d-mars.com Top 50 Black Professionals & Entrepreneurs of Texas
S. Lee Merritt, Esq. SUPER TRAILBLAZER
practice that represents victims all over the country. Merritt holds licenses in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the State of New Jersey, federally in Eastern District of Pennsylvania and US District Court of the Northern District of Texas. Merritt is a cum laude graduate of Morehouse College in Atlanta, Georgia. He attended law school in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania at Temple University’s James Beasley School of Law and is a member of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc. He began his legal career with the Cochran Firm Philadelphia before going into private practice. Texas clients Botham Jean and Atatiana Jefferson, were both murdered by police officers within miles of each other in their homes in the Dallas/Ft. Worth area. These tragic events sparked a national conversation about officer use of force and accountability. Working alongside partners in the activist and legal community, the team was able to secure rare indictments in both cases. Merritt serves as family attorney for Ahmaud Arbery’s landmark case. In the late 2021 historic victory, the three murderers of Ahmaud were found guilty. With federal hate crime charges still pending, the road to Justice for Ahmaud’s family continues.
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. Lee Merritt, Esq., commonly known as “the people’s lawyer,” is emerging as an influential new voice in the fight for social justice. A civil rights activist and attorney, Merritt runs a high-profile practice focusing on victims of police brutality, hate crimes and corporate discrimination. As an activist, he has championed police reform and community empowerment. His office has led the way in reform in Texas, a state notorious for its failure to prosecute police officers, advocating for the first murder indictments of officers in the state in over 40 years.
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Following the devastation caused by Hurricane Harvey in the Summer of 2017, Merritt helped to launch the American Black Cross, a disaster relief organization geared to serve the most vulnerable sectors of society. In 2017 Merritt was recognized as one of the top 10 most influential African Americans in the country ages 18 to 45 by The Root. The National Black Caucus of State Legislators awarded Merritt the prestigious “Nation Builder” award, adding him to an elite list of recipients including President Barack Obama, Shirley Chisholm, and Vernon Jordan. Merritt Law Firm is a federally based
TOP 50 BLACK P&E 2022 - 10TH ANNIVERSARY
Lee also continues to fight for justice here in Texas and has entered the race to become the next Attorney General. Please visit merritt4texas.com for more information. S. Lee Merritt, Esq. Federal Civil Rights Attorney State License PA & NJ Merritt Law Firm 123 South Broad Street Suite 2250 Philadelphia, PA 19109 Dallas Office: 1910 Pacific Avenue Suite 8000 Dallas, TX 75201 1-888-647-3041 leemerrittesq.com
