Richard B. Webster Travel Grant Fund for HLSA of Europe Reunions
Background
Dick Webster, A.B. 1948, mcl. LL.B. 1952 (1927-2015), was president of the Harvard Law School Association of Europe in 1977 – 1980 and was present at its inception in Paris in 1965. The purpose of the Richard B. Webster Fund is to support the presence of young HLS graduates at our annual reunions. HLSA of Europe sponsors education at HLS by donating the proceeds of its activities to help one or more European students defray their tuition fees. We invite HLSA of EuropeScholarship recipients to share with us their experience at HLS in the course of one of our annual reunions.
The assets of the Fund are to be used to cover the costs (e.g., participation fees, airfare and hotel) incurred by the recipient of the HLSA of Europe Scholarship to attend the next reunion after his or her HLS graduation. The Fund was created from a donation received from Dick’s wife of 62 years, Kathy (Kathanne Harter). The Fund is however open for additional contributions. If you wish to contribute to the Fund, please contact any of the Officers.
Richard Bradford Webster (1927 – 2015)
Richard graduated from Phillips Exeter Academy in 1944 and was a member of the Harvard Class of 1948 (majored in History and English Literature), and Harvard Law School 1952. Midway through his college years, he served a year in the army and was an aide on the press ship attending the Bikini Underwater Atomic Trials in 1946. While an undergraduate, he became interested in the creation of the Salzburg Seminar in American studies at Schloss Leopoldskron, which became a life-long interest. He spent two summers in Salzburg as Treasurer. Later he attended the first seminar in law, served on the European Advisory Council and the U.S. Board, and in 1980 taught a course comparing U.S. and E.U. constitutional law.
On graduation from law school, Richard joined the international law firm of Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton, with which he spent his professional career. He spent four years in the firm’s Paris office, then three and a half years in New York. In 1960, he returned to the Paris office and became a partner in the firm. In 1964, he moved to Brussels to head the firm’s newly-opened office there. During his thirty years in Brussels, he oversaw the development of a truly international office, with as many as a dozen different nationalities represented among the lawyers. His own law practice ranged widely over issues of corporate and international tax law. During his years abroad, he was an active member of the Harvard Law School Association of Europe and in 1977 – 1980 served a term as its president.
Dick was fond of travel and took many trips with family and friends throughout Europe. He was a gourmet, a raconteur, and a splendid trip planner and guide.