From 1961 until 2003, Barclay served as a partner at the upstate New York law firm of Hiscock & Barclay, a law firm specializing in banking and
administrative law. A
Republican, Barclay was a member of the
New York State Senate from 1965 to 1984, sitting in the
175th,
176th,
177th,
178th,
179th,
180th,
181st,
182nd,
183rd,
184th, and
185th New York State Legislatures. During this long tenure, he chaired the Senate Codes Committee, the Senate Judiciary Committee, the Select Task Force on Court Reorganization, and the Senate Republican (Majority) Conference. Between 1990 and 1993, Barclay was appointed a public board member of the
Overseas Private Investment Corporation by President
George H. W. Bush. Barclay's appointment as Ambassador to
El Salvador by
George W. Bush was announced August 21, 2003, and the nomination was sent to the
Senate for confirmation on September 15. The Senate confirmed the nomination on October 3. He was sworn in as ambassador on November 12, and presented his credentials to El Salvador's president,
Francisco Flores, on December 18. He completed his tour as ambassador in January 2007. as his wife Dee Dee looks on. November 12, 2003. Barclay received the
El Salvadorian National Congress award of the
Nobel Amigo de El Salvador (2006), and the
Republic of El Salvador award of the
Order of José Matías Delgado in 2007. ==Community involvement==