Levi, Edward H.

Levi, Edward H. (Hirsch) (1911–  ) attorney general, university president; born in Chicago. Considered a "product of the University of Chicago," he was the grandson of Rabbi Emil G. Hirsch, one of the school's early faculty members. He began teaching at Chicago (1936) and returned to the school (1945) after serving as special assistant to the United States attorney general. He was an adviser to the so-called "Chicago school" of physicists and assisted in the drafting of the U.S. Atomic Energy Act (1946), leading to establishment of the Atomic Energy Commission. Considered a brilliant antitrust lawyer, he became dean of the University of Chicago Law School (1950–62), university provost (1962–67), and president (1967–75), one of the first scholars of the Jewish faith to be chosen head of a major American university. In the aftermath of the Watergate scandals, he was persuaded to help restore Americans' respect for government by serving as the U.S. attorney general (1975–77). He was the author of many books and articles.