Roman Pipko

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Roman Pipko (born July 10, 1960) is a Russian-American lawyer who was born in Estonia while it was under Soviet occupation. His parents were Russians sent to Estonia as occupiers as part of the Soviet attempt to Russify the Baltics.

Contents

Early life and education

Pipko was born in Estonia to Russian-Jewish parents (he is not Estonian). [1] [2] At an early age, his mother enrolled him in an Estonian-language preschool against his father's wishes. [2] In 1981, his mother left her husband, a member of the Communist Party, with their children to escape communism and start a better life for her family in the United States. [3] His parents were defense attorneys and graduates of the Leningrad Law School sent to illegally occupied Estonia after graduating. [2]

He attended the Faculty of Law at the University of Tartu in Estonia while it was under Soviet occupation, where he learned Estonian. [4] He also graduated from Columbia University and Yale Law School in 1986. [5] [6]

Career

After immigrating to the US in 1981, Pipko worked at the Harriman Institute at Columbia University. [7] He practiced law at Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison, where he was a specialist in Russian law. [8] He represented America at the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development and was managing director of the Russian American Enterprise Fund. [9] He has been involved in projects for the Export Import Bank. [3]

Pipko visited Estonia as a legal advisor to U.S. investors including Ronald Lauder in 1991 when Estonia was still under illegal Soviet occupation where he proved his fluency in Estonian and Russian. [10] In 2009 he was the majority partner of Remi International which was part of a consortium, also with Ronald Lauder, that launched Tallinn Entertainment to renovate Tallinn City Hall. [11] The project was to include a conference center, concert hall, casino center, and hotel at the site. [12] Although an agreement was signed, [13] [14] it was canceled because the city and the company could not agree on the project's ownership structure. [15] The site continues to be abandoned. [12]

In 2024, he was appointed by President-elect Donald Trump to be the United States ambassador to Estonia. [16] The announcement is high-profile because Estonia is a United States NATO ally that borders Russia. [17] [18]

Philanthropy

He is president of the board of trustees of the Park East Day School. [5]

Family

Model and political operative Elizabeth Pipko is his daughter. He is married to Elena Klionsky, a concert pianist and daugher of Marc Klionsky. [19]

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References

  1. ↑ "Trump chooses Estonia-born lawyer as ambassador to the Baltic nation". POLITICO. 2025-01-04. Retrieved 2025-01-04.
  2. 1 2 3 Pipko, Simona (2002). Baltic Winds: Testimony of a Soviet Attorney. ISBN   9781469112787.
  3. 1 2 "Linnahalli arendajal pole USA valitsuse tagatist". Eesti Ekspress (in Estonian). Retrieved 2025-01-04.
  4. ↑ "Kes on tulevane USA suursaadik Eestis? Toonane kursusekaaslane ja lähedane sõber: ta oli väga tubli õppija". Delfi (in Estonian). Retrieved 2025-01-04.
  5. 1 2 "Board of Trustees". Rabbi Arthur Schneier Park East Day School. Retrieved 2025-01-04.
  6. ↑ "Trump proposed the former head of the Russian-American foundation for the post of ambassador to Estonia - Pravda Latvia". latvia.news-pravda.com. 2025-01-04. Retrieved 2025-01-04.
  7. ↑ Simona Pipko & Roman Pipko, Inside the Soviet Bar: A View from the Outside, 21 INT'L L. 853 (1987) https://scholar.smu.edu/til/vol21/iss3/13
  8. ↑ Knecht, BY G. Bruce (1992-01-26). "From Soviet Minister to Corporate Chief". The New York Times. ISSN   0362-4331 . Retrieved 2025-01-04.
  9. ↑ Russian-American Enterprise Fund Annual Report 1994 (PDF).
  10. ↑ ERR (2025-01-04). "Trump valis oma suursaadikuks Eestis siin sündinud juristi Roman Pipko". ERR (in Estonian). Retrieved 2025-01-04.
  11. ↑ "Linn maksab sadu tuhandeid linnahalli kütmise eest". Postimees (in Estonian). 2009-11-10. Retrieved 2025-01-04.
  12. 1 2 "FOTOD JA VIDEO | Linnahalli lugu seitsmes vaatuses. Selle meepoti ümber on tiirelnud kirev seltskond. Meenuta, milline see seest välja näeb". Ärileht (in Estonian). Retrieved 2025-01-04.
  13. ↑ "Aas lendab USAsse linnahalli investoritega lepingut sõlmima". www.ohtuleht.ee (in Estonian). Retrieved 2025-01-04.
  14. ↑ "Linnahalli renoveerimiseks on leping sõlmitud". Ehitusuudised (in Estonian). Retrieved 2025-01-04.
  15. ↑ "Trump valis järgmiseks suursaadikuks Eestis siin sündinud juristi". Delfi (in Estonian). Retrieved 2025-01-04.
  16. ↑ "MSN". www.msn.com. Retrieved 2025-01-04.
  17. ↑ "Trump chooses Estonia-born lawyer as ambassador to the Baltic nation". POLITICO. 2025-01-04. Retrieved 2025-01-04.
  18. ↑ ERR (2025-01-04). "Trump valis oma suursaadikuks Eestis siin sündinud juristi Roman Pipko". ERR (in Estonian). Retrieved 2025-01-04.
  19. ↑ "About". Elena Klionsky. Retrieved 2025-01-04.
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