown University (B.S., 1963; J.D., 1966). He was born March 30, 1941, in Washington, DC. He is married, has three children, and resides in Washington, DC.