Vernon E. Jordan

Vernon E. Jordan, Jr. served as a Senior Managing Director of Lazard Frères & Co. LLC since January 2000. He is also Senior Counsel with the law firm of Akin, Gump, Strauss, Hauer & Feld, L.L.P., specializing in general, corporate, legislative and international law.

He was a personal friend and advisor to former President Bill Clinton.

Before Akin Gump, Vernon Jordan held the following positions: President and Chief Executive Officer of the National Urban League, Inc.; Executive Director of the United Negro College Fund, Inc.; Director of the Voter Education Project of the Southern Regional Council; Attorney-Consultant, U.S. Office of Economic Opportunity; Assistant to the Executive Director of the Southern Regional Council; Georgia Field Director of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, and an attorney in private practice in Arkansas and Georgia.

Mr. Jordon was honored with the Lifetime Achievement Award by the Anti-Defamation League on Feb. 28, 2018, at its 21st Annual Jurisprudence Luncheon.

Mr. Jordan's presidential appointments include: the President's Advisory Committee for the Points of Light Initiative Foundation; the Secretary of State's Advisory Committee on South Africa; the Advisory Council on Social Security; the Presidential Clemency Board; the American Revolution Bicentennial Commission; the National Advisory Committee on Selective Service; and the Council of the White House Conference "To Fulfill These Rights." In 1992, Mr. Jordan served as the Chairman of the Clinton Presidential Transition Team.

Mr. Jordan’s corporate and other directorships include: American Express Company (Senior Advisor); Asbury Automotive Group, Inc.; Howard University (Trustee); Lazard Ltd; Xerox Corporation (Senior Advisor); International Advisory Board of Barrick Gold; and DePauw University (Advisory Trustee).

Vernon Jordan is a graduate of DePauw University and the Howard University Law School. He holds honorary degrees from more than 50 colleges and universities in America. He is a member of the Bars of Arkansas, the District of Columbia, Georgia and the U.S. Supreme Court. He is a member of the American Bar Association, the National Bar Association and The Bilderberg Meetings. Mr. Jordan is Co-Chair of the Ad Council's Advisory Committee on Public Issues and is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations.