Warren M. Christopher
Senior Partner
Warren Christopher was born in Scranton, North Dakota, on October 27, 1925. He received an undergraduate degree
magna cum laude from the University of Southern California in February 1945. From July 1943 to September 1946, he served in the Navy, including active duty as an ensign in the Pacific Theater in 1945. He attended Stanford Law School from 1946-49, where he was President of the
Law Review and was elected to the Order of the Coif.
From October 1949 to September 1950, Mr. Christopher served as law clerk to Justice William O. Douglas of the U.S. Supreme Court. He practiced law with O'Melveny from October 1950 to June 1967, becoming a partner in 1958. Mr. Christopher served as the Deputy Attorney General of the United States from June 1967 until January 20, 1969, after which he rejoined O'Melveny.
From 1977-81, Mr. Christopher served as the Deputy Secretary of State of the United States. President Carter awarded him the Medal of Freedom, the nation's highest civilian award, on January 16, 1981, for his role in negotiating the release of 52 American hostages in Iran. Mr. Christopher again rejoined O'Melveny in 1981, serving as Chairman of the Firm from 1982 to 1992.
In 1991, Mr. Christopher was Chairman of the Independent Commission on the Los Angeles Police Department. In the aftermath of the Rodney King incident, the Commission proposed significant reforms of the Los Angeles Police Department that were approved overwhelmingly by a public referendum. In 1992, Mr. Christopher headed the search for Governor Clinton's running mate (Senator Al Gore), and later served as Director of the Presidential Transition process.
On January 20, 1993, Mr. Christopher was sworn in as the 63rd Secretary of State, and served until January 20, 1997. He rejoined O'Melveny as the Firm's Senior Partner on February 1, 1997. His professional activities since his return to the Firm have involved consultations on a wide variety of international matters, as well as negotiation and advice to clients relating to sensitive disputes.
Mr. Christopher's civic activities have included service as President of the Board of Trustees of Stanford University; Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Carnegie Corporation of New York; Director and Vice Chairman of the Council on Foreign Relations; Director of the Los Angeles World Affairs Council; and Vice Chairman of the Governor's Commission on the Los Angeles riots of 1965-66. He is a fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers, a former chairman of the Federal Judiciary Committee of the American Bar Association, and former President of the Los Angeles County Bar Association. In the 2000 presidential election, Mr. Christopher was asked by Vice President Gore to head the search for his running mate (Senator Joseph Lieberman).
He has also authored four books:
In the Stream of History:
Shaping Foreign Policy for a New Era (published in 1998 by Stanford University Press);
Chances of a Lifetime (published in 2001 by Scribner, on the
Los Angeles Times best-seller list for seven weeks, and in the number one spot for two of those weeks);
Diplomacy, the Neglected Imperative (published privately in 1981); and
Random Harvest (published privately in 2005).
Mr. Christopher is married to the former Marie Wyllis. He has four children: Lynn, Scott, Thomas and Kristen, and five grandchildren: Andrew Christopher, Lauren Christopher, Christopher Henderson, Warren Erdal Christopher and Chloe Christopher.
Professional Activities
Law Clerk, Justice William O. Douglas, U.S. Supreme Court
Recipient, Presidential Medal of Freedom from President Carter; Los Angeles Chamber of Commerce, First Civic Medal of Honor (awarded January 30, 2003)
Fellow, American College of Trial Lawyers
Former President, Los Angeles County Bar Association
Former Chairman, Federal Judiciary Committee of the American Bar Association
Co-Chair, Pacific Council on International Policy; National War Powers Commission