Charles A. Blanchard was born in San Diego, California in 1959. He was educated at Lewis & Clark College, receiving a B.S. in Chemistry in 1981. He then attended the Harvard Law School / John F. Kennedy School of Government and received a J.D. and an M.P.P. in 1985. He then spent 1985-86 as law clerk to Judge Harry T. Edwards of the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit. He then clerked for Justice Sandra Day O'Connor of the Supreme Court of the United States for the 1986-87 term.