Bernard W. Nussbaum, who as President Bill Clinton’s first White House counsel became involved in a rash of bitter controversies that plagued Mr. Clinton early in his administration, died March 13 at his home in Manhattan. He was 84.

Mr. Nussbaum served for 14 months amid relentless attacks on the Clintons, including an Arkansas land deal (Whitewater), the suicide of deputy counsel Vincent Foster Jr., and a White House request for the files of dozens of Republicans screened by the FBI for past administrations.

Mr. Nussbaum was already back at the Wachtell, Lipton law firm in New York when Mr. Clinton was impeached and acquitted in his second-term

In an interview with The New York Times in 2001, Mr. Nussbaum said he had no regrets about his turbulent time in Washington. “It was a great adventure,” he said.

[Mr. Nussbaum and his wife, Toby, lived in Scarsdale, NY, at the time of his Washington appointment. He generously agreed to interviews with this reporter for the local newspaper, where he described Washington life as hectic and exciting. SMB]