Biography
Senator John Sampson (Democrat, Brooklyn) was elected to the New York State Senate in 1996. He represents the 19th Senatorial District which encompasses Canarsie, East Flatbush, Parts of Brownsville, Crown Heights, East New York, portions of Old Mill Basin, Spring Creek Towers, and parts of Midwood and Kensington.
John Llewllyn Sampson was born on June 17, 1965, in Bedford Stuyvesant, Brooklyn, to American and Guyanese parents. At the age of two, he moved to the Brownsville/East Flatbush section of Brooklyn with his family, where he grew up. Senator Sampson was educated in New York City's Public School System, and in 1983 he graduated from Tilden High School in Brooklyn. Senator Sampson received his Bachelor of Arts in Political Science in 1987. While in college, he was employed as a paralegal for the Corporation Counsel of the City of New York.
Following his graduation from Brooklyn College, Senator Sampson worked for Proskauer, Rose, Goetz & Mendelsohn as a litigation assistant. In 1988, he enrolled at Albany Law School. During his studies there, he worked with the Department of Environmental Conservation until his graduation in 1991.
In April 1992, John was admitted to the New York Bar, at which time he became a staff attorney for the Legal Aid Society of New York, representing clients in administrative and housing court proceedings. In 1993, he joined the firm of Alter and Barbaro, Esqs., where he currently represents clients in Real Estate, Criminal and Election matters.
As an active participant in community affairs, the Senator has conducted free legal clinics and represented candidates in election matters before the New York Supreme Court. Senator Sampson is a member of several political organizations, including the New Era Community Democratic Club and the New Era PAC.
In acknowledgment of his many achievements, the Senator has been the recipient of numerous awards, including: the Humanitarian Award from the Mid-Bedford Lions; the Outstanding Young American Award; the New Yorkers Vision Award from the Greater New York Business League; and the Congressional Legal Service Award from Congressman Edolphus Towns. The Senator is also a member of the Board of Trustees of Albany Law School. He is a former member of the Kingsbrook Jewish Medical Center Board of Trustees, and is currently a member of the Brooklyn Bar Association and other distinguished legal organizations.
In addition to his committee assignments, Senator Sampson is also a member of the Administrative Regulations Review Commission.