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published September 08, 2008
Stony Olsen
His most recent major accomplishment was leading the search committee for Senator John McCain's vice presidential running mate. McCain recently picked Alaska Governor Sarah Palin for the role, based largely on the advice given him by Culvahouse.
The choice has proven, at least so far, to be a masterstroke, completely changing the current campaign. Charges that McCain hadn't vetted Palin sufficiently have begun to wither on the vine as the relative newcomer has shined on the national stage.
Culvahouse himself, of course, in not just a political operative. He's also a pretty respected lawyer. Now that he has been reelected to the chairmanship of O'Melveny & Myer, Culvahouse will lead the firm for the next four years, continuing in the role that he has held since 2000. O'Melveny & Myers is a large international law firm of over 1,000 attorneys.
Culvahouse was born in Alexandria, Virginia, on July 4th, 1948. This connection with Independence Day would prove to be slightly ironic, as Culvahouse has been connected to the US government a fair amount during his life.
Culvahouse got a bachelor's of science degree from the University of Tennessee in 1970, and his Juris Doctor from New York University School of Law, better known as NYU, in 1973.
He then joined the staff of US Senator Howard Baker, Jr., as chief legislative assistant and counsel to the senator. This was his first role as an advisor to a politician, and he served in the role until 1976.
That same year, Culvahouse joined O'Melveny & Myers, practicing with the firm until 1984. In 1987, Culvahouse became White House General Counsel to President Ronald Reagan, a position in which he served until Reagan left office in 1989.
As White House Counsel, Mr. Culvahouse advised the President on things such as the Iran-Contra Affair, the Supreme Court nominations of Robert Bork and Anthony Kennedy, and international treaties.
After the first President Bush took over the White House, Culvahouse returned to O'Melveny & Myers, though he continued to serve on many governmental committees throughout the years.
In 2000, he was elected as chair of O'Melveny & Myers, beating out a crowded field of candidates. In 2004, he was reelected without opposition. And in May of 2008, Senator McCain asked him to lead his selection committee.
Mr. Culvahouse is currently a member of the Brookings Institution Board of Trustees, the President's Intelligence Advisory Board, the President's Intelligence Oversight Board, and the Leadership Board of the Center for Capital Markets Competitiveness.
He's also been admitted to practice in front of the US Supreme Court and is a member of the District of Columbia, California, New York, and Tennessee bars.
As the controversy around Senator McCain's vice presidential pick continues to swirl, one thing is sure: It was a bold move by Senator McCain. He can only hope that the discreet vetting Arthur Culvahouse did will pay off. So far, however, it seems like a home run for the candidate.
And O'Melveny & Myers is hoping that Arthur Culvahouse will continue to succeed as he continues to lead the firm for another four years.
Loyalty, discreetness, and competence have been Culvahouse's hallmark. His vetting of Governor Palin occurred almost completely without media notice. For other lawyers, these trademarks would be good ones to emulate.
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