Charles A. Blanchard (lawyer)
Encyclopedia
Charles A. Blanchard is a United States
lawyer
who served as General Counsel of the Army
from 1999 to 2001, and who has served as General Counsel of the Air Force
from 2009 to present.
, receiving a B.S. in Chemistry
in 1981. He then attended the Harvard Law School
/ John F. Kennedy School of Government
and received a J.D.
and an M.P.P.
in 1985. He then spent 1985-86 as law clerk
to Judge Harry T. Edwards
of the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit
. He then clerked for Justice Sandra Day O'Connor
of the Supreme Court of the United States
for the 1986-87 term.
In 1987, Blanchard joined the United States Office of the Independent Counsel
as an Associate Independent Counsel. The next year, he joined the law firm
of Perkins Coie
as a partner in Perkins Coie's office in Phoenix, Arizona
.
Blanchard left Perkins Coie in 1997 to become Chief Legal Counsel of the Office of National Drug Control Policy
. In 1999, President of the United States
Bill Clinton
nominated him to be General Counsel of the Army
and he subsequently held that office from 1999 to 2001. He then returned to his practice at Perkins Coie in Phoenix. In 2009, President Barack Obama
nominated him to be General Counsel of the Air Force
and he has held that office from 2009 to present.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
lawyer
Lawyer
A lawyer, according to Black's Law Dictionary, is "a person learned in the law; as an attorney, counsel or solicitor; a person who is practicing law." Law is the system of rules of conduct established by the sovereign government of a society to correct wrongs, maintain the stability of political...
who served as General Counsel of the Army
General Counsel of the Army
The General Counsel of the Army is the General Counsel of the United States Department of the Army and the chief legal counselor of the United States Secretary of the Army...
from 1999 to 2001, and who has served as General Counsel of the Air Force
General Counsel of the Air Force
The General Counsel of the Air Force is the general counsel of the United States Department of the Air Force.By U.S. law, the General Counsel of the Air Force is appointed from civilian life by the President of the United States upon the advice and consent of the United States Senate...
from 2009 to present.
Biography
Charles A. Blanchard was educated at Lewis & Clark CollegeLewis & Clark College
Lewis & Clark College is a private institution of higher learning located in Portland, Oregon. Made up of an undergraduate College of Arts and Sciences, a School of Law, and a Graduate School of Education and Counseling. Lewis & Clark is a member of the Annapolis Group of colleges with athletic...
, receiving a B.S. in Chemistry
Chemistry
Chemistry is the science of matter, especially its chemical reactions, but also its composition, structure and properties. Chemistry is concerned with atoms and their interactions with other atoms, and particularly with the properties of chemical bonds....
in 1981. He then attended the Harvard Law School
Harvard Law School
Harvard Law School is one of the professional graduate schools of Harvard University. Located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, it is the oldest continually-operating law school in the United States and is home to the largest academic law library in the world. The school is routinely ranked by the U.S...
/ John F. Kennedy School of Government
John F. Kennedy School of Government
The John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University is a public policy and public administration school, and one of Harvard's graduate and professional schools...
and received a J.D.
Juris Doctor
Juris Doctor is a professional doctorate and first professional graduate degree in law.The degree was first awarded by Harvard University in the United States in the late 19th century and was created as a modern version of the old European doctor of law degree Juris Doctor (see etymology and...
and an M.P.P.
Master of Public Policy
The Master of Public Policy , one of several public policy degrees, is a master's level professional degree that provides training in policy analysis and program evaluation at public policy schools. The MPP program places a focus on the systematic analysis of issues related to public policy and the...
in 1985. He then spent 1985-86 as law clerk
Law clerk
A law clerk or a judicial clerk is a person who provides assistance to a judge in researching issues before the court and in writing opinions. Law clerks are not court clerks or courtroom deputies, who are administrative staff for the court. Most law clerks are recent law school graduates who...
to Judge Harry T. Edwards
Harry T. Edwards
Harry Thomas Edwards is a United States federal judge.Born in New York, New York, Judge Edwards received a B.S. from Cornell University in 1962, where he was a member of the Quill and Dagger society. He received a J.D. from University of Michigan Law School in 1965 and practiced law in Chicago for...
of the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit
United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit
The United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit known informally as the D.C. Circuit, is the federal appellate court for the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. Appeals from the D.C. Circuit, as with all the U.S. Courts of Appeals, are heard on a...
. He then clerked for Justice Sandra Day O'Connor
Sandra Day O'Connor
Sandra Day O'Connor is an American jurist who was the first female member of the Supreme Court of the United States. She served as an Associate Justice from 1981 until her retirement from the Court in 2006. O'Connor was appointed by President Ronald Reagan in 1981...
of the Supreme Court of the United States
Supreme Court of the United States
The Supreme Court of the United States is the highest court in the United States. It has ultimate appellate jurisdiction over all state and federal courts, and original jurisdiction over a small range of cases...
for the 1986-87 term.
In 1987, Blanchard joined the United States Office of the Independent Counsel
United States Office of the Independent Counsel
United States Office of the Independent Counsel was an independent prosecutor — distinct from the Attorney General of the United States Department of Justice — that provided reports to the Congress under . The office was terminated in 1999 and replaced by the U.S...
as an Associate Independent Counsel. The next year, he joined the law firm
Law firm
A law firm is a business entity formed by one or more lawyers to engage in the practice of law. The primary service rendered by a law firm is to advise clients about their legal rights and responsibilities, and to represent clients in civil or criminal cases, business transactions, and other...
of Perkins Coie
Perkins Coie
Perkins Coie is an international law firm based in Seattle, Washington. It has been listed on the Fortune Magazine "100 Best Places to Work in America" for the past nine years. It is noted for its intellectual property, Labor and Employment, and Products Liability practice groups, and for its...
as a partner in Perkins Coie's office in Phoenix, Arizona
Phoenix, Arizona
Phoenix is the capital, and largest city, of the U.S. state of Arizona, as well as the sixth most populated city in the United States. Phoenix is home to 1,445,632 people according to the official 2010 U.S. Census Bureau data...
.
Blanchard left Perkins Coie in 1997 to become Chief Legal Counsel of the Office of National Drug Control Policy
Office of National Drug Control Policy
The White House Office of National Drug Control Policy , a former cabinet level component of the Executive Office of the President of the United States, was established in 1989 by the Anti-Drug Abuse Act of 1988...
. In 1999, President of the United States
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
Bill Clinton
Bill Clinton
William Jefferson "Bill" Clinton is an American politician who served as the 42nd President of the United States from 1993 to 2001. Inaugurated at age 46, he was the third-youngest president. He took office at the end of the Cold War, and was the first president of the baby boomer generation...
nominated him to be General Counsel of the Army
General Counsel of the Army
The General Counsel of the Army is the General Counsel of the United States Department of the Army and the chief legal counselor of the United States Secretary of the Army...
and he subsequently held that office from 1999 to 2001. He then returned to his practice at Perkins Coie in Phoenix. In 2009, President Barack Obama
Barack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in...
nominated him to be General Counsel of the Air Force
General Counsel of the Air Force
The General Counsel of the Air Force is the general counsel of the United States Department of the Air Force.By U.S. law, the General Counsel of the Air Force is appointed from civilian life by the President of the United States upon the advice and consent of the United States Senate...
and he has held that office from 2009 to present.