William French Smith

William French Smith
William French Smith
Born	William French Smith II 26 8, 1917
Birthplace	Wilton, New Hampshire, U.S.
Died	Template:Death date and age Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Nationality	American
Occupation	Lawyer, government official
Known for	Serving as the 74th United States Attorney General
Education	Harvard University (LL.B.)
Children	4

William French Smith II (August 26, 1917 – October 29, 1990) was an American lawyer and government official who served as the 74th United States Attorney General from January 23, 1981, to February 25, 1985, under President Ronald Reagan. A senior partner at the prominent Los Angeles law firm Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher, Smith first became acquainted with Reagan during the latter's 1966 gubernatorial campaign in California and subsequently served as his personal attorney for more than a decade. As Attorney General, Smith played a central role in shaping the Reagan administration's conservative legal and policy agenda, influencing federal approaches to crime, immigration, antitrust enforcement, and the war on drugs. He was a member of Reagan's informal circle of wealthy California advisers known as the "kitchen cabinet," a group that helped guide Reagan's political career from the statehouse in Sacramento to the White House. After leaving government service, Smith returned to Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher, where he continued to practice law until his death from cancer at the age of 73.

Early Life

William French Smith II was born on August 26, 1917, in Wilton, New Hampshire, a small town in the southern part of the state. Details about his parents and family background during his childhood years in New Hampshire are limited in available sources. Smith grew up during the interwar period and came of age as the United States faced the economic challenges of the Great Depression and the looming threat of World War II.

Smith pursued his undergraduate education at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), where he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree. He then attended Harvard Law School, one of the most prestigious legal institutions in the United States, where he received his Bachelor of Laws (LL.B.) degree in 1942.

Upon completing his legal education, Smith entered military service during World War II. He served in the United States Navy Reserve from 1942 to 1946, attaining the rank of Lieutenant. When Lieutenant William French Smith was mustered out of the Navy after the war, he relocated to Los Angeles, California, a decision that would shape the rest of his professional and personal life.

Education

Smith's educational trajectory took him from the West Coast to the East Coast and back again. He completed his undergraduate studies at the University of California, Los Angeles, earning a Bachelor of Arts degree. He subsequently enrolled at Harvard Law School, where he obtained his LL.B. in 1942. His Harvard legal education provided the foundation for what would become a distinguished career in corporate law and, eventually, in the highest levels of government service.

Career

Legal Career at Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher

After his discharge from the Navy in 1946, Smith settled in Los Angeles and joined the law firm of Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher, one of the largest and most influential law firms in the western United States. Over the ensuing decades, Smith rose through the firm's ranks to become a senior partner, building a reputation as a skilled corporate and labor lawyer. The firm's client roster included some of the most prominent corporations in California and the nation, and Smith's work placed him at the center of the state's business and legal establishment.

Smith's legal practice encompassed a range of corporate matters, and his standing in the Los Angeles legal community grew steadily. His involvement in civic and philanthropic organizations further cemented his position among the city's elite. According to a 1980 profile in The New York Times, Smith played both a philanthropic and civic role in the broader Los Angeles community alongside his legal career.

Association with Ronald Reagan

Smith's political trajectory was fundamentally altered in 1966 when he became acquainted with Ronald Reagan, then a candidate for Governor of California. The relationship between the two men developed into one of the most consequential political partnerships of the late twentieth century. Smith became Reagan's personal attorney, handling his legal and financial affairs, and was instrumental in helping manage Reagan's growing wealth. According to reports, Smith helped make Reagan a millionaire through careful management of his investments and financial interests.

After Reagan won the gubernatorial election, Smith was appointed to the University of California Board of Regents, a prestigious governing body overseeing the state's public university system. This appointment marked Smith's first significant foray into public service and reflected the trust Reagan placed in his counsel.

Smith became a core member of Reagan's so-called "kitchen cabinet," a group of wealthy and influential California businessmen and professionals who served as informal advisers to Reagan throughout his political career. This inner circle played a key role in shaping Reagan's policy views, funding his campaigns, and helping orchestrate his rise from California governor to President of the United States.

Nomination and Confirmation as Attorney General

Following Reagan's victory in the 1980 United States presidential election, Smith was nominated to serve as the 74th United States Attorney General. The nomination was seen as a reward for Smith's long years of loyal service to Reagan and reflected the president-elect's desire to place trusted allies in key cabinet positions. Smith assumed the office on January 23, 1981, succeeding Benjamin Civiletti, who had served under President Jimmy Carter.

Smith's appointment signaled the Reagan administration's intent to pursue a conservative legal agenda. As Attorney General, Smith oversaw the United States Department of Justice, the largest law office in the country, with responsibility for federal law enforcement, legal counsel to the president, and the administration of the federal court system.

Tenure as Attorney General (1981–1985)

During his four years as Attorney General, Smith was instrumental in advancing the Reagan administration's conservative policy priorities across a wide range of legal and domestic policy areas. He helped stamp Reagan's conservative views on federal policy in ways that had lasting effects on American governance.

Crime and Law Enforcement

Smith adopted a tough-on-crime posture that aligned with the Reagan administration's broader law-and-order philosophy. He advocated for stricter bail provisions, longer prison sentences for gun-related crimes, and enhanced federal law enforcement capabilities. These positions reflected a shift in federal criminal justice policy toward more punitive approaches, a trend that would continue and intensify throughout the 1980s.

Smith also played a significant role in the Reagan administration's war on drugs, supporting expanded federal efforts to combat the illegal drug trade. The Department of Justice under his leadership increased resources devoted to drug enforcement and prosecution, contributing to the escalation of federal anti-drug policy that characterized the decade.

Immigration Policy

Immigration was another area where Smith's Department of Justice left a significant mark. He supported efforts to reform and strengthen immigration enforcement, contributing to the policy debates that would eventually lead to the Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986, signed into law after Smith had left office. His tenure saw increased attention to border enforcement and the prosecution of immigration violations.

Antitrust and Corporate Policy

Under Smith's leadership, the Department of Justice adopted a markedly different approach to antitrust enforcement than that of previous administrations. Reflecting the Reagan administration's pro-business orientation, the DOJ relaxed its scrutiny of corporate mergers and adopted a more permissive stance toward large-scale business combinations. Smith argued that existing antitrust regulations were overly restrictive and that a more lenient approach would promote economic growth and competitiveness.

This approach represented a significant departure from the more aggressive antitrust enforcement of the 1960s and 1970s and contributed to the wave of corporate mergers and acquisitions that defined the American business landscape in the 1980s.

Internal Revenue Service and Regulatory Policy

Smith's tenure also saw changes in the Department of Justice's relationship with the Internal Revenue Service and its approach to regulatory enforcement more broadly. He supported the administration's efforts to reduce the regulatory burden on businesses and individuals, consistent with Reagan's broader deregulatory philosophy.

One area of significant controversy involved the administration's initial decision to grant tax-exempt status to Bob Jones University and other institutions that practiced racial discrimination. Smith was involved in the policy deliberations surrounding this issue, which generated substantial public backlash and was ultimately reversed.

Freedom of Information Act

Smith supported efforts to restrict the scope of the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), arguing that overly broad access to government records could impair effective governance and national security. Under his direction, the Department of Justice adopted guidelines that made it more difficult for citizens and journalists to obtain government documents through FOIA requests.

Judicial Appointments

As Attorney General, Smith played an important role in the selection and vetting of federal judicial nominees, helping to advance the administration's goal of appointing conservative judges to the federal bench. This effort would have far-reaching consequences for the American judiciary, as Reagan appointees shifted the ideological balance of federal courts in a more conservative direction.

Deputy Attorneys General

During Smith's tenure, Edward C. Schmults and Carol E. Dinkins served as Deputy Attorney General, the second-highest ranking official in the Department of Justice.

Resignation

Smith submitted his resignation as Attorney General, which President Reagan accepted on January 23, 1984, though Smith continued to serve until his successor was confirmed. In a letter accepting the resignation, Reagan expressed "deepest appreciation and regret" at Smith's departure from the cabinet. Smith's last day in office was February 25, 1985, and he was succeeded by Edwin Meese, another close Reagan adviser.

Return to Private Practice

After leaving the Department of Justice, Smith returned to Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher in Los Angeles, where he resumed his legal practice as a senior partner. He continued to be active in legal and civic affairs during the remaining years of his life, maintaining his connections to the Republican political establishment and the Los Angeles business community.

Personal Life

William French Smith was married and had four children. His wife, Jean Webb Vaughan Smith, survived him and remained active in social and civic life in Los Angeles until her death in 2012 at the age of 93.

Smith was known for his reserved and dignified demeanor, in contrast to the more flamboyant personalities that sometimes populated the Reagan circle. He was described as a quintessential establishment lawyer—well-connected, discreet, and deeply loyal to his clients and associates.

Smith was diagnosed with cancer in his later years. He died on October 29, 1990, in Los Angeles, California, at the age of 73. He is interred at a burial site documented by the Find a Grave database.

His son, William French Smith III, went on to pursue a career in law, the arts, and real estate.

Recognition

Smith received several honors during and after his career in law and government. He was a recipient of the Golden Plate Award from the Academy of Achievement in the category of public service.

His legacy in legal education has been commemorated through the William French Smith Memorial Lecture series at Pepperdine University School of Law. The annual lecture series has featured prominent legal and policy figures, including former United States Secretary of Homeland Security Michael Chertoff, who delivered the seventh annual lecture. The lecture series, hosted by Pepperdine's law school, has served as a forum for discussion of legal and public policy issues in Smith's memory.

Legacy

William French Smith's tenure as Attorney General marked a turning point in the direction of the United States Department of Justice. His four years at the helm of the department helped establish the legal and policy framework for the Reagan revolution, translating the president's conservative philosophy into concrete changes in federal law enforcement, judicial appointments, antitrust policy, and regulatory approach.

Smith's relaxation of antitrust enforcement set a precedent that influenced federal merger policy for decades. His advocacy for stricter criminal sentencing and enhanced drug enforcement contributed to the expansion of the federal criminal justice system that characterized the late twentieth century. His role in shaping the administration's approach to judicial appointments helped shift the federal judiciary in a conservative direction, with consequences that extended well beyond the Reagan presidency.

As a member of Reagan's kitchen cabinet, Smith exemplified the role of the trusted adviser who operates behind the scenes to shape political outcomes. His transition from personal attorney to cabinet officer illustrated the close relationship between Reagan's private and public worlds, and the degree to which personal loyalty and trust shaped the composition of the Reagan administration.

Smith's contributions to the Reagan administration were recognized by the president himself, who expressed deep appreciation upon accepting Smith's resignation. The continuing memorial lecture series at Pepperdine University attests to his lasting influence on legal and policy discourse in the United States.