The Legacy of Cyrus Vance

Over his career in private practice and public service, Cyrus R. Vance (1917-2002) came to embody the global citizen-lawyer. Mr. Vance was repeatedly called upon to leave his New York City law practice for public service, where he served under Presidents Kennedy, Johnson, Nixon and Carter, including as Secretary of State from 1977 to 1980, and as a special United Nations envoy under Secretaries General Javier Pérez de Cuéllar and Boutros Boutros-Ghali. Due to his integrity, skills as a negotiator and commitment to the peaceful resolution of conflicts, Mr.Vance sat at the major tables of peace in the latter half of the 20th century, including the Paris Peace Conference with North Vietnam; the Camp David negotiations between Israel and Egypt; and the negotiations with Panama regarding the transfer of the Canal.

Mr. Vance's efforts to promote justice and the rule of law were not limited to the international sphere. As President of the New York City Bar from 1974 to 1976 and through other subsequent activities, he played a leading role in expanding the commitment of New York City lawyers and law firms to pro bono legal service in order to expand access to justice and address unmet legal needs. Likewise he worked to expand opportunities for minorities in the U.S. legal profession.

Mr. Vance's life stands as a model of the lawyer's special obligation to promote peace and justice. In naming the Center for International Justice Initiatives in his honor, the New York City Bar seeks to give continuing substance to his view of the role of the lawyer in a democratic society.

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