Remembering Richard S. Levick

With great sorrow and bittersweet gratitude, we share the passing of our kind, brave, caring, dear friend and colleague, Richard S. Levick, Esq. Richard died surrounded by his loving family and close friends in Bethesda, Maryland.

Richard was Chairman and CEO of Levick, founded in 1998, a global communications firm specializing in communications litigation. He managed the Venezuelan crisis, the Chinese trade war, the Gulf oil spill, Guantanamo Bay, the Catholic Church and more. He represented some 30 countries, heads of states, hundreds of organizations, 400 of the world’s largest law firms and was viewed as a trailblazer in DC.

With numerous honors, Richard was named, “The Most Influential People in the Boardroom,” and was honored in several professional Halls of Fame for his lifetime achievement. Richard co-authored four books, was a featured commentator on television, in-print, and was a keynote speaker at Harvard, Stanford, West Point, the U.S. Army War College, and Georgetown Law. As a former director of the American University Public Affairs Leadership Program, Richard taught at Fordham and Wake Forest Law Schools.

His studies included a Bachelor of Arts in Urban Studies from the University of Maryland, a Masters of Science in Environmental Advocacy (Communications) from the University of Michigan, and a Juris Doctorate degree from American University’s Washington College of Law. Instead of practicing law, Richard chose to pursue public relations.

When asked, why did you choose public relations? Richard said,"You have to ask yourself: what do I love? Love controls everything; it determines what we buy [...]; it determines what we're best at and takes you where you want to be.” On a more personal level, Richard enjoyed cooking, baking, music, power walks, spending time with friends, reading Harvard Business Review and watching Law & Order.

Beloved by countless executives, clients, colleagues, students and friends, Richard was a confidant, trusted advisor and mentor. He never hesitated to give of himself and believed, “We need to look at the world in ways where all of our setbacks are viewed as opportunities.” His philosphy was Carpe diem which emphasizes the importance of living in the moment and enjoying all that life has to offer. 

I’ve known Richard for more than ten years. Beyond his articles and event inspiration, our insightful conversations included business and current events to exchanging baking recipes and sharing his favorite scotch. These are only a few of my favorite memories, since adding anything more would be a book.

Having collaborated on this tribute, Wendy Glavin shared her thoughts. "Richard was brilliant, yet altruistic, brave yet vulnerable, fun to be with, passionate and kind. Whether speaking to an audience of thousands or an audience of one, he was always the same. Richard spoke softly but carried a big stick. As he said in his newsletter, "From Here to Eternity," 'I'm no little Buddha in training (though I humbly try). I am just a mortal man with all those many limitations, who has learned over the years to appreciate every little thing that surrounds me – the migrating birds, Beethoven, freshly baked bread, the beauty of an insect and a billion more formerly unnoticed gifts. I have learned the meaning of “enough,” something I only recently inherited from my late father. Contentment lies within, not the next purchase or conquest.'

RIP Richard. We all love you.