Richard Lewis Thornburgh was a lawyer, author, and Republican politician who served as the 41st governor of Pennsylvania and then as the United States Attorney General. Born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Thornburgh received a civil engineering degree from Yale University and a law degree from the University of Pittsburgh. He joined Pittsburgh based law firm Kirkpatrick & Lockhartin (K&L Gates) in 1958 as an attorney. He was elected as a delegate to Pennsylvania's Constitutional Convention in 1960... moreRichard Lewis Thornburgh was a lawyer, author, and Republican politician who served as the 41st governor of Pennsylvania and then as the United States Attorney General. Born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Thornburgh received a civil engineering degree from Yale University and a law degree from the University of Pittsburgh. He joined Pittsburgh based law firm Kirkpatrick & Lockhartin (K&L Gates) in 1958 as an attorney. He was elected as a delegate to Pennsylvania's Constitutional Convention in 1960, running unsuccessfully for the U.S. Congress, and actively working with a number of civic and community organizations. He was appointed by President Richard Nixon as the U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Pennsylvania in 1969, followed by series of appointments at different leadership roles at the U.S. Department of Justice. He was appointed Assistant Attorney General of the Criminal Division under President Gerald Ford and U.S. Attorney General under Presidents Ronald Reagan and George H.W. Bush. Thornburgh was elected as Pennsylvania's 41st Governor in 1978, and served two terms as the Commonwealth's chief executive. As Attorney General, Thornburgh helped to pass and implement the Americans with Disabilities Act in 1990. After his service in Washington, Dick was named as Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations. Following an unsuccessful campaign for the U.S. Senate in 1991, Dick returned to the private practice of law at K&L Gates. He also devoted significant time and energy to the Dick Thornburgh Forum on Law and Public Policy at the University of Pittsburgh, which was established in 2007 to promote principled governance and the value of bipartisan public service. Dick received numerous accolades, including honorary degrees from 32 colleges and universities. He died on 31 December 2020.
