Civil rights attorney Ben Crump topped the Lawyers of Color’s list of the 10 Most Influential Black Lawyers of the Decade.
Lawyers of Color is a nonprofit dedicated to promoting diversity in the legal profession and furthering democracy and equality in marginalized communities.
Crump is a leading civil rights attorney, instrumental in raising awareness of social injustices. He has unrelentingly sought justice in the cases of several high-profile police killings, including those of Trayvon Martin and George Floyd.
In the ranking, the organization considers each individual’s media reach, legal pipeline influence, social justice policy impact, and the extent to which each inspires.
“Between 2012 and 2014, Crump became a ubiquitous figure on national TV news shows demanding justice for the families of Trayvon Martin and Michael Brown,” Lawyers of Color writes on their website. “Each of the teens had been unarmed when they were killed, Martin by an overzealous self-appointed neighborhood patrolman and Brown by a police officer in Ferguson, Missouri. These civil rights cases against the unlawful shooting of unarmed black men and his advocacy inspired the Black Lives Matter movement.”
“WOW! I am humbled and honored to be named #1 on @LawyersofColor’s Most Influential Black Lawyers of the Decade list! We will continue to fight against the injustices facing marginalized communities until we get JUSTICE for ALL!” Crump tweeted alongside a raised fist emoji.
“Working with Ben is a privilege, and it is a great feeling to know that through our joint efforts, we are able to help more people than ever before,” says Paul J. Napoli, Of Counsel to Napoli Shkolnik. “He receives this award because of his tireless dedication to the legal profession,” he added.
Others on the list included, Sherrilyn Ifill 7th President and Director-Counsel, NAACP Legal Defense Fund, Eric Holder, Jr., the first African American to hold the position of U.S. Attorney General and April Reign, Equity Advisor, Culture Commentator, Diversity & Inclusion Advocate.
