Thomas (“Tom”) G. Sampson Sr., Co-Founder and Managing Partner of Thomas Kennedy Sampson & Tompkins LLP, was a towering figure in the Atlanta legal community and a source of enduring pride for the city’s Black community. For more than five decades, he embodied excellence, integrity, and advocacy—breaking barriers, mentoring generations, and shaping the course of justice in Georgia and beyond.
Born into a family deeply rooted in the law—his father, the late Daniel George Sampson, was a law professor and Dean at North Carolina Central University—Tom’s journey reflected the determination and achievement that defined the African American professional rise of the civil rights era. A proud graduate of Morehouse College (B.A., 1968) and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Law (J.D., 1971), he also studied at the London School of Economics and was a member of the Society of International Business Fellows. Returning to Atlanta in 1971, Tom co-founded what would become one of the South’s most respected Black-owned law firms, building a practice known for championing the rights of clients from all walks of life.
Over the course of his distinguished career, Tom earned a national reputation in personal injury, wrongful death, medical malpractice, and catastrophic injury litigation. He represented the City of Atlanta and the State of Georgia in major litigation, secured record-setting verdicts—including multiple recoveries exceeding $10 million—and successfully defended Fortune 500 corporations. His professional milestones include:
Fellow, American College of Trial Lawyers (2022)
First African American inducted into the Georgia Chapter of the American Board of Trial Advocates
Listed in The Best Lawyers in America annually since 1993
Charter Fellow, Litigation Counsel of America
Recognized as a Georgia “Super Lawyer” every year of its existence
Recipient of the Bennie Trailblazer Award from Morehouse College (2006)
Inducted into the Gate City Bar Association Hall of Fame (2002) and the National Bar Association Hall of Fame (2014)
Lifetime Achievement Award, Daily Report (2016)
Beyond his legal victories, Tom was a civic leader whose influence touched government, nonprofits, and community institutions. He served as Special Assistant to the Attorney General for the State of Georgia, President of the Gate City Bar Association, President of the Atlanta Legal Aid Society, and member of the Atlanta Judicial Commission. He lent his expertise to organizations including the Carter Center, the Atlanta Urban League, and Senior Citizens Services of Metropolitan Atlanta. As an Adjunct Professor of Law at Georgia State University and instructor at the Atlanta College of Trial Advocacy, he mentored countless attorneys—many of whom went on to become prominent leaders in their own right.
Tom’s life and career stand as a testament to the resilience, brilliance, and leadership of not only Atlanta’s Black legal community but the overall legal community as a whole. His achievements are woven into the city’s history, his mentorship has shaped its future, and his legacy will continue to inspire generations to break barriers and pursue justice with courage.
Practice Areas:
Education:
Morehouse College, B.A., 1968
London School of Economics, Member, Society of International Business Fellows
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, J.D., 1971
Bar Admissions:
Georgia (1971)
North Carolina (1971)
