William "Bill" Roth Sampson was born in Teaneck, New Jersey, the son of James Harris (1906-1959) and Amelia (Roth) Sampson (1909-1982). His mother had been a nurse in the U.S. Army, serving during World War II.

The family moved to Topeka, Kansas sometime after the birth of both Bill and his twin sisters Mary Katherine and Margaret Helen. Bill Sampson earned his bachelors in history (1968) and his juris doctorate (1971) from the University of Kansas, serving as topics editor for the Kansas Law Review during his Law School studies.

From 1971-1975, Sampson was a Navy Judge Advocate. He then went ito private practice, partnering in Foulston Siefkin of Wichita, KS, from 1975-1987 and then with Shook, Hardy, and Bacon in Kansas City, Missouri, from 1987-2021. Sampson also held lectureships at the University of Kansas City-Missouri, teaching Advanced Legal Writing from 1993-1998, as well as teaching an advanced litigation class at the KU Law School in 1994.

From 1972-2011, Sampson was a member of DRI, an international member organization of attorneys defending the interests of businesses and individuals in civil litigation. He served as its president in 2003-2004.

William Sampson is married to Drucilla "Dru" Jen (Mort) Toebben (1949 - ), who also graduated from KU's School of Law (1996) and has served as development director for the Law School with the KU Endowment Association. The Sampsons donated funds to KU to create the Dru Mort Sampson Center for Diversity and Inclusion in 2019.

[Information retrieved from press releases, obituaries, KU websites, etc.]