Lloyd Cutler facts for kids

Lloyd Norton Cutler (born November 10, 1917 – died May 8, 2005) was an American lawyer. He worked as a top legal advisor, called the White House Counsel, for two Democratic Presidents: Jimmy Carter and Bill Clinton.

Early Life and Education

Cutler was born in New York City. His father was also a lawyer who worked in court. Lloyd Cutler finished his studies at Yale University in 1936 when he was only 18 years old. He earned a bachelor's degree in history and economics.

Three years later, he graduated with high honors from Yale Law School. While there, he was the main editor of the Yale Law Journal, a very important legal publication.

Legal Career and Public Service

After law school, Cutler worked for a judge for one year. Then, he joined a private law firm called Cravath, Swaine & Moore.

During World War II, he briefly helped with the Lend-Lease program. This program allowed the U.S. to provide military aid to other countries. Later, he joined the U.S. Army and worked as an intelligence analyst. This means he helped study important information for the military.

In 1946, he helped start a new law firm in Washington, D.C., called Wilmer Cutler & Pickering. This firm focused on international law, which deals with rules between countries, and public policy, which involves government decisions. He also helped lead the Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law. This group was created to protect civil rights at the request of President John F. Kennedy.

Working at the White House

Lloyd Cutler first served as the White House Counsel for President Jimmy Carter. They had met earlier through a group called the Trilateral Commission. As counsel, Cutler was a special advisor to President Carter. He helped with important international matters, like the SALT II agreement, which aimed to control nuclear weapons.

In 1994, President Bill Clinton needed a new lawyer because his previous one had left. President Clinton decided to hire Cutler. This was a bit unusual because Cutler was allowed to keep working at his private law firm. He could also advise private clients as long as their interests did not clash with the government's work. This was a new arrangement for a White House Counsel.

Cutler became well-known during some challenging times for President Clinton. As a lawyer, he publicly defended the President during investigations. He once said about working in Washington, "This is an excitement to us... we want to play a part. That's why we're here."

Intelligence Commission Work

On February 6, 2004, Cutler was chosen to be part of the Iraq Intelligence Commission. This was an independent group of experts. Their job was to investigate how U.S. intelligence agencies gathered information before the 2003 invasion of Iraq. They looked into claims that Iraq had weapons of mass destruction.

Personal Life and Legacy

Lloyd Cutler was married to Louise M. Howe until she passed away in 1989. In 1990, he married Polly Kraft.

He passed away on May 8, 2005, at his home in Washington, D.C.. He was survived by his wife, Polly Kraft, and his four children. Two of his children became lawyers, and one, Beverly Cutler, was a judge in Alaska. He lived in Chevy Chase, Maryland.