Biography of Alan Simpson

For the past one hundred years, a steady string of Simpson's has practice law in the sparsely populated state of Wyoming--"the land of high altitude and low multitude" as Al's Dad often phrased it! It began with Al's grandfather, William L. Simpson, and was followed by his father, Milward L. Simpson. Alan K. Simpson was the third generation lawyer in his family. Al's two sons, William L. and Colin M. Simpson carry on in the family tradition today, practicing law in the town of Cody.

A member of a political family--his father served both as Governor of Wyoming from 1954 to 1958, and as United Stated Senator from Wyoming from 1962 to 1966--Alan Simpson chose to follow in his father's footsteps and began his own political career in 1964 when he was elected to the Wyoming State Legislature as a state representative of his native Park County. Alan Simpson served for the next 13 years in the Wyoming House of Representatives, holding the offices of Majority Whip, Majority Floor Leader, and Speaker Pro-Tem. His only brother, Peter was a member of the Student Senate, and also served as a member of the Wyoming Legislature, and presently serves as Vice President for Institutional Advancement at the University of Wyoming. In 1978, Alan Simpson ran for, and was elected to, the United States Senate. After a successful term, he was re-elected in 1984 with 78% of the vote and then again in 1990 to a third term with 65% of the vote. Following his first term in the Senate, Alan Simpson was elected by his peers to the position of the Assistant Majority Leader in 1984 - and served in that capacity until 1994. He completed his final term on January 3, 1997.

From January of 1998 until June 2000, Alan Simpson was visiting Lecturer and the Director of the Institute of Politics at Harvard University's John F. Kennedy School of Government. In the Fall of 2000 he returned to his Alma Mater, the University of Wyoming, as a Visiting Lecturer in the Political Science Department.

Alan Simpson is also a partner in the Cody and Denver law firm of Burg Simpson Eldredge Hersh & Jardine, P.C. and a consultant in the Washington D.C. government relations firm, The Tongour-Simpson Group.

Alan Simpson continues to serve on numerous corporate and non-profit Boards and travel throughout the country giving speeches on a variety of subjects. His book published by William Morrow Company, Right in the Old Gazoo: A Lifetime of Scrapping with the Press, chronicles his personal experiences and views of the Fourth Estate.