Elliot L. Richardson

Source: White House Press Release - November 3, 1975

Elliot Richardson has served as Ambassador to Great Britain since February 20, 1975.

In 1970 he became United States Secretary of Health, Education and Welfare. From January to May 1973 he served as Secretary of Defense and from May to October 1973 he was Attorney General of the United States.

In 1953 Mr. Richardson left private legal practice to serve for two years as Legislative Assistant to Senator Leverett Saltonstall of Massachusetts. After a renewed association with Ropes, Gray, Best, Coolidge and Rugg in 1955 and 1956, Mr. Richardson was appointed Assistant Secretary for Legislation of the Department of Health, Education and Welfare, and also served as Acting Secretary of HEW from 1957 to 1959, In 1959 he became United States Attorney for Massachusetts. In 1961 he served for two months as Special Assistant to the Attorney General of the United States, before becoming a partner in the law firm of Ropes and Gray of Boston. He was elected Lieutenant Governor of Massachusetts for the term 1965-1967. From 1967 until his swearing-in as Under Secretary of State in 1969, he held the office of Attorney General of Massachusetts.

Mr. Richardson was born in Boston, Massachusetts on July 20, 1920. He was graduated from Harvard with an A.B. (cum laude) in 1941 and received his LL.B. (cum laude) in 1947 from Harvard. While attending Harvard Law School he was President of the Law Review. He served with the United States Army as a First Lieutenant from 1942 to 1945, He was awarded the Bronze Star Medal for Heroic Service and the Purple Heart with Oak Leaf Cluster after landing with the 4th Infantry Division on D-Day in Normandy. From 1947 to 1949 he served as a law clerk for Judge Learned Hand and Supreme Court Justice Felix Frankfurter successively. In 1949 he was made an Associate to the law firm of Ropes, Gray, Best, Coolidge and Rugg of Boston.

He is married to the former Anne Francis Hazard and they have three children.

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Last Updated: Tuesday, July 14, 1998