By Sheila Pursglove
Legal News
Detroit Mercy Law student Grant Gabriel earned his undergraduate degree in political science from Oakwood University in Huntsville, Ala. with an eye toward working in public administration in some capacity.
“Not as an elected official per se, I was more so interested in local or state government bureaucracy positions,” he says. “Obviously, that didn’t happen. I ended up working for a nonprofit, then in the legal field.”
And his legal work, as a case manager for the Oliver Bell Group in Troy, was some of the most fulfilling yet challenging work he has ever done.
“It was most fulfilling in that I got to play a role in our clients getting some form of justice in their lawsuits,” he says. “These weren’t large corporations or municipalities we represented. These were regular folks who had been dealt a bad hand by the health care system, criminal justice system and more, and we were privileged with the opportunity to help right the wrongs that affected their lives.
“I was able to really take pride in my work and envision myself in an advocacy role, even though I’m not yet an attorney. It was also challenging and fun in that I would get to see a wide range of personal injury lawsuits, including civil rights, slip and fall, product liability, and multi-district litigation. Also, the attorneys and staff at Oliver Bell are some of the best people you could hope to meet.”
Law school became the goal sometime during Gabriel’s first paralegal job.
“I was initially averse to working in the legal field but getting to see up close what being a lawyer actually entails helped to change my mind,” he says. “I knew becoming a lawyer would be the most straightforward way for me to do intellectually stimulating, rewarding work that would allow me to keep my conscience intact and also be able to provide for my family.”
He became a 1L Detroit Mercy Law student in August, and he is a member of the Black Law Students Association (BLSA) and the Criminal Law Society.
Gabriel picked Detroit Mercy Law for two reasons, the first being its location in the heart of the Motor City.
“I love the Detroit, I love southeast Michigan, I plan on being here indefinitely,” he says. “Why move when there’s a top tier law school right next door? The second reason is that I’ve yet to meet an attorney who graduated from UDM that I didn’t like. That includes my former boss from Oliver Bell Group, Alyson Oliver, and a mentor of mine, attorney Verkeydia Hall. Hearing about the UDM experience from both of them helped convince me that UDM was the right place for me.
“A common criticism of law school is that it gives students theoretical knowledge but doesn’t prepare you for the actual practice of law,” he adds. “UDM’s curriculum is tailored not just to help students think like lawyers, but to help us to be competent in the practice of law and actually land good jobs out of the gate.”
While he is open to considering other fields, Gabriel says his current interest is to work as a criminal defense or civil rights attorney.
“Those are two fields of law I have the most experience in and also the most passion for,” he says. “My career goals aren’t solid yet. If I do end up going the law firm route, making partner would be amazing.
“I’m passionate about the law because the law provides an avenue for the marginalized to have some form of recourse when they are wronged,” he adds. “It represents one of the few institutions that can hold even the most powerful accountable and affirm the dignity of those who are often overlooked. I want to be part of that process, to use the law not only as a shield against injustice, but also as a tool for building fairer systems that recognize and empower every individual, especially the disenfranchised.”
A guitar player for the past 14 years, and a musician by trade, Gabriel plays live music and session work, including jazz, R&B, and gospel throughout the metro area. He won a Billboard Award for his contributions to the legendary Clark Sister’s album “Victory.”
He also volunteers regularly at Greater Emmanuel Church of God in Christ, a place of worship that holds monthly food drives, annual back-to-school giveaways, and various other efforts to give back to the local community.
Originally from Southfield, Gabriel now makes his home in Wayne County’s Redford Charter Township.
“I’m married to the stunning, the brilliant, most radiant Kierra Gabriel, my wife of 4 years,” he says. “She’s been by my side in some of the hardest seasons of my life and I owe her a great debt. She’s a huge factor as to why I’m in law school today.”
Legal News
Detroit Mercy Law student Grant Gabriel earned his undergraduate degree in political science from Oakwood University in Huntsville, Ala. with an eye toward working in public administration in some capacity.
“Not as an elected official per se, I was more so interested in local or state government bureaucracy positions,” he says. “Obviously, that didn’t happen. I ended up working for a nonprofit, then in the legal field.”
And his legal work, as a case manager for the Oliver Bell Group in Troy, was some of the most fulfilling yet challenging work he has ever done.
“It was most fulfilling in that I got to play a role in our clients getting some form of justice in their lawsuits,” he says. “These weren’t large corporations or municipalities we represented. These were regular folks who had been dealt a bad hand by the health care system, criminal justice system and more, and we were privileged with the opportunity to help right the wrongs that affected their lives.
“I was able to really take pride in my work and envision myself in an advocacy role, even though I’m not yet an attorney. It was also challenging and fun in that I would get to see a wide range of personal injury lawsuits, including civil rights, slip and fall, product liability, and multi-district litigation. Also, the attorneys and staff at Oliver Bell are some of the best people you could hope to meet.”
Law school became the goal sometime during Gabriel’s first paralegal job.
“I was initially averse to working in the legal field but getting to see up close what being a lawyer actually entails helped to change my mind,” he says. “I knew becoming a lawyer would be the most straightforward way for me to do intellectually stimulating, rewarding work that would allow me to keep my conscience intact and also be able to provide for my family.”
He became a 1L Detroit Mercy Law student in August, and he is a member of the Black Law Students Association (BLSA) and the Criminal Law Society.
Gabriel picked Detroit Mercy Law for two reasons, the first being its location in the heart of the Motor City.
“I love the Detroit, I love southeast Michigan, I plan on being here indefinitely,” he says. “Why move when there’s a top tier law school right next door? The second reason is that I’ve yet to meet an attorney who graduated from UDM that I didn’t like. That includes my former boss from Oliver Bell Group, Alyson Oliver, and a mentor of mine, attorney Verkeydia Hall. Hearing about the UDM experience from both of them helped convince me that UDM was the right place for me.
“A common criticism of law school is that it gives students theoretical knowledge but doesn’t prepare you for the actual practice of law,” he adds. “UDM’s curriculum is tailored not just to help students think like lawyers, but to help us to be competent in the practice of law and actually land good jobs out of the gate.”
While he is open to considering other fields, Gabriel says his current interest is to work as a criminal defense or civil rights attorney.
“Those are two fields of law I have the most experience in and also the most passion for,” he says. “My career goals aren’t solid yet. If I do end up going the law firm route, making partner would be amazing.
“I’m passionate about the law because the law provides an avenue for the marginalized to have some form of recourse when they are wronged,” he adds. “It represents one of the few institutions that can hold even the most powerful accountable and affirm the dignity of those who are often overlooked. I want to be part of that process, to use the law not only as a shield against injustice, but also as a tool for building fairer systems that recognize and empower every individual, especially the disenfranchised.”
A guitar player for the past 14 years, and a musician by trade, Gabriel plays live music and session work, including jazz, R&B, and gospel throughout the metro area. He won a Billboard Award for his contributions to the legendary Clark Sister’s album “Victory.”
He also volunteers regularly at Greater Emmanuel Church of God in Christ, a place of worship that holds monthly food drives, annual back-to-school giveaways, and various other efforts to give back to the local community.
Originally from Southfield, Gabriel now makes his home in Wayne County’s Redford Charter Township.
“I’m married to the stunning, the brilliant, most radiant Kierra Gabriel, my wife of 4 years,” he says. “She’s been by my side in some of the hardest seasons of my life and I owe her a great debt. She’s a huge factor as to why I’m in law school today.”
A guitar player and a musician by trade, Detroit Mercy Law student Grant Gabriel plays live music and session work throughout the metro area.
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