The University of Tennessee, Knoxville’s College of Law has been named the Frank Winston College of Law following approval by the Board of Trustees during its May 16 meeting.
The recognition honors the late Frank Winston, an alumnus of the college and former Tennessee lawmaker who served as counsel to the late Carol Martin “Bill” Gatton and his many initiatives, including The Bill Gatton Foundation, which Winston also served as a trustee. Through its generosity to the College of Law, The Bill Gatton Foundation will provide transformational support for future leaders in the legal profession and pay tribute to the business relationship and enduring friendship between Winston and Gatton.
Frank Winston
The Bill Gatton Foundation’s $32.5 million gift establishes innovative opportunities for law students through two distinct fellowship programs designed to produce lawyers who will embody the shared values and vision of Winston and Gatton—the Frank Winston Public Interest Law Fellows and the Frank Winston Business Law Fellows. These fellowships will award full scholarships covering three years of Juris Doctor studies plus a generous stipend, paid summer work experience, and numerous enriching educational and professional activities.
Bill Gatton
Danny L. Dunn, trustee of The Bill Gatton Foundation, described Winston as a remarkable individual: “He was a talented and gifted lawyer but an even greater person who possessed character traits that anyone would strive to emulate. Because of his values, morals and human decency, there is no person more deserving than Frank Winston for this honor.”
“Mr. Gatton would be proud to see his foundation honor his close friend and adviser in this way,” said Robert F. Peel, a 2005 graduate of the College of Law and fellow trustee of The Bill Gatton Foundation. Before joining the foundation, Peel represented both Winston and Gatton for many years. “Mr. Winston was a kind and distinguished gentleman, a brilliant lawyer and dedicated public servant. We bonded over our shared love for the UT College of Law. Mr. Gatton was an extraordinarily successful entrepreneur, a generous philanthropist and a fiercely loyal friend.”
The Winston College of Law becomes the fifth named college at UT, joining the Herbert College of Agriculture, the Haslam College of Business, the Tickle College of Engineering, and the Natalie L. Haslam College of Music.
“UT has produced some of the brightest legal minds in our state and our country for well over a century,” said UT Chancellor Donde Plowman. “We are proud to have the Winston College of Law bear the name of one of our most distinguished alumni and look forward to the incredible impact a gift of this magnitude will have on our students for generations to come.”
Preparing Future Leaders of the Legal Profession
The Bill Gatton Foundation’s gift substantially moves the college forward by competitively enabling it to attract outstanding students who will be leaders in the classroom, community, legal profession and beyond.
“Adding Frank Winston’s revered name and reputation to his beloved legal alma mater will transform the institution and accelerate the college’s path towards becoming the premier law school in the Southeast, distinguished by our influential scholarship, commitment to public service, and exceptional preparation of future lawyers to be ethical and skilled leaders within the profession,” said Lonnie T. Brown Jr., dean of the college and Elvin E. Overton Distinguished Professor of Law. “This gift will elevate and distinguish the college in a unique way, affording talented students who possess distinctive character and integrity the opportunity to pursue legal education committed to serving the public’s interest.”
The gift also introduces Frank Winston Law Grants. These three-year scholarships will provide $1,000 annually to at least 50 students in each class to provide additional support for costs associated with law school.
“This extraordinary gift reflects the power of philanthropy to both honor a remarkable legacy and transform the future,” said Brian Broyles, UT’s senior vice chancellor for advancement. “Frank Winston’s name will now forever be associated with excellence, leadership and service. His impact — through this generous gift — will be felt by generations of law students who will go on to shape our communities, our state and our world.”
Winston and Gatton: A History of Service and Friendship
After serving in the U.S. Air Force, Frank Winston enrolled at UT. He ultimately graduated in 1952 from the College of Law, where he was editor of the Tennessee Law Review. After completing his J.D., Winston began his celebrated 40-year law career in Bristol, Tennessee. He served as president of the Bristol Virginia-Tennessee Bar Association and chaired the legal sections of the Tennessee Public Power Association and the American Public Power Association. His reputation as a top trial lawyer earned him selection as a fellow of the highly distinguished American College of Trial Lawyers in 1986.
Winston also served the state in the Tennessee House of Representatives. He was elected a representative in 1955 and was appointed by three governors to serve on the Tennessee Historical Commission.
In 1994, Winston left active law practice to serve as counsel to Gatton. Gatton’s successful career as an entrepreneur spanned the automobile, banking and real estate industries. A lifelong philanthropist, Gatton created The Bill Gatton Foundation in 1985 to support education throughout Kentucky, northeastern Tennessee and southwestern Virginia. Through Gatton’s professional and personal relationship with Winston, the foundation has built brighter futures for many in the region.
Peel said he often saw Winston, Gatton and fellow trustee Danny L. Dunn work closely together in a spirit of mutual respect and love.
Dunn worked with Winston and Gatton for 35 years as a trustee at The Bill Gatton Foundation, where he shared a friendship with Winston and Gatton along with a respect for their business and legal acumen. In 1967, when Gatton moved from Kentucky to Bristol to purchase a Chevrolet-Cadillac dealership, Winston was one of the first people he met in the area.
“Mr. Winston instantly became a trusted lawyer and friend to Mr. Gatton. During those many years, I listened to them talk about sports, especially Tennessee and Kentucky basketball and football. They discussed politics, made business deals, solved the problems of our community and the world, and told some of the funniest stories you can imagine,” said Dunn. “Mr. Gatton could not have accomplished all that he did without Mr. Winston. It would please him to see Mr. Winston’s name on the College of Law at UT.”
About The Bill Gatton Foundation
Based in Bristol, Tennessee, The Bill Gatton Foundation is dedicated to perpetuating the ideals and generous legacy of Bill Gatton by supporting organizations that foster meaningful educational opportunities, effective health care and medical treatments, and a thriving region of Kentucky, northeastern Tennessee and southwestern Virginia with expanded access to social and economic success.
About the Winston College of Law
Founded in 1890, the University of Tennessee, Knoxville’s Winston College of Law is dedicated to preparing students to practice law with skill, professionalism and a distinctive commitment to leadership and public service. The college offers Juris Doctor and master’s degree programs as well as signature educational opportunities in four highly regarded academic centers, focusing respectively on business law, advocacy, leadership and furthering justice within the Appalachian region. The college’s nationally recognized Legal Clinic is the longest-running legal clinical program in the country.