"I'm thankful to FAMU, the faculty and staff for giving
me a chance to receive a legal education," expressed the 2009 graduate who
returned home to Jackson County, Fla. after passing the Florida Bar exam the
same year. After encountering limited
career opportunities in Jackson County, he established The Gilbert Law Firm in
2009, making him the first African-American attorney to establish a practice in
the area.
The Gilbert Bar Scholarship will be awarded to deserving
FAMU College of Law students toward expenses incurred while preparing for the
bar exam. Gilbert has already contributed $1,000 toward the pledged total.
Gilbert wants to see the rate continue to rise.
"I've been where the current students are now, and I
want to help them in any way I can as they prepare for the bar," said
Gilbert, whose father, Johnnie L. Gilbert, assisted his son with the ceremonial
presentation of the gift to the College of Law during a recent visit to
Orlando, Fla.
Gilbert has also helped students in Jackson County receive
more than $10,000 worth of scholarship funding. He serves as vice-baselius of
the Upsilon Alpha Alpha Chapter of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, and was founding
president of the North West Florida Chapter of the FAMU Alumni Association. He
was the youngest African-American to serve on the Board of Directors for
Jackson County's Chamber of Commerce and Habitat for Humanity Boards. He
currently serves as general counsel for the Jackson County Branch of the
National Association for the Advancement of Colored People.
"My dad and late mother [Carnell Gilbert] expended all
their resources to send me to school, and I want to give back to help others
reach their goals," he said.