Florida A&M University
Rising attorney and 2015 graduate of the FAMU College of
Law Isaiah Floyd admits he doesn’t have an ego. He strongly believes there’s
nothing wrong, with being wrong – if it’s not more than once.
Perhaps it was this mentality that led him to be recognized
as the “2017 Rising Star” during the law school’s Annual Distinguished Alumni
Awards.
This award is given to graduates who have well-established
themselves in the legal practice while impacting their community, just two
short years after their graduation.
One of Floyd’s first dreams was to pass the bar exam on the
first try. Not only did Floyd reach that dream, but he also landed a position
as an Associate Attorney at Mont’s Law, P.L. directly after graduation.
He also made time to inspire young lives along the way. Both
before and after becoming an attorney, Floyd spent hours speaking with students
in high-poverty and low-performance high schools throughout Florida, from
Tallahassee, to Sanford and even his Tampa hometown. In fact, on several
occasions he was personally invited by principals to speak during school
programs.
“I spend most of my time speaking to the youth about
choices. I have always believed that “life is about choices” and I spend about
an hour or two hammering that into their brains,” said Floyd. “I also expressed
the need for black lawyers and how it could potentially change the justice
system.”
In the office, Floyd spends crazy long hours dedicated to
meeting the needs of his clients and their cases. As a young attorney, Floyd is
constantly seeking new and innovative information to better represent his
clients, even if it means coming into the office on weekends. Floyd has
accounted for over seven hundred thousand dollars ($700,000) in settlements for
injured clients.
“To be successful, you have to effectively communicate…which
requires understanding different backgrounds, cultures, etc.,” said Floyd. “I
was exposed to a variety of people during my student leadership period, which
is why I am good at communicating now.”
Most of his legal success he attributes to his involvement
within student leadership in both undergrad and law school. During his days at
Florida State University (FSU), Floyd served as the president of his
fraternity, Phi Beta Sigma. During law school, he served as a student
ambassador which sparked his interest in the American Bar Association. He
eventually became a Lieutenant Governor of Regional Affairs for the
organization.
When asked what inspires him today, Floyd questioned not
what inspires him, but who.
“My father has always been a hard worker dedicated to
serving his community,” he said. “I would hope to be half the man he is.”