Wallace McClure was born in Knoxville, Tennessee on July 30, 1890 and was graduated from the University of Tennessee in 1910. In 1915 he received his Ph. D. degree from Columbia University. He was admitted to the local bar at Knoxville in 1911 and the bar of the United States District Court in 1920. He practiced in Knoxville as a member of Sansom and McClure from 1916 to 1917.

McClure enjoyed a long career in international law which spanned the period 1925 through 1961 Among his many positions, he served as a teacher in the School of Foreign Service in 1925 (teaching commercial policy and treaties), lecturer in 1935 at Des Moines public forums, lecturer in 1936 at Colorado Springs and Chattanooga, and lecturer in 1936-37 at Johns Hopkins. He was an officer in the Department of State (1920-1951) and served as economic analyst to the Foreign Service Auxiliary. He was with the American Legation at Stockholm from 1942 to 1946 He also served as avisiting lecturer at the University of Virginia from 1954 to 1955, was a Fulbright lecturer at the University of Dacca, East Pakistan, 1955-56, was consulting director of the World Rule of Law Center in 1958, and was visiting professor of Law at Duke University (1958-1961) He was the author of a number of books and articles on state constitution making, commercial policy, executive agreements, world law, and world legal order