Garrick McFadden was the first African American in his University to be elected student body President (Buena Vista, University). For two years, he was the only black student there. He left there and started to become a black personal injury lawyer. Before he left BVU, his mom secured tickets to meet Jonnie Cochran. Garrick would have the honor of meeting him one more time after he had become a black attorney.
Garrick had prepared and worked hard to obtain admission and a scholarship to attend a top 20 law school: the University of Southern California Gould School of Law. At USC, he had the rare opportunity to study with one of the blackest cohorts in the top 20 law schools. Even today, he talks to his fellow black lawyers weekly, and they share ideas about how to serve the Community better. Garrick did not start out being a Phoenix black lawyer, instead he was a “Dot Com” tax attorney in Silicon Valley. Garrick took and successfully passed the California Bar exam. Garrick’s California law license is inactive since he has been in Arizona for 17 years. However, if needed, he will reactivate it. Passing the California Bar exam is considered one of the toughest bars to join. He started his practice as a black lawyer in Los Angeles before he moved to Arizona in 2004. After Garrick had graduated from law school, his parents moved back to the state they knew and loved: Arizona. His parents met at Arizona State University. They returned to the Valley of the Sun to be closer to their family.
Garrick would successfully take and pass the Arizona Bar examination and become a licensed Arizona attorney. If you asked Garrick, he would not enjoy having to take another bar exam now in his mid-forties. However, becoming a licensed attorney in Arizona was the best choice for him and his family. In Arizona he started off being a defense attorney, However, again, he did not feel this was the reason he went to law school. He also saw too many black clients being represented by Phoenix car accident lawyers who did not seem to care or value their cases. The community needed a Phoenix African-American personal injury attorney with excellent experience and a top legal education to make a difference.
The Founding Of GAMESQ, PLC
For too long, Garrick has stayed in the shadows. Many of his peers know of him from his time as a construction defect attorney. Others know of him from having one of the first legal rulings that protected the rights of same-sex couples in Arizona. He was among the few black lawyers; his training and preparation left a mark on his peers. Garrick approached the case with a preparedness and strategy few knew was possible. A lawsuit is won or lost before it is filed. Garrick has built his career on that premise. However, he thought it was time to bring that to the community. To create a Phoenix black-owned car accident law firm in Arizona is not for the faint of heart. However, Garrick knew less than 20 of the Phoenix personal injury lawyers attended a top-20 law firm like Garrick. Garrick also knows those car accident law firms get big verdicts just because the case enters the door. For example, if someone is involved in an Avondale trucking accident and, as a result of that crash, they can no longer use their arms or legs, that case is worth at least $4 million. That value does not depend on the Phoenix truck accident lawyer or law firm; that is the value when the case enters the door. Now, some lawyers can maximize that value. People come into the community to get our dollars and return no value to our community. Not this Phoenix black car accident lawyer. GAMESQ, PLC uses African-American vendors with black staff. Garrick believes that we must have not only political power but economic power if we are going to thrive here in America. We must do business with those who support our struggle and not enrich those who wish to harm us. At least, that is how Garrick views the world.
What Does It Mean To Be A Phoenix Black Lawyer?
We no longer say we must work twice as hard to get the same as others because that is plunder. Garrick has the legal experience that many lawyers in Arizona do not have. Garrick has the legal education that only a handful of Phoenix motorcycle lawyers can match. Garrick is the real deal, and it is the honor of his life to be a black lawyer; he will do his best to be the best black lawyer in Phoenix and the best car accident lawyer in Arizona. Contact us at 623-233-4416.
