Supreme Court Law Clerk To Join Roundtable Discussion
Gordon B. Davidson, Law Clerk to U.S. Supreme Court Justice Stanley Reed will join the Wednesday Roundtable discussion regarding Brown v. Board of Education II desegregation case. Davidson served the court during the 1954-55 term.
According to Gregory L. Peterson, President of the Robert H. Jackson Center, it was Justices Reed and Jackson that had held dissenting opinions in the first Brown Case arguing not against the idea of desegregation, rather they questioned the appropriate role of the Supreme Court in radically altering public policies that were established by Congress and state legislatures.
Peterson said, ‘‘Gordon Davidson has much to offer the discussion during our up-coming Roundtable as we know the court was successful in achieving a unanimous decision for desegregation in 1954. This year’s Roundtable will consider the second unanimous decision, Brown v. Board II, which ordered desegregation to proceed ‘with all deliberate speed.’’’
The discussion will begin at 10:30 a.m., in the Elizabeth Lenna Hall, Chautauqua Institution. The public is welcome to attend this free educational event which is offered as part of the Jackson Center's 50th anniversary celebration of Brown v. Board II.
Davidson is a native of Louisville, Ky. He received his B.A. degree from Centre College in 1949, a J.D. degree from the University of Louisville Law School in 1951 and a LL.M. degree from Yale University Law School in 1952.
Davidson credits his law career to an early calling as he played a district attorney in a junior high school play.
He said, ‘‘I made up my mind in the ninth grade what my career path would be, and I never wavered.’’
Davidson is currently Of Counsel to Wyatt, Tarrant & Combs, LLP, Kentucky’s largest law firm. He is Past Chairman of the Firm’s Executive Committee. His legal emphasis is Business Law, general corporate, mergers and acquisitions; Estate Planning; Federal and State Taxation Law.
After earning law degrees at the University of Louisville and Yale Law School, Davidson served as Law Clerk to Justice Stanley Reed, Supreme Court of the United States during the 1954- 55 term. Following his service with Justice Reed, Davidson received offers from New York, Chicago, and California; however, he and his wife, Geraldine decided to return to his native Kentucky.
Davidson has served on the Boards of many public and private institutions including: Former Chairman, Trans Financial Advisors, Inc.; Board of Trustees Centre College (Emeritus); Norton Healthcare (formerly Alliant Health System); The Greater Louisville Economic Development Partnership; Chairman, Louisville Development Committee, Inc. (1980- 1985); Chairman, Greater Louisville Inc. (1986); Director, BellSouth Corporation (1989- 1995); DNP & Select Income Fund, Inc. (1986-2004), as well as other non publicly held corporations.
His early acting debut inspired a life dedicated to the Arts including service to the Greater Louisville Fund for the Arts. Davidson was tapped by former Gov. Julian Carroll who wanted to build a major arts center in the state. The result was the Kentucky Center for the Arts of which Davidson has served as Chairman (1978-80 and 1987 to present).
Davidson is a member of the American Law Institute and a Fellow of the American Bar Foundation. In 1984 he was named ‘‘Outstanding Lawyer in Kentucky’’ by the Kentucky State Bar Association. He was also awarded the Louisville Chamber of Commerce Gold Cup for his devotion to his home town and countless hours of civic activity.
A dinner with featured NAACP speaker William T. Coleman, Jr. is set for 6 p.m. Wednesday at the Athenaeum Hotel, Chautauqua Institution. Tickets are available at $50 a person by calling the Jackson Center at (716) 483-6646.
Information regarding Wednesday’s U.S. Supreme Court Law Clerks’ Roundtable discussion can be obtained by calling the Robert H. Jackson Center at 716-483-6646 or by visiting the Centerís Web Site at www.roberthjackson.org.