Jim Bacchus

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James (Jim) Bacchus, born 21 June 1949 in Nashville, Tennessee, is a former member of the U.S. House of Representatives and a former chairman of the Appellate Body of the World Trade Organization.

Bacchus attended Vanderbilt University, and he later earned his law degree from Florida State University[1]. His two stints in college were interrupted by six years of military service. After a few years of private law practice, Bacchus served on the staff of Florida Governor Reubin Askew from 1974 to 1978 and became his special assistant from 1979 to 1981 when Askew was appointed United States Trade Representative.

In 1990, Bacchus was elected as a member of the Democratic Party to represent Florida's 11th congressional district in the One Hundred Second United States Congress and Florida's 15th congressional district in the One Hundred Third United States Congress from January 3, 1991 to January 3, 1995, and was not a candidate for reelection to the One Hundred Fourth United States Congress in 1994. Instead, from 1995 to 2003 he served on the Appellate Body of the WTO, rising to the position of chairman in 2001. He was the first American to sit as part of the Appellate Body.

Preceded by Bill Nelson (D)	United States Representative for the 11th Congressional District of Florida 1991-1993	Succeeded by Sam Gibbons (D)
Preceded by E. Clay Shaw, Jr. (R)	United States Representative for the 15th Congressional District of Florida 1993-1995	Succeeded by Dave Weldon (R)