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A Civil Rights Legacy Since 1971 — Georgia's Oldest Black-Owned Law Firm

Some law firms added civil rights work to a brochure. Thomas Kennedy Sampson & Tompkins LLP was built on it. Founded in 1971, our firm is the oldest Black-owned law firm in Georgia — established at a time when courthouse doors in this state were not equally open to everyone. For more than five decades, our attorneys have stood up for individuals whose rights were violated by government actors, employers, and institutions, while mentoring a generation of lawyers, including ten former firm attorneys who went on to serve as judges in Georgia courts.

If your civil rights were violated in Atlanta or anywhere in Georgia, call (404) 688-4503 or request a free, confidential consultation

Civil Rights Cases We Handle

Police Misconduct and Excessive Force

When law enforcement officers use excessive force, make unlawful arrests, or conduct illegal searches, victims may bring claims under 42 U.S.C. § 1983 for violations of their constitutional rights. These cases are among the most demanding in civil litigation — they require trial lawyers who understand qualified immunity, municipal liability, and how to present a violation to a jury.

Jail and Prison Injuries

People in custody do not surrender their constitutional rights. Deliberate indifference to serious medical needs, failure to protect detainees from violence, and abusive conditions of confinement can support federal civil rights claims — including wrongful death claims when families lose a loved one behind bars.

Workplace Discrimination and Retaliation

Our partner Jeffrey E. Tompkins has successfully represented clients in workplace discrimination matters under the Family and Medical Leave Act and federal civil rights statutes. If you were treated unlawfully at work because of your race, sex, religion, national origin, disability, or because you exercised protected rights, we can evaluate your claim.

Civil Rights Violations Causing Serious Injury

Civil rights violations often leave physical as well as constitutional injuries. Our firm's deep personal injury and catastrophic injury experience means we know how to prove and value the full human cost — medical care, lost earnings, and lifelong harm — not just the legal violation.

What Makes a Civil Rights Case Different

Civil rights litigation is not ordinary injury litigation. Claims against police officers, sheriffs, municipalities, and government agencies involve special defenses (such as qualified and sovereign immunity), strict notice requirements (Georgia ante litem notices can be due in as little as six months for claims against cities), and federal court procedure. Choosing counsel with genuine trial experience against well-funded government and corporate defendants matters.

  • Deadlines are short. Ante litem notice deadlines for claims against Georgia municipalities and counties can expire long before the statute of limitations. Speak to a lawyer immediately.
  • Evidence disappears. Body camera footage, jail records, and personnel files must be formally preserved early.
  • The forum matters. Many civil rights claims belong in federal court, where pleading standards are demanding and experience counts.
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Why Choose TKST for a Civil Rights Case

  • A 50+ year legacy of fighting for equal justice as Georgia's oldest Black-owned law firm — our history is our credential.
  • Trial lawyers, not settlement mills. Government defendants track which firms will actually try a case. Ours will.
  • Full-spectrum damages experience. From constitutional claims to catastrophic injury valuation, one team handles the entire case.
  • Community roots. Through the Gate City Bar Association, Atlanta Volunteer Lawyers Foundation, and decades of mentorship, our commitment to justice extends beyond the courtroom — meet our attorneys.

Talk to an Atlanta Civil Rights Lawyer

For over 50 years, Georgians have trusted Thomas Kennedy Sampson & Tompkins LLP to stand up when powerful institutions violate individual rights. Tell us what happened — your consultation is free and confidential. Call (404) 688-4503.

Frequently Asked Questions About Civil Rights Claims in Georgia

Common examples include excessive force or false arrest by police, deliberate indifference to medical needs in jail or prison, unconstitutional searches, retaliation for protected speech, and discrimination in employment based on race, sex, religion, national origin, or disability.

Yes, in appropriate cases. Claims for constitutional violations are typically brought under 42 U.S.C. § 1983 against individual officers and, in some circumstances, the city or county. These cases face immunity defenses and strict notice deadlines, so early legal review is critical.

Section 1983 claims filed in Georgia generally borrow the state's two-year personal injury limitations period — but ante litem notice requirements for claims against cities and counties can be as short as six to twelve months. Employment discrimination claims often require an EEOC charge within 180 days. Do not wait.

Depending on the claim: medical expenses, lost income, pain and suffering, emotional distress, punitive damages in egregious cases, and attorney's fees under federal fee-shifting statutes. In fatal cases, families may pursue wrongful death damages.

We offer free consultations and handle most civil rights injury matters on contingency — you owe attorney's fees only if we recover for you.

Nothing up front. We handle negligent security cases on a contingency fee basis — you owe attorney's fees only if we recover compensation for you.