William French Smith | |
|---|---|
 | |
| 74th United States Attorney General | |
| In office January 23, 1981 – February 25, 1985 | |
| President | Ronald Reagan |
| Preceded by | Benjamin Civiletti |
| Succeeded by | Edwin Meese |
| Personal details | |
| Born | William French Smith II August 26, 1917 Wilton, New Hampshire, U.S. |
| Died | October 29, 1990 (aged 73) Los Angeles, California, U.S. |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse(s) | Marion Smith Jean Webb |
| Children | 4 |
| Education | University of California, Los Angeles (BA) Harvard University (LLB) |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance |  United States |
| Branch/service |  United States Navy |
| Years of service | 1942–1946 |
| Rank |  Lieutenant |
| Unit | United States Navy Reserve |
William French Smith II (August 26, 1917 – October 29, 1990) was an American lawyer and the 74th United States Attorney General. After attaining his law degree from Harvard Law School in 1942, Smith went on to join the law firm of Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP in 1946. Smith became acquainted with California governor candidate Ronald Reagan in 1966, after which Reagan appointed him to the University of California Board of Regents. Smith was nominated for U.S. Attorney General shortly after Reagan's victory in the 1980 United States presidential election, assuming the title on January 23, 1981, and serving until February 25, 1985.
Smith contributed to Reagan's administration by supporting his stances on welfare, crime, bail, prison sentencing for gun-related crimes, the Internal Revenue Service, immigration, corporate mergers, anti-competitive practices, the Freedom of Information Act, and illegal drug trade.
After his tenure as Attorney General, Smith went back to work for Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher. On October 29, 1990, Smith died from cancer.