Law student Amir Saeed enjoys travel and is pictured in Marseille, France.
By Sheila Pursglove
Legal News
During the summer of 2019, Amir Saeed found himself screaming protest chants in the heart of Khartoum—the capital of his parents’ homeland of Sudan—demanding the authoritarian government to abdicate.
The following year, he was amongst a similar crowd in Detroit, protesting racially motivated injustices.
“Reflecting on these experiences quite often, I came to realize the profound power people possess to enact change and seek justice—however, I wish I had more influence in challenging these systems of oppression and making a tangible difference,” he says. “While protest is a powerful catalyst for reform, it alone is not enough to fulfil my goals and aspirations. Attaining a legal degree is what will provide me the opportunity to advocate at the highest level.”
Saeed was drawn to Detroit Mercy Law School by its opportunities to increase global perspective, directly aligning with his goals for his professional career—and he looks forward to taking advantage of study abroad opportunities and expanded access to international and comparative law courses.
International law is Saeed’s main legal interest and focus.
“Turning on the news one will see the countless human rights violations occurring in Sudan, Palestine, The Democratic Republic of Congo, and Venezuela. Unfortunately, this list is not exhaustive,” he says. “I don’t want to sit back and simply be a witness to these atrocities, which is why I will use my law degree to make a difference in this current narrative.
“Whatever career is available to me where I can be an agent for social justice on a global scale is what I would be most pleased with dedicating my life to. Whether through business, human rights, or environmental law, my goal is to extend opportunities for fairness and equity to marginalized communities on an international level.”
He finds the law to be fascinating as the foundation of a just society.
“It dictates almost every aspect of everyday life—from the roads we drive on to our rights regarding speech,” he says. “I view the law as an agent for change. Through legal reform, I aim to influence the advancement of causes I am passionate about, such as civil rights, environmental protection, and educational justice.”
From May 2023 to May 2024, he gained valuable experience by interning part-time on the campaign of Democrat Christina Hines for the position of Macomb County Prosecutor.
“I gained a heightened appreciation for the strenuous and demanding nature of the effort needed for a candidate to have a successful campaign,” he says. “Additionally, working closely with a prosecutor provided me with much needed insights on the influence a prosecutor has on a community.”
Outside of school and work, he enjoys drawing, learning languages, cooking, skateboarding, playing basketball, and spending time with family. His younger brothers are a 21-year-old studying electrical engineering at Wayne State University, and a 15-year-old high school student.
Both parents are immigrants from Sudan, where Saeed’s father received his bachelor's degree from Khartoum University, and went on to earn his master's at Tuskegee University in Alabama, both in electrical engineering; and Saeed’s mother studied child psychology at Ahfad University for Women, in Omdurman, Sudan.
Saeed also has a passion for psychology, earning a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Wayne State University. That major interested him because of his own mental health struggles, coupled with the challenges faced by those around him.
“I developed a deep curiosity for the underlying causes of these issues, hoping that an understanding would not only provide answers to my own personal battles, but equip me with the knowledge to help others,” he says. “Moreover, since childhood I’ve had a heightened sense of social and emotional awareness. Learning how the human brain operates and studying behavior satisfied my lifelong intellectual curiosity.
“Psychology and client relationships are fundamentally interconnected subjects, sharing a common root in bias,” he adds. “We’re often in danger of falling victim to our own biases, whether they are purposeful or subconscious.”
One such ailment, he notes, is the human tendency to exhibit dichotomous/binary thinking, a cognitive pattern where a person views situations in extremes rather than account for complexity.
“This sort of thinking goes hand-in-hand with irrational thought and studying psychology has helped me be aware of this bias,” he says.
“Good relationships enrich us and support our health but require a level of social intelligence to do so. We hail from different backgrounds and the distinct experiences we’ve had since childhood have shaped each of our outlooks on life differently. Understanding that reality is nuanced is key to fostering meaningful connections and applies both to client relationships and everyday interactions.”
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