Michael J. Sullivan

Michael J. Sullivan was elected Governor of Wyoming in 1986 in his first political race and was re-elected in 1990. He began his legal career as an associate attorney with the firm of Brown, Drew, Apostolos & Barton, which became Brown, Drew, Apostolos, Massey & Sullivan, where he practiced for 26 years, primarily in the areas of litigation and business.

In 1998, he was appointed by President Clinton to serve as the US Ambassador to Ireland and completed his service as Ambassador in June 2001.

He is now a partner in the firm of Rothgerber Johnson & Lyons LLP of Denver, Colorado, and has opened the firm’s Casper, Wyoming office where he works regionally in the areas of mediation and arbitration, public policy, natural resources and developing international business relationships. He is authorized to practice before the courts of Wyoming, the Federal District Court for the District of Wyoming, the Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals, and the United States Supreme Court.

Throughout his professional career, Ambassador Sullivan has maintained a high level of involvement in community affairs. He served as Chairman of the Natrona County Hospital Board, the Wyoming Board of Bar Examiners and the Western Governors’ Association. Ambassador Sullivan co-chaired the Alliance for Acid Rain Control and chaired the Interstate Oil and Gas Compact Commission. Additionally, he served on the National Governors’ Association’s Executive Board, directing its Natural Resources Committee, School Years Action Team, and the Indian Gaming Working Group. Special honors include the Wyoming National Guard’s Distinguished Service Medal, the University of Wyoming and University of Wyoming College of Law Outstanding Alumnus Awards and the Wyoming Heritage Society’s Award of Merit.

He received a B.S. degree in Petroleum Engineering and a Juris Doctor of Law degree with honors from the University of Wyoming. In 1996, he held a fellowship at the Institute of Politics, Kennedy School of Government at Harvard. He serves on the Boards of First Interstate Bank System, Allied Irish Bank Group, Kerry Group, Cimarex, Inc. and Sletten Construction.

Ambassadorial Post(s)

Ireland, (1998 - 2001)

Areas of Expertise