Atlanta Mourns Legal Icon Thomas G. Sampson Sr. as Memorial Details Emerge

The family of Thomas G. Sampson Sr., a pioneering civil rights attorney and co-founder of Georgia’s oldest Black-owned law firm, has announced details of his memorial service.

The funeral will be held on July 19 at 11 a.m. at the Martin Luther King Jr. International Chapel on the campus of Morehouse College, according to Fox 5 Atlanta.

Thomas G. Sampson Sr., passed away on July 3 at the age of 80, prompting an outpouring of tributes from legal, civic, and community leaders across Georgia and beyond. Known as a formidable litigator, a devoted mentor, and a trailblazer in the legal profession, Sampson leaves behind a legacy that shaped not only the courtroom but also the broader fight for civil rights and equality in the state.

Born and raised in Atlanta, Sampson graduated from Morehouse College in 1968 and went on to establish the influential law firm Thomas Kennedy Sampson & Tompkins LLP in 1971.

Over a remarkable 50-year career, he became a symbol of excellence and determination, building a firm that would go on to represent major institutions including MARTA, which proudly called him their first major client in 1973.

Thomas G. Sampson Sr., achieved numerous “firsts” in his career. He was the first Black attorney inducted into the Georgia chapter of the American Board of Trial Advocates, and later became a Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers, both high honors in the legal community.

Since 1993, he had been recognized annually in The Best Lawyers in America, and in 2006, he received Morehouse’s Bennie Trailblazer Award, the institution’s top honor.

“Mr. Sampson did not just build a law firm, he built a legacy,” Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens said. “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 Jr. echoed those sentiments, calling him “a towering figure in the legal community” whose leadership helped open doors for generations of Black attorneys.

Thomas G. Sampson Sr., is survived by his wife of 57 years, Jacquelyn, their two children, and six grandchildren.

His life and legacy will be celebrated at the very place where his journey began — Morehouse College — surrounded by a city he served, a profession he helped transform, and a community that will never forget him.