Bill Keller, shown left, Op-Ed columnist for The New York Times and writer for The New York Times Magazine, states in his Monday, February 20, 2012, Op-Ed column WikiLeaks, a Postscript that his “…consistent answer to the ponderous question of how WikiLeaks transformed our world has been: not all that much.”

Keller served as executive editor of The Times from 2003 until 2011, and was editor during the publication of many of the articles based upon disclosures made possible by WikiLeaks. Keller writes of having participated in at least six panel discussions regarding WikiLeaks. Keller’s column is also a good post script to the NAFUSA WikiLeaks panel held in Santa Fe in October, 2012, pictured below.

Jack Goldsmith, Ken Wainstein, Eric Snyder, Charlie Savage, Valerie Plame Wilson, Rich Rossman

NAFUSA President Rick Deane has announced early plans for the NAFUSA annual conference to be held in Atlanta, Georgia, October 11-13, 2012. The conference will be held at the W Atlanta Downtown, and will begin with a cocktail reception on Thursday evening, October 11, at the East Lake Golf Club, the home course of legendary golfer Bobby Jones and the oldest golf course in Atlanta.

Golf will be available at East Lake on the afternoon of October 11, beginning at noon. Price per player will be $273.45, which includes taxes. Gratuties are not permitted. Although the golf fees are high, East Lake is private, historic, caddie only and the NAFUSA golfers will be playing the course the week following the FEDEX Tour Championship, which consists of the top 30 players for the year, one of whom will be declared the player of the year. Proceeds from the course support the East Lake foundation efforts to enrich the lives of the children of the neighborhood. These children now have a charter school, a resident golf pro for kids, a golf academy and their own outstanding neighborhood golf course. Details will be published soon as to how to sign up for golf.

The conference will continue at the W Hotel with continuing education programs on Friday and Saturday mornings. Charlie Savage of The New York Times has agreed to join us for the third year in a row, and will moderate a two hour panel on immigration issues. On Friday afternoon, a luncheon will be held at The Carter Center . The conference will conclude with a Saturday evening cocktail reception and dinner at the W Hotel.

NAFUSA Secretary Matthew D. Orwig, shown right, has joined the Dallas office of Jones Day. Orwig becomes the third Jones Day partner to serve on the NAFUSA board. NAFUSA President Richard H. Deane, Jr., shown at bottom, is a partner in the Atlanta office and board member Karen P. Hewitt, shown in middle photo, a partner in the San Diego office.

Jones Day is a global law firm practicing in the major centers of business and finance throughout the world. The firm has had a presence in Texas for over 30 years and has more than 200 lawyers in Dallas and Houston.

Orwig has served three presidents and five attorneys general in the Department of Justice. He served as U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Texas from 2001 to 2007. He is a graduate of Texas Tech University School of Law.

Walters served as Assistant Attorney General for the Tax Division in the Nixon Administration (1969-1971) and as Commissioner of Internal Revenue (1971-1973). As reported in the September 2011 NAFUSA newsletter, Walters recently published his memoirs, Our Journey, describing his distinguished career. Walters is retired and lives in Greenville, South Carolina, with Donna, his wife of 63 years.

From left, AG Eric Holder, DAG Jim Cole, Asst AG Lanny Breuer, Director Bob Mueller and David Margolis

NAFUSA member David Margolis, a long time close friend of Keeney’s, presided. The speakers were James Cole, Deputy Attorney General, former Assistant Attorney General of the Criminal Division, Jo Ann Harris, the current Assistant Attorney General for the Criminal Division, Lanny Breuer, former Deputy AG Philip Heymann, Director Robert Mueller of the FBI and Attorney General Eric Holder. A moving video tribute, produced by DOJ photographer Lonnie Tague, was one of the highlights of a special rememberance of a legend who served the Department for 59 years.

“This is a terrible tragedy, and we greatly dispute the allegations that the conduct…amounts to a crime,” O’Brien told The National Law Journal.

O’Brien is a partner in the Los Angeles office of Paul Hastings.