Photo Caption: Attorney Jehan Crump-Gibson, Founder and Managing Partner at Great Lakes Legal Group, serves as emcee during the 2025 Michigan Chronicle Women of Excellence ceremony.
Black women in law are uniquely underrepresented, and too often, they face discouraging obstacles in their journeys to professional success. They struggle to be recognized, they are pushed harder than their peers to overperform, and the bar for excellence typically extends high above and the bars that are set for their counterparts.
Statistics from 2024 show that Black women make up only 4.1% of all lawyers in the U.S. The numbers make it clear — representation for Black women in the legal field is an uphill battle. The legal profession in America has long been an exclusive space, guarded by systemic barriers that have made access difficult for Black women. Despite that, Black women have fought for their place in courtrooms, law firms, and judicial benches, making their presence undeniable and their contributions invaluable.
“Black female attorneys are still bottoming out in terms of percentages of lawyers in America. The lack of representation, not just in the legal profession as a whole but in specific practice areas, is alarming,” said Jehan Crump-Gibson, Founder and Managing Partner at Great Lakes Legal Group.
In Detroit, where the impact of Black leadership is undeniable, that representation carries weight. It holds power. Crump-Gibson said her journey into law was intentional. “I always knew I wanted to practice law,” she said. “I didn’t necessarily know in the beginning what area, but I knew that I liked solving problems and advocating, and I thought I was good at it. So, I said, ‘Why not put the skills to good use?’ If we want to do something about this, let me not only practice, but be intentional about pipeline programming to increase representation.”
That intention led her to mentorship and advocacy aimed at cultivating future generations of Black attorneys. She began mentoring young Black women who wanted to pursue law as a profession. She didn’t do it just to give back or put a “volunteer” badge on her LinkedIn account. She did it to make a systematic change for Black people in and around the state.
“Growing up, there was no representation of Black female lawyers around me,” shared MSU law student Kaitlyn Williams. “I did not understand what being a lawyer meant or how I would even go about it. Going into college I got to meet a plethora of Black women in the field of law, and it was extremely inspiring not only to hear about their journey but also to hear about the work that they do and how much joy it brings them to do that meaningful work. Representation means the world, especially to young Black girls, but I strive to be that representation for any Black girl who wants to pursue law, as I would be a first-generation lawyer.
“I had so many amazing Black female mentors as attorneys who poured into me, took me to lunch when I had no money, and gave me both professional and practical advice. So, I try to do the same. When I was in leadership with Wolverine Bar, we started a pipeline program reaching back to high school and college students to prepare them with the resources needed to apply to law school,” she said. “At our firm, we make sure our interns are diverse. We want Black female high school students to shadow us, and we offer college students internships so they can get a head start. Whether it’s at the firm or in the community, anytime I can work with someone who has an interest in law, I do it.”
“Seeing a Black woman in a space that was originally not created for her speaks for itself,” said Williams. “Black women in law will always create a powerful and lasting impact wherever they go. I am consistent in lifting up the voices of Black women in law as well as political spaces, whether it be through social media or in person, I am never shy about informing others of the successes of Black Women in law.”
Locally, there are Black women powerhouses in law like former U.S. District Attorney Dawn N. Ison and Crump-Gibson, but it’s increasingly uplifting to see it on a national level.
When Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson was confirmed and sworn in to the Supreme Court of the United States, it was a collective victory for Black women attorneys across the nation. Her appointment sent a message that the highest echelons of the legal profession were not off-limits. But for many, that level of success still feels unattainable. The words “Black Lawyers Matter” are not simply a rallying cry. They are an assertion of presence and power, a demand for recognition, and a reminder that legal clients at every level deserve to see Black attorneys advocating for them.
The reality of being a Black woman in law extends beyond mentorship and pipeline programs. It is a lived experience marked by microaggressions, biases, and constant questioning of one’s legitimacy. There’s a saying that as Black professionals, we do not have the luxury of being just as good as our counterparts. We have the burden of being twice as good.
“Often, Black female attorneys are mistaken for the court reporter, a defendant, or a client,” Crump-Gibson shared. “Court reporters make the world go around, and their job is important, but the issue is when someone looks at you and assumes you couldn’t possibly be the lawyer.” That assumption is not just an inconvenience; it is a reflection of deeply ingrained biases about who belongs in the legal profession.
She recalled an incident early in her career. “A judge asked me on the record, years after I was licensed, ‘You’re an attorney?’ I’m standing there with my client, my name is all over the paperwork, and he still questioned me. I wanted to say, ‘No sir, I’m just playing around in the hallway and now the gig is up.’ It happens all the time. We are constantly being questioned, constantly having to overachieve just to be in the same spaces as others.”
The expectation of excellence is not optional. “Mediocrity is not allowed,” she said. “It’s not about getting ahead of my white male counterpart—it’s about knowing what I have to do to succeed. It can be disheartening, but it also fuels me. We belong here, and we refuse to let systems designed to exclude us make us feel otherwise.”
The significance of Black women in law extends beyond individual success. It is about the impact they have on the communities they serve. “There are several different areas of law, but within them, there are always opportunities for advocacy. Whatever those areas are, they affect our community. Diversity in the legal profession is essential because those in key roles should represent the communities they serve. It doesn’t make sense for the legal profession not to reflect the community,” she said.
Representation is about more than numbers. It is about lived experiences that inform decision-making and advocacy. “Having people in these key roles who have lived similar experiences matters. Even allies cannot fully understand what it means to be Black in America, let alone Black in law. I’ve seen it firsthand in committees and workgroups where the initial response to an issue was dismissive, and I had to take the time to break it down from our community’s perspective,” Crump-Gibson explained. “That is why representation matters.”
Black women in law continue to push forward, knowing that their presence is both a challenge and a statement. They carry the weight of history while shaping the future. They understand that their success is not just personal but collective. Each victory, each milestone, each barrier broken is a step toward a legal system that fully recognizes their worth. The journey is not easy, but the commitment remains unwavering. Black women in law do not just seek justice. They embody it.
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