Terry Gilbert
Founding PARTNER
Terry Gilbert’s passion for civil rights law was born in Northeast Ohio, but his career-long pursuit of justice is known nationally.
Using the law to fight for equality and justice has been a focus for Gilbert for decades. It took root when he was in college and witnessed the chaos and upheaval from protests against the Vietnam War. It culminated in the tragic deaths of four unarmed students who were shot and killed by the Ohio National Guard at Kent State in May 1970.
He decided then that he wanted to work on behalf of social movements and activists.
He attended Cleveland-Marshall College of Law, where he met Gordon Friedman, who was one of his professors. Through a program at the school, the two began doing pro bono criminal defense work in the community.
A few years later, Gilbert was at a local “Bail Bond Ball” to raise money for those who couldn’t afford bail when the police raided the event, kicking and beating attendees, dragging them down the stairs and arresting many well-known community activists. Gilbert called Friedman to help and a few years later, the now well-known civil rights and criminal defense law firm of Friedman and Gilbert was formed. The firm pioneered cases against police misconduct before it became a viable practice, and Gilbert has been active in the anti-death penalty movement during his career.
For more than 40 years, Gilbert has represented clients in many high-profile criminal defense and civil rights cases. Some of those cases, which often involve police misconduct and other government misconduct, include:
A lawsuit that resulted in an $18 million settlement from the City of Cleveland in 2020 on behalf of two wrongfully convicted and imprisoned men, which is believed to be the largest settlement in Ohio history for a police misconduct case.
A jury award of $5.5 million in a 2015 Excessive Force Case against a Cleveland police officer by a Cleveland man (Smith v. Jones).
A U.S. Supreme Court decision in 2005 that ruled the “brutal conditions” in an Ohio Supermax prison violates the constitutional rights of prisoners (Austin et al. v. Wilkinson et al.)
A high-profile case representing former NFL player Dr. David Mays, who was charged with attempted murder and acquitted in 1992.
Gilbert believes fervently in the idea that lawyers have an obligation to fight for justice in a meaningful way and make sure America’s democratic society and constitutional framework are upheld. He believes lawyers need to work with others to get this done, which is why he is active in many organizations, including the Board of the ACLU and the National Lawyers Guild.
Gilbert has been recognized nationally and locally for his influential work. He’s appeared on NBC’s “The Today Show” and CBS News, as well as in many documentaries. His awards and honors are many and include being repeatedly recognized as a Super Lawyer and being honored with the John Minor Wisdom Public Service and Professionalism Award from the American Bar Association Litigation Section.
In addition, he is AV-rated by Martindale-Hubbell's Peer Review Ratings standards with a 5.0 out of 5.0 Stars.
He has been interviewed by numerous local and national media, including The Today Show, CBS News and numerous documentaries. His memoir, TRYING TIMES, A Lawyer’s 50 – Year Struggle Fighting for Rights in a World of Wrongs” will be available on February 1, 2020.
EDUCATION
Miami University (B.A., 1970)
Cleveland-Marshall College of Law (J.D., 1973)
Key Cases
2020: Lead attorney in a lawsuit that resulted in an $18 million settlement from the City of Cleveland on behalf of two wrongfully convicted and imprisoned men, which is believed to be the largest settlement in Ohio history for a police misconduct case.
2015: Smith v. Jones, $5.5 million jury award in an Excessive Force Case against a Cleveland police officer
1992: A high-profile case representing former NFL player Dr. David Mays, who was charged with attempted murder and acquitted.
1991: The posthumous wrongful imprisonment case on behalf of Sam Sheppard, using cutting-edge DNA analysis to resurrect the case in an attempt to prove Dr. Sheppard's innocence.
PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATIONS
National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers
National Lawyers Guild
American Civil Liberties Union
Northeast Ohio Board of Advocates for the Ohio Innocence Project
The NORML Legal Committee
National Police Accountability Project
Center for Constitutional Rights, Cooperating Attorney
The Centurion Ministry
Ohio Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers
William K. Thomas Inn of Court
Awards
Cleveland-Marshall College of Law Hall of Fame Inductee (2018)
Rose Elizabeth Bird Commitment to Justice Award (2015)
The Rescuer of Humanity Award by Project Love (2015)
Cleveland-Marshall School of Law 2014 Alumni of the Year.
John Minor Wisdom Public Service and Professionalism Award from the American Bar Association Litigation Section (2002)
Trying Times by Terry Gilbert with Carlo Wolff out now in hardcover.