William Barr (American Attorney General)

William P. Barr


77th United States Attorney General
In office November 26, 1991 – January 20, 1993
President	George H. W. Bush
Preceded by	Dick Thornburgh
Succeeded by	Janet Reno
United States Deputy Attorney General
In office May 1990 – November 26, 1991
President	George H. W. Bush
Preceded by	Donald B. Ayer
Succeeded by	George J. Terwilliger III
United States Assistant Attorney General for the Office of Legal Counsel
In office April 1989 – May 1990
President	George H. W. Bush
Preceded by	Douglas Kmiec
Succeeded by	J. Michael Luttig
Personal details
Born	William Pelham Barr (1950-05-23) May 23, 1950 (age 66) New York City, New York
Political party	Republican
Spouse(s)	Christine Moynihan Barr; 3 children
Alma mater	Columbia University George Washington University Law School

William Pelham Barr (born May 23, 1950) is an American attorney who served as the 77th Attorney General of the United States. As a member of the Republican Party, Barr served as Attorney General from 1991 to 1993 during the administration of President George H. W. Bush.

Barr was born in New York City. The son of Columbia University faculty members Mary and Donald Barr, he grew up on the Upper West Side, attended the Corpus Christi School and Horace Mann School. He received his bachelor's degree in government in 1971 and a master's degree in government and Chinese studies in 1973, both from Columbia University. He received his J.D. with highest honors in 1977 from the George Washington University Law School.

From 1973-77, he was employed by the Central Intelligence Agency. Barr was a law clerk to Judge Malcolm Wilkey of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit from 1977 through 1978. He served on the domestic policy staff at the Reagan White House from 1982 to 1983. He was also in private practice for nine years with the Washington law firm of Shaw, Pittman, Potts & Trowbridge.