▁att orney ▁Philip ▁H . ▁Al ston , ▁Sr . ▁( 1 8 8 0 - 1 9 6 2 ) ▁and ▁May ▁Lewis ▁Al ston ▁( 1 8 9 0 - 1 9 6 2 ). ▁He ▁received ▁a ▁b ach elor ' s ▁degree ▁from ▁the ▁University ▁of ▁Georgia ▁in ▁ 1 9 3 2 , ▁and ▁earned ▁a ▁law ▁degree ▁from ▁Em ory ▁University ▁in ▁ 1 9 3 4 . ▁Upon ▁completion ▁of ▁his ▁LL . B ., ▁Al ston ▁began ▁pract icing ▁at ▁the ▁law ▁firm ▁that ▁would ▁become ▁Al ston , ▁Miller ▁and ▁G aines , ▁where ▁he ▁became ▁a ▁partner ▁in ▁ 1 9 4 2 . ▁ ▁From ▁ 1 9 4 2 ▁- ▁ 1 9 4 5 , ▁Al ston ▁served ▁in ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁Navy , ▁and ▁returned ▁to ▁his ▁legal ▁practice ▁following ▁the ▁end ▁of ▁World ▁War ▁II . ▁ ▁Al ston ▁was ▁a ▁conf id ant ▁of ▁U . S . ▁President ▁Jimmy ▁Carter , ▁and ▁began ▁supporting ▁Carter ▁polit ically ▁in ▁ 1 9 6 6 . ▁In ▁ 1 9 7 6 , ▁Al ston ▁was ▁chairman ▁of ▁Jimmy ▁Carter ' s ▁president ial ▁campaign ▁committee . ▁Carter ▁appointed ▁him ▁amb assador ▁to ▁Australia ▁and ▁Na uru ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 7 ▁and ▁ 1 9 7 9 , ▁respectively . ▁He ▁served ▁in ▁those ▁roles ▁until ▁ 1 9 8 1 . ▁ ▁Following ▁his ▁diplom atic ▁appoint ments , ▁Al ston ▁was ▁a ▁co -