July 9, 2025
Atlanta’s native son and trailblazer Thomas G. Sampson Sr. will be memorialized July 19 at his alma mater Morehouse College.
Funeral details for the late Thomas G. Sampson Sr. have been released to the public. The memorial will take place on July 19 at the Martin Luther King Jr. International Chapel on the campus of Morehouse College. Services begin at 11 a.m., Fox 5 reported.
The co‑founder of Georgia’s first and oldest Black‑owned law firm died July 3 at age 80, according to a statement from the City of Atlanta . As news of his death spread, tributes from legal and civic leaders underscored his influence as a mentor, advocate, and pioneer. Sampson’s work not only advanced civil rights in Georgia courts but also laid the groundwork for future generations of Black attorneys. He is remembered as a legal giant, civic trailblazer, and a proud son of Atlanta.
Atlanta’s public transit, MARTA, released a statement on X expressing pride in being Sampson’s first major client in 1973, during the infancy of his law firm.
A trailblazing attorney and mentor, Sampson earned his bachelor’s degree from Morehouse College in 1968. Following his graduation, Sampson founded Thomas Kennedy Sampson & Tompkins LLP in 1971 and spent over 50 years building a respected litigation practice. He became the first Black attorney inducted into the Georgia chapter of the American Board of Trial Advocates and was recognized as a Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers.
He earned placement annually in The Best Lawyers in America since 1993 and received Morehouse’s top honor, the Bennie Trailblazer Award, in 2006
“Mr. Sampson did not just build a law firm — he built a legacy,” Mayor Andre Dickens said in a statement. “He showed us what it looks like to lead with purpose, serve with integrity, and make history while empowering others to do the same.”
Fulton County Commissioner Marvin S. Arrington added, “Attorney Thomas Sampson, Sr. was a towering figure in the legal community … His leadership in the Georgia Bar helped pave the way for a more inclusive profession.”
Sampson is survived by his wife of 57 years, Jacquelyn, two children, and six grandchildren.
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