Today we’d like to introduce you to Gerald Griggs.
Gerald, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
I am a 5th generation Georgian whose father, grandfather, aunt and uncles graduated from Booker T. Washington High. I was born on Peachtree at Piedmont Hospital and raised in Decatur, SouthWest Atlanta and South Cobb respectively. I graduated from Woodward Academy and Emory University. After finishing the University of Cincinnati College of Law, I passed the Georgia Bar and began practicing law.
I have handled some of the biggest cases in Georgia History including the Jaheem Herrera Anti-Bullying Case, Atlanta Public School Cheating Scandal Trial (Georgia’s Longest Trial) and parts of the R Kelly Sex trafficking Case.
I have also been a strong advocate for Social Justice in Georgia. I am the First Vice President of the Atlanta NAACP and former Third Vice President of the Georgia NAACP. In that capacity, we convened the NAACP/ Black Lives Matter March in 2016 with 15,000 citizens voicing the need for Police Accountability. I am a Co-founder of the Georgia Alliance for Social Justice which convened the largest Civil Rights Protest in Georgia History – the Atlanta March for Social Justice and Women in 2017.
Currently, I am focused on protecting Civil Rights in Georgia from Voter Suppression and Civic Engagement to Criminal Justice Reform and Restorative Justice in the Criminal Justice System. I have been on the frontlines on numerous protests in Georgia for the last 15 years and in the courtroom as an advocate. #Justicefighter
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
The road has not been smooth and as an African American man, I have overcome the odds and been successful because to the assistance of my family and community that believed the African American Men can succeed.
I came from a middle-class family that believed in education, entrepreneurship, and hard work. My father instilled work ethic and the compassion for the community in me from a young age. My mother was a dedicated Elementary School Teacher for 30 years with Atlanta Public Schools, where she was committed to educate underserved communities.
We overcome economic struggles and structural barriers against minorities to be successful and provide opportunities for the next generation of the family.
We’d love to hear more about your work and what you are currently focused on. What else should we know?
I am a litigator with my primary focus being criminal defense and civil rights litigation. I am known as the #Justicefighter because I fight to balance to the scales of justice for my client, one client at a time. I am known for fighting the difficult cases that most lawyers will not take.
I am most proud of the fact that my firm is a small boutique firm that has successfully handled some of the biggest cases in Georgia. From Jaheem Herrera, APS Cheating Trial, R Kelly, Desmond Marrow and countless other high profile cases, we have been in the courtroom on the frontline fighting for justice.
My tenacity and zeal sets me apart from most litigators and I am never afraid to try the difficult case.
What moment in your career do you look back most fondly on?
So far, the proudest moment of my career was leading the largest Protest in Georgia History along with Rep. John Lewis, former Mayor Shirley Franklin, Rep. Hank Johnson and my co-founders Janel Green, Harmel Codi, Gina Gareau-Clark, Blynne Olivieri and Aisha Yaqoob. When 65,000 Georgians took to the street in 2017 to send a message that Georgia will not take One Step Back on rights for every Georgian.
Contact Info:
- Address: 1550 Scott Blvd
Decatur GA 30030 - Website: www.geraldagriggs.com
- Phone: 4046336590
- Email: gerald@geraldagriggs.com
- Instagram: @attorneygriggs
- Facebook: @attorneygriggs
- Twitter: @attorneygriggs
Suggest a story: VoyageATL is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
