[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 107 (Friday, August 5, 1994)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: August 5, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

 
                      A TRIBUTE TO JOHN L. KENNEDY

                                 ______


                         HON. EARL F. HILLIARD

                               of alabama

                    in the house of representatives

                         Friday, August 5, 1994

  Mr. HILLIARD. Mr. Speaker, I submit the following statement in honor 
of the distinguished life and legal contributions of the late attorney 
John L. Kennedy.
  John L. Kennedy was a 1964 graduate of Morehouse College and a 1969 
graduate of the Harvard University School of Law. He pursued an 
impressive legal career for 25 years in his native home of Atlanta, GA.
  Attorney Kennedy was one of the first African-American attorneys 
hired as an associate by a large Atlanta firm, Alston, Miller & Gaines. 
After having served 2 years with this firm, he established his own law 
firm in 1971, which was named Kennedy, Bussey & Sampson. Kennedy later 
became a founding partner of Thomas, Kennedy, Sampson & Petterson, 
which soon prospered and became one of America's largest and most 
successful African-American law firms.
  Attorney Kennedy was the managing partner of 14 lawyers. He was ``a 
lawyer's lawyer'', and a pioneer in the legal profession for African-
American attorneys. John Kennedy's speciality was commercial and 
residential real estate closings and general corporate work.
  Kennedy's law firm of Thomas, Kennedy, Sampson & Patterson was 
recognized in August 1993 by Black Enterprise magazine as one of the 
leading minority firms in the country. Attorney John L. Kennedy shall 
long be remembered as a mentor to many minority lawyers in Atlanta, GA.
  Kennedy was a former member of the Georgia Board of Public Safety; a 
former deputy assistant State attorney general; a member of the Board 
of Directors of the Federal Public Defender Program; and he also served 
on the board of Mutual Federal Savings & Loan Association of Atlanta. 
He was named ``Man of the Year in Law'' by Morehouse College in 1992. 
He served as president of the Gate City Bar Association in 1975.
  John L. Kennedy is survived by his loving wife and daughter, Brenda 
Kennedy and Carol, as well as by his brother, attorney Melvin Kennedy 
of Oakland, CA.
  Had John lived, he would have celebrated his 30th year class reunion 
with fellow classmates of Morehouse College on May 20, 1994. John will 
be greatly missed, however, the legacy he leaves behind shall preserve 
an indelible impression for all of us who came to know him.

                          ____________________