About Frank Winston and Bill Gatton
“Frank Winston was a talented and gifted lawyer, but an even greater person who possessed character traits that anyone would strive to emulate.”
-Danny L. Dunn, trustee of The Bill Gatton Foundation
Our distinguished alumnus Frank Winston embodied the best qualities of an attorney and person. In his storied legal career, Mr. Winston was known as a brilliant lawyer, a dedicated public servant, and a man of sterling character—admired and beloved for his humility, kindness, integrity, and good humor.
After serving in the U.S. Air Force, Mr. Winston enrolled at the University of Tennessee College of Law. Following his graduation in 1952, he began a 40-year legal career in private practice in Bristol, Tennessee. His service to the public and the profession included representing Sullivan County in the Tennessee House of Representatives, holding an appointed position on the Tennessee Historical Commission, and serving as president of the Bristol Virginia-Tennessee Bar Association. His reputation as a top trial lawyer earned him selection as a fellow of the prestigious American College of Trial Lawyers.
In 1994, Mr. Winston left his law practice to serve as counsel to businessman and philanthropist Bill Gatton. The two men worked together to advance the mission of The Bill Gatton Foundation—to provide educational, healthcare, and other opportunities to support thriving communities in Tennessee, Kentucky, and Virginia. They formed a very close personal bond and worked together to make a profound impact on numerous institutions that enrich society and serve the public good.
Although they are no longer with us, their legacies endure. In 2025, The Bill Gatton Foundation made a transformational gift to the law school, resulting in our renaming as the Winston College of Law and the creation of a signature fellowship program—the Frank Winston Public Interest Law Fellows and the Frank Winston Business Law Fellows. The program is designed to produce lawyers who will embody the shared values of Frank Winston and Bill Gatton and who are committed to giving back to society as exemplified by their benefactors.
Frank Winston
Bill Gatton
About Frank Winston and Bill Gatton
“Frank Winston was a talented and gifted lawyer, but an even greater person who possessed character traits that anyone would strive to emulate.”
-Danny L. Dunn, trustee of The Bill Gatton Foundation
Frank Winston
Bill Gatton
Our distinguished alumnus Frank Winston embodied the best qualities of an attorney and person. In his storied legal career, Mr. Winston was known as a brilliant lawyer, a dedicated public servant, and a man of sterling character—admired and beloved for his humility, kindness, integrity, and good humor.
After serving in the U.S. Air Force, Mr. Winston enrolled at the University of Tennessee College of Law. Following his graduation in 1952, he began a 40-year legal career in private practice in Bristol, Tennessee. His service to the public and the profession included representing Sullivan County in the Tennessee House of Representatives, holding an appointed position on the Tennessee Historical Commission, and serving as president of the Bristol Virginia-Tennessee Bar Association. His reputation as a top trial lawyer earned him selection as a fellow of the prestigious American College of Trial Lawyers.
In 1994, Mr. Winston left his law practice to serve as counsel to businessman and philanthropist Bill Gatton. The two men worked together to advance the mission of The Bill Gatton Foundation—to provide educational, healthcare, and other opportunities to support thriving communities in Kentucky, Tennessee, and Virginia. They formed a very close personal bond and worked together to make a profound impact on numerous institutions that enrich society and serve the public good.
Although they are no longer with us, their legacies endure. In 2025, The Bill Gatton Foundation made a transformational gift to the law school, resulting in our renaming as the Winston College of Law and the creation of a signature fellowship program—the Frank Winston Public Interest Law Fellows and the Frank Winston Business Law Fellows. The program is designed to produce lawyers who will embody the shared values of Frank Winston and Bill Gatton and who are committed to giving back to society as exemplified by their benefactors.