Robert E. Jordan III
Encyclopedia
Robert Elijah Jordan III (1936-2010) was a United States
lawyer who served as General Counsel of the Army
from 1967 to 1971.
, receiving an S.B.
degree in 1958. He then attended Harvard Law School
, receiving a J.D.
in 1961. During his time in law school, he was an editor of the Harvard Law Review
.
Jordan served as an officer in the United States Army
from 1961 to 1963. In 1963, he served as Staff Director of the President
’s Committee on Equal Opportunity
in the Armed Forces
. He was then Special Assistant for Civil Rights
in the Office of the United States Secretary of Defense
from 1963 to 1964. From 1964 to 1965, he was an Assistant United States Attorney
for the United States District Court for the District of Columbia
. He moved to the Office of the United States Secretary of the Treasury
in 1965, serving as Executive Assistant for Enforcement. In 1967, he became Assistant General Counsel of the United States Department of the Army
, and was promoted to General Counsel of the Army
later in 1967, holding that position until 1971.
Jordan left government service in 1971, joining the Washington, D.C.
law firm
of Steptoe & Johnson
as a partner, a position he would hold until his death. He specialized in complex civil litigation. He was active in the District of Columbia Bar
, serving as that organization's president from 1987 to 1988. He also served as Steptoe & Johnson's managing partner for a number of years.
Jordan died on May 14, 2010 at age 73 after a lengthy illness.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
lawyer 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 1967 to 1971.
Biography
Robert E. Jordan III was born on June 20, 1936. He was educated at the Massachusetts Institute of TechnologyMassachusetts Institute of Technology
The Massachusetts Institute of Technology is a private research university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts. MIT has five schools and one college, containing a total of 32 academic departments, with a strong emphasis on scientific and technological education and research.Founded in 1861 in...
, receiving an S.B.
Bachelor of Science
A Bachelor of Science is an undergraduate academic degree awarded for completed courses that generally last three to five years .-Australia:In Australia, the BSc is a 3 year degree, offered from 1st year on...
degree in 1958. He then attended 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...
, receiving 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...
in 1961. During his time in law school, he was an editor of the Harvard Law Review
Harvard Law Review
The Harvard Law Review is a journal of legal scholarship published by an independent student group at Harvard Law School.-Overview:According to the 2008 Journal Citation Reports, the Review is the most cited law review and has the second-highest impact factor in the category "law" after the...
.
Jordan served as an officer in the United States Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
from 1961 to 1963. In 1963, he served as Staff Director of the President
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....
’s Committee on Equal Opportunity
Equal opportunity
Equal opportunity, or equality of opportunity, is a controversial political concept; and an important informal decision-making standard without a precise definition involving fair choices within the public sphere...
in the Armed Forces
United States armed forces
The United States Armed Forces are the military forces of the United States. They consist of the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, and Coast Guard.The United States has a strong tradition of civilian control of the military...
. He was then Special Assistant for Civil Rights
Civil rights
Civil and political rights are a class of rights that protect individuals' freedom from unwarranted infringement by governments and private organizations, and ensure one's ability to participate in the civil and political life of the state without discrimination or repression.Civil rights include...
in the Office of the United States Secretary of Defense
United States Secretary of Defense
The Secretary of Defense is the head and chief executive officer of the Department of Defense of the United States of America. This position corresponds to what is generally known as a Defense Minister in other countries...
from 1963 to 1964. From 1964 to 1965, he was an Assistant United States Attorney
United States Attorney
United States Attorneys represent the United States federal government in United States district court and United States court of appeals. There are 93 U.S. Attorneys stationed throughout the United States, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, and the Northern Mariana Islands...
for the United States District Court for the District of Columbia
United States District Court for the District of Columbia
The United States District Court for the District of Columbia is a federal district court. Appeals from the District are taken to the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit The United States District Court for the District of Columbia (in case citations, D.D.C.) is a...
. He moved to the Office of the United States Secretary of the Treasury
United States Secretary of the Treasury
The Secretary of the Treasury of the United States is the head of the United States Department of the Treasury, which is concerned with financial and monetary matters, and, until 2003, also with some issues of national security and defense. This position in the Federal Government of the United...
in 1965, serving as Executive Assistant for Enforcement. In 1967, he became Assistant General Counsel of the United States Department of the Army
United States Department of the Army
The Department of the Army is one of the three military departments within the Department of Defense of the United States of America. The Department of the Army is the Federal Government agency which the United States Army is organized within, and it is led by the Secretary of the Army who has...
, and was promoted to 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...
later in 1967, holding that position until 1971.
Jordan left government service in 1971, joining the Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
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 Steptoe & Johnson
Steptoe & Johnson
Steptoe & Johnson LLP is an international law firm recognized for representation of clients before governmental agencies, advocacy in complex litigation and arbitration, and advice in guiding business transactions...
as a partner, a position he would hold until his death. He specialized in complex civil litigation. He was active in the District of Columbia Bar
Bar (law)
Bar in a legal context has three possible meanings: the division of a courtroom between its working and public areas; the process of qualifying to practice law; and the legal profession.-Courtroom division:...
, serving as that organization's president from 1987 to 1988. He also served as Steptoe & Johnson's managing partner for a number of years.
Jordan died on May 14, 2010 at age 73 after a lengthy illness.
Works by Robert E. Jordan III
- "Alternatives Under NEPA: Toward an Accommodation", Ecology Law Ouarterly, Volume 3, No. 4 (Fall 1973), pp. 705-757.
- Chapter 9, "Ethical Issues Arising From Present or Past Government Service" in Professional Responsibility: A Guide for Attorneys (American Bar Association, 1978).
- "Disqualification of Counsel in Litigation", Litigation, Volume 7, No. 3 (1981).
- "Eye on Ethics -- The New Rules", The Washington Lawyer (November/December 1990).