John F. Davis

John F. Davis (July 11, 1907 – July 18, 2000) was an American lawyer, law clerk, and law professor whose career included work on the defense team of Alger Hiss (including "director of the Hiss investigations in Washington" ) from 1948 to 1950" and ten years of service as the 14th Clerk of the Supreme Court of the United States from September 1, 1961 to August 31, 1970.

Early life, education, and family

John F. Davis was born on July 11, 1907, in Portland, Maine. His parents were Marshall Davis and Marguerite Gifford. He attended the public schools in Portland, graduating from high school in 1924.

Career

Davis's first job was with Robb, Clark, and Bennet in New York City.

Hiss case

Davis is best remembered as one of the defense attorneys who represented accused Soviet espionage agent Alger Hiss before the House Committee on Un-American Activities in 1948 and at Hiss's two 1949–50 trials for perjury in the Southern District of New York.

In 1974, Allen Weinstein interviewed Davis for his book Perjury: The Hiss-Chambers Case.

Civil service again

During the 1950s, Davis served as an assistant Solicitor General in the U.S. Department of Justice. He argued more than 50 cases before the U.S. Supreme Court. These included a government antitrust case against the DuPont Company, which forced it to divest from General Motors Corporation of $2.5 Billion or 23% of GM stock.