Meet Shereef
Shereef Akeel is a nationally recognized civil rights and human rights attorney who has spent his career advocating for those who have been silenced, mistreated, and excluded from the American promise. From local workplaces in Michigan to torture prisons overseas, he has used the law to ensure accountability and justice.
Roots and community
Shereef grew up believing that dignity, hard work, and faith should open doors. That belief guided him from his early days in Michigan public schools to the University of Michigan, where he studied economics to better understand how decisions in boardrooms affect families at their kitchen tables. He and his family have made Oakland County their home, raising five children, building a local law firm, and serving in houses of worship and community nonprofits that bring neighbors together instead of driving them apart.
Record of fighting for justice
For more than two decades, Shereef has represented workers, families, and communities in among the toughest civil rights cases in the country. His work assisted in the dismantlement of discriminatory performance systems at a major auto manufacturer, reformed police policies that forced women to remove their hijabs for mug shots, and stopped a national bank from targeting customers based on religion and ethnicity. He has also led human rights class actions on behalf of torture survivors at Abu Ghraib and challenged abusive practices like the federal no‑fly list and invasive border interrogations.
Proven leadership and expertise
Shereef brings a rare combination of legal skill, business training, and financial expertise to public service. He earned his law degree with honors from Detroit College of Law, now affiliated with Michigan State University. He also holds an M.B.A. and CPA, giving him the breadth of knowledge necessary for nuanced perspective. His peers have repeatedly ranked him among the top civil rights lawyers in America, naming him “Lawyer of the Year,” a Super Lawyer for well over a decade, and a Tier One civil rights attorney in national rankings.
Results that matter
Shereef’s work has delivered life‑changing results for the disenfranchised. He has helped secure one of the largest employment discrimination verdicts against a public employer, as well as a landmark verdict for torture survivors seeking accountability from private contractors