Donald Gilbert Adams

ADAMS, DONALD GILBERT (1938 ~) 

Donald Gilbert Adams was born in Jasper, Texas on December 18, 1938. He attended Baylor University and Baylor University School of Law, graduating in 1963.

Adams was elected to the House of Representatives where he served four years; was elected to the Texas Senate where he served six years; and was appointed General Counsel and Executive Assistant to the Governor. In addition, Adams has served as Chairman of the Texas Industrial Council, Vice Chairman of the Texas Cancer Council, and Chairman of the Texas Aircraft Pooling Board, all state agencies.

In 1979, Adams resigned his position with Governor Clement?s office and began lobbying for various clients on a full-time basis. Over the last fourteen years, Adams has been involved in lobbying the passage, defeat or amendment of hundreds of pieces of legislation, and has been involved in lobbying teams on practically every piece of legislation passed by the Texas Legislature.

Specifically, Adams was a part of the lobby team which represented the banking interest in changing the usury law; a part of the lobby team which changed the method of taxing the banking interest in Texas; a part of the lobby team which passed the seat belt law in Texas; a part of the lobby team which passed the TORT Reform in 1985; a part of the lobby team which passed the Products Liability TORT Reform in 1987, 1989, and 1991; was involved in the passage of long distance telephone deregulation; and modifications to the Texas Deceptive Trade Practice Act.

Senator Adams has practiced as a professional governmental advocate as a solo practitioner, as a senior partner in a major Dallas law firm (Hughes & Luce); and in the current partnership of Adams & Zottarelli, governmental specialists. Don Adams and Angelo Zottarelli, in the 1989 regular session of the Texas Legislature, represented the City of Austin.