Warren Christopher

former US secretary of state, 1993-1997

Warren Christopher was born in Scranton, North Dakota, on October 27, 1925. 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; 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. 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).