November 9th 2023.
SSW Law Group, a Black and woman-owned law firm based in Newark, New Jersey, has taken a big leap forward by expanding and merging to become a national firm. With the addition of two new offices in New York and Pennsylvania, SSW now employs nearly 40 people and offers extensive expertise in Real Estate/Economic Development, Education, Litigation, and Government Affairs.
The firm's co-founder and managing member, Calvin Souder, expressed his enthusiasm for the expansion. He said, “SSW believes the legal representation of urban communities across the nation should directly reflect their identity and values. With this expansion, we are building an institution that is uniquely positioned to serve the all-encompassing needs of our neighbors in cities nationwide.”
When it was first established in 2015, SSW was founded by Calvin Souder, Khalifah Shabazz, and Kyana Woolridge, three lawyers with a goal to respond to competitive contracts. With the new expansion, they now have offices in Newark, Manhattan, and Philadelphia, which will enable them to better meet the needs of their clients across the nation.
Kyana Woolridge, another SSW co-founder, sees the formation of the law firm as more than just practicing law. She said, “The establishment of SSW has always been about creating a legacy of inclusion and excellence in the legal field. We are excited to embark on this new chapter and reinforce our commitment to making a difference through dedicated and culturally competent legal representation.”
Khalifa Shabazz, the third co-founder, commented on the importance of the firm's geographical growth. She said, “With our geographical growth, we are strengthening our ability to advocate for educational and economic empowerment on a broader scale.”
As a national firm, SSW will continue to focus on areas they've already had success in. Calvin Souder, for instance, has represented large-scale mixed-use, municipal, commercial, and industrial developments, and he has advised HBCU Presidents on expanding the use of public-private partnerships. James Gee and Jay Redd have represented the New Jersey Urban Mayors Association and numerous pharmaceutical and biotech companies throughout the country. Khalifah Shabazz has provided counsel to urban school districts, including the Patterson Board of Education and the development of Hinchliffe Stadium. Philip Hamilton and Lance Clarke have negotiated a settlement on behalf of the Estate of Eric Garner, and Jorge Vasquez secured preferential rights for formerly incarcerated individuals to open cannabis dispensaries.
The Garden State Bar Association President, James Lewis, Esq., praised the attorneys of SSW. He said, “SSW attorneys exemplify that there is no limit to the heights that can be reached when talent meets opportunities. For so many of us, seeing is believing, and SSW opens its doors to Garden State Bar Association members, including future attorneys from diverse backgrounds, to see that there’s room for them at the highest levels of the profession.”
The American Bar Association has reported that out of the 40,800 attorneys in the state of New Jersey, only 4.5% or 1,836 are Black. Of that number, over 25% are solo practitioners, with an average of less than one Black attorney at each of the 10,482 law firms in the state. And according to the SBA, out of the 33.2 million small businesses in the U.S., only 16% have 1-19 employees. This makes SSW's expansion even more impressive, as it shows that Black-owned businesses are capable of succeeding and growing on a national level.
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