With a charitable gift annuity to Harvard Law School, Thomas M. Lamberti LLB ’57 and his wife, Eileen Bockelman Lamberti, are creating opportunities for talented students to succeed.
When Tom Lamberti LLB ’57 thinks back on his education, he is grateful for every step on the journey that took him to Harvard Law School (HLS).
“Education was the ladder—the upward path,” says Lamberti, a retired attorney with a distinguished career in labor law.
That path began in Queens, New York, where Lamberti’s parents, both Italian immigrants, instilled in him the values of discipline, hard work, education, and helping others. His father, a barber and beautician, and his mother, a business manager at his father’s salon, enrolled him in Xavier High School—a Jesuit school known for rigorous intellectual training.
Lamberti then enrolled at Fordham University, becoming the first in his family to realize their dream of a college education. After graduation, he enlisted in the U.S. Air Force during the Korean War, serving as a second lieutenant stationed in North Africa.
From the Air Force to Harvard
At age 23, Lamberti had completed his military service and began to weigh potential careers. He had fond memories of working at his uncle’s law practice in downtown Brooklyn during high school and applied to HLS. “I was shocked when I got into Harvard,” he says. “Once I got into law school, that was my path forward.”
Transitioning from the Air Force to HLS was daunting. Returning to his dorm late one evening, he saw a classmate studying while shaving, his casebook propped up on the mirror—an emblem of how demanding law school was.
“It was a big adjustment,” he says. “My first year I was terrified that I didn’t belong, but then I bonded with other veterans in my class.”
He came to appreciate the strenuous courses and discovered a passion for negotiation. Inspired by his favorite professor, Archibald Cox AB ’34, LLB ’37, LLD ’75 (hon.), he decided to practice labor law after graduation.
Lamberti began his practice representing management—working with unions, hospitals, law enforcement, and firefighters. “To me, labor negotiations are like the Super Bowl,” he says. “I like people, I get along with them, and I enjoy making deals.”
After building up his practice, he met his wife, Eileen, a teacher, on a blind date. Married for 43 years, they raised a son, Thomas Jr.
Fulfilling a Promise
When he began to consider charitable giving, Lamberti was reminded of the mantra that guided him throughout his life: help others. To commemorate his personal academic experience, he and Eileen set up scholarships at Xavier, Fordham, and Harvard. “That was my ladder,” he says. “I want to help others who are following similar educational journeys.”
For their gift to the Law School, the couple decided to establish a charitable gift annuity—building on their commitment by creating an income stream that will eventually go to Harvard as an endowed scholarship. Support for scholarships enables HLS to enroll students regardless of financial ability and helps create future generations of leaders in public and private practice.
“It’s the perfect gift for us,” he says, “and it’s the fulfillment of my promise to give back.”
Lamberti is thrilled that future HLS students will be able to benefit from this endowed scholarship and pursue their dreams. “HLS teaches students to think, listen, and discern,” he says. “This training gives you an ability to communicate well with everyone. And if you can train people to do that, they will succeed.”
For more information on planned giving across Harvard, visit alumni.harvard.edu/giving/planned-giving.