S. Lee Merritt

S.Lee Merritt, Esq. is a human rights advocate, community organizer, civil litigator, and founding partner of Merritt Law Firm, LLC, and Grassroots Law Project. With a career that began in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, with the Cochran Firm, Merritt quickly established himself as a leading voice in the fight for justice, particularly in high-stakes cases related to police violence, systemic oppression, and racial justice.

Throughout his career, Merritt has represented clients across the country, fighting for victims of injustice from Philadelphia to his hometown of Los Angeles, California. Notably, he has represented several high-profile cases, including those of Deandre Harris, Jordan Edwards, Marlin Gipson, Atatiana Jefferson, Ahmaud Arbery, George Floyd, and Breonna Taylor. In 2020, Merritt took on the case of Ahmaud Arbery, a South Georgia jogger who was murdered by a group of white vigilantes. His legal expertise and tireless advocacy led to the arrest, conviction, and sentences of Life Without the Possibility of Parole for each of the men involved in the crime.

However, Merritt's work extends beyond the courtroom. He has been instrumental in bringing these cases and the broader issues of racial justice and police violence to national and international attention, advocating for his clients before entities like the United States Congress and the United Nations. His influence in the field was recognized in 2017 when he was ranked No. 8 on "The Root 100," a list recognizing the most influential African Americans aged 18 to 45.

In 2022, Merritt expanded his advocacy work into the political arena, launching a campaign for the office of Texas Attorney General under the slogan “Together, We Are Powerful!” Despite suspending his campaign in March 2022, and endorsing Rochelle Mercedes Garza, Merritt continues to fight for justice, both in the courtroom and as a community organizer and activist. He remains active in speaking at significant events, such as the National Black Caucus of State Legislators' 41st Annual Conference, keeping the dialog surrounding systemic oppression and racial justice alive.