David H. Gambrell
Encyclopedia
David Henry Gambrell is a Georgia
attorney who represented his state in the United States Senate
from 1971 through 1972.
He graduated from Davidson College
in 1949, and received his JD, with honors, from Harvard Law School
in 1952. He served in the reserves
of the United States Army
. After serving as a Teaching Fellow at Harvard and then as an associate and partner at the King and Spalding law firm in Atlanta, Gambrell founded Gambrell & Stolz, LLP in 1963. He served as president of the Atlanta Bar Association from 1965 to 1966, and as president of the State Bar of Georgia
from 1967 to 1968. He also served in the American Bar Association
House of Delegates, on the Board of Editors of the ABA Journal
, and as Director of the National Legal Aid and Defender Association. In 2002, he received the State Bar of Georgia's Distinguished Service Award, and the Atlanta Bar Association, in 2007, honored him with their Leadership Award.
, Governor Jimmy Carter
appointed Gambrell to the United States Senate, where he served during the years 1971 and 1972. While in the Senate he served as a member of the Banking Committee, Aeronautics and Space Committee, and Senate Select Committee on Small Business. Gambrell, a moderate, was defeated in the Democratic primary in 1972 by the more conservative Sam Nunn
, who went on to serve in the Senate for the next twenty-four years. Gambrell sought the Democratic nomination for Governor in 1974, but fared badly, finishing behind Lester Maddox
, George Busbee
(the eventual winner), and Bert Lance
.
and the Board of Directors of the Georgia Chamber of Commerce. He has also served as Chairman of the Governor's Committee on Post-Secondary Education, as chairman of the Drafting Committee for the Education Article of the Georgia Constitution, as a member on the Board of Curators of the Georgia Historical Society and as a trustee of the Lawyers Foundation of Georgia. He is retired as a director of American Software, Inc., currently serves as vice-president and director of the Buckhead Coalition, Inc, and is a trustee of the Georgia Legal History Foundation.
, having donated 190 acre (0.7689034 km²) of land to establish East Georgia College
in the early 1970s. The college's library bears her name to honor this gift.
Georgia (U.S. state)
Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
attorney who represented his state in the United States Senate
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
from 1971 through 1972.
Education and legal career
Gambrell was born in Atlanta, GA, on December 20, 1929.He graduated from Davidson College
Davidson College
Davidson College is a private liberal arts college in Davidson, North Carolina. The college has graduated 23 Rhodes Scholars and is consistently ranked in the top ten liberal arts colleges in the country by U.S. News and World Report magazine, although it has recently dropped to 11th in U.S. News...
in 1949, and received his JD, with honors, from Harvard Law School
Harvard Law School
Harvard Law School is one of the professional graduate schools of Harvard University. Located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, it is the oldest continually-operating law school in the United States and is home to the largest academic law library in the world. The school is routinely ranked by the U.S...
in 1952. He served in the reserves
United States Army Reserve
The United States Army Reserve is the federal reserve force of the United States Army. Together, the Army Reserve and the Army National Guard constitute the reserve components of the United States Army....
of the United States Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
. After serving as a Teaching Fellow at Harvard and then as an associate and partner at the King and Spalding law firm in Atlanta, Gambrell founded Gambrell & Stolz, LLP in 1963. He served as president of the Atlanta Bar Association from 1965 to 1966, and as president of the State Bar of Georgia
State Bar of Georgia
The State Bar of Georgia is the governing body of the legal profession in Georgia, operating under the supervision of the Supreme Court of Georgia. Membership is a condition of admission to practice law in Georgia....
from 1967 to 1968. He also served in the American Bar Association
American Bar Association
The American Bar Association , founded August 21, 1878, is a voluntary bar association of lawyers and law students, which is not specific to any jurisdiction in the United States. The ABA's most important stated activities are the setting of academic standards for law schools, and the formulation...
House of Delegates, on the Board of Editors of the ABA Journal
ABA Journal
The ABA Journal is a monthly legal trade magazine and the flagship publication of the American Bar Association. It claims to be "read by half of the nation's 1 million lawyers every month"...
, and as Director of the National Legal Aid and Defender Association. In 2002, he received the State Bar of Georgia's Distinguished Service Award, and the Atlanta Bar Association, in 2007, honored him with their Leadership Award.
Political career
Gambrell served as chairman of the Georgia Democratic Party (1970–1971). In 1971, upon the death of Richard Russell, Jr.Richard Russell, Jr.
Richard Brevard Russell, Jr. was a Democratic Party politician from the southeastern state of Georgia. He served as state governor from 1931 to 1933 and United States senator from 1933 to 1971....
, Governor Jimmy Carter
Jimmy Carter
James Earl "Jimmy" Carter, Jr. is an American politician who served as the 39th President of the United States and was the recipient of the 2002 Nobel Peace Prize, the only U.S. President to have received the Prize after leaving office...
appointed Gambrell to the United States Senate, where he served during the years 1971 and 1972. While in the Senate he served as a member of the Banking Committee, Aeronautics and Space Committee, and Senate Select Committee on Small Business. Gambrell, a moderate, was defeated in the Democratic primary in 1972 by the more conservative Sam Nunn
Sam Nunn
Samuel Augustus Nunn, Jr. is an American lawyer and politician. Currently the co-chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the Nuclear Threat Initiative , a charitable organization working to reduce the global threats from nuclear, biological and chemical weapons, Nunn served for 24 years as a...
, who went on to serve in the Senate for the next twenty-four years. Gambrell sought the Democratic nomination for Governor in 1974, but fared badly, finishing behind Lester Maddox
Lester Maddox
Lester Garfield Maddox was an American politician who was the 75th Governor of the U.S. state of Georgia from 1967 to 1971....
, George Busbee
George Busbee
George Dekle Busbee was an American politician who served as the 77th Governor of the U.S. state of Georgia from 1975 to 1983....
(the eventual winner), and Bert Lance
Bert Lance
Thomas Bertram Lance is an American businessman, who was Director of the Office of Management and Budget under President Jimmy Carter. He is known mainly for his resignation from President Jimmy Carter's administration due to scandal in 1977.- Early Life :Lance was born in Gainesville, Georgia...
.
Other activities
Gambrell has also served in a number of public, business and civic roles, including the Directorships of three publicly held corporations, the Visiting Committees of Davidson College, Harvard Law School, Emory UniversityEmory University
Emory University is a private research university in metropolitan Atlanta, located in the Druid Hills section of unincorporated DeKalb County, Georgia, United States. The university was founded as Emory College in 1836 in Oxford, Georgia by a small group of Methodists and was named in honor of...
and the Board of Directors of the Georgia Chamber of Commerce. He has also served as Chairman of the Governor's Committee on Post-Secondary Education, as chairman of the Drafting Committee for the Education Article of the Georgia Constitution, as a member on the Board of Curators of the Georgia Historical Society and as a trustee of the Lawyers Foundation of Georgia. He is retired as a director of American Software, Inc., currently serves as vice-president and director of the Buckhead Coalition, Inc, and is a trustee of the Georgia Legal History Foundation.
Family
He is married to the former Luck Flanders, and has four children: Luck, Henry, Alice, and Mary; and five grandchildren; Dave, Charlotte, Kathleen, Callum, and Duncan. Mrs. Luck Flanders Gambrell is a well known philanthropist in her hometown of Swainsboro, GeorgiaSwainsboro, Georgia
Swainsboro is a city located in Emanuel County, Georgia. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 6,943. The city is the county seat of Emanuel County.-Geography:...
, having donated 190 acre (0.7689034 km²) of land to establish East Georgia College
East Georgia College
East Georgia College is a state college of the University System of Georgia. Located in the rural city of Swainsboro, the college serves Emanuel, Bulloch, and surrounding counties throughout east-central and southeast Georgia.-History:...
in the early 1970s. The college's library bears her name to honor this gift.