Identity area
Reference code
Title
Date(s)
- 1946 - 2004 (Creation)
Level of description
Fonds
Extent and medium
24.07 linear feet of textual records; 8 photographs
Context area
Name of creator
Biographical history
Lester Nurick was born in New York City on December 2, 1914. He graduated from City College of New York in 1934 and later Brooklyn Law School in 1937. After graduation, Nurick practiced law at the firm of Evans, Rees, and Orr in New York City from 1938 to 1941. In 1941, Nurick moved to Washington D.C., and served in the position of Senior Attorney for the Public Utilities Division of the U.S. Government Securities and Exchange Commission from 1941 to 1943.
In 1943, Nurick was drafted into the United States Army tank corps. He later joined the Judge Advocate General's Department Officer Candidate School (JAG OCS), and eventually served as the Chief of the International Law Branch from 1943 to 1946.
In 1946, Nurick joined the legal department of the World Bank. He first served as Counsel from 1946 to 1968, and later as the Associate General Counsel from 1968 to 1979. From 1979 to 1980, he took over the roles of Vice President and General Counsel. In his time at the World Bank, Nurick helped establish the International Finance Corporation (IFC) in 1956, the International Development Association (IDA) in 1960, and the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID) in 1966. He specialized in the questions of privileges and immunities of international organizations, taxation and finance (Bond issuances), and staff compensation issues. Nurick retired from the World Bank in 1980, but continued to work as a legal consultant afterwards.
After retiring from the World Bank, Nurick became a partner at the law firm Wilmer, Cutler, and Pickering. He also taught international law courses at George Washington University Law School, and served as guest lecturer at various law schools and universities.
Nurick passed away on 9 October 2014 in Potomac, Maryland.
Repository
Archival history
Immediate source of acquisition or transfer
This material was accumulated by Lester Nurick during his tenure at the World Bank. He took the files with him when he retired, and subsequently donated them to the World Bank Group Archives in the form of three separate accruals.
Content and structure area
Scope and content
The topics to which the records relate reflect issues of personal interest to Nurick or issues which he handled on behalf of his clients. Records relate to the legal structure of the World Bank as an institution and of its lending operations. Records relate to litigation and specific World Bank lending projects, such as the Volta River power projects in Ghana, the Shashe project in Botswana, the Falconbridge ferronickel project in the Dominican Republic, and the Boke project in Guinea. Records also relate to administrative and personnel issues in the World Bank. A small amount of materials collected, such as publications and invitations, that relate to Nurick's time at the World Bank Group are also included.
Appraisal, destruction and scheduling
Accruals
Accruals are not expected.
System of arrangement
Conditions of access and use area
Conditions governing access
Records are subject to conditions in the donor's instrument of gift and to the World Bank Policy on Access to Information.
Conditions governing reproduction
Copyright is donated to the World Bank and the records are subject to the Copyright Policy of the World Bank Group.
Language of material
- English
Script of material
Language and script notes
Physical characteristics and technical requirements
Finding aids
Allied materials area
Existence and location of originals
Existence and location of copies
Related units of description
Notes area
Alternative identifier(s)
Access points
Subject access points
Place access points
Name access points
Genre access points
Description control area
Description identifier
Institution identifier
Rules and/or conventions used
Internal World Bank Group Archives rules based on ISAD(G).
Disclosure status
Level of detail
Dates of creation revision deletion
10 August 2004, 9 October 2008, 1 February 2011, 26 July 2016