Brent L. Wilson ’76

Brent L. Wilson’s journey to becoming a distinguished graduate of the University at Buffalo School of Law is a testament to perseverance and breaking barriers. After growing up in New Orleans, he attended Morehouse College in Atlanta. During his junior year, he was admitted early to Columbia University Law School. Wilson chose to complete his senior year at Morehouse, where he was elected fraternity president. He later applied to various law schools, selecting the University of Georgia with the help of an Earl Warren Legal Training Grant from the NAACP Legal Defense Fund, which supported Southern students attending Southern law schools. He was part of one of the first integrated classes.

After his 1L year, Wilson married and moved to Rochester, N.Y., where his wife, Trojanell, was hired by Xerox Corp. He then enrolled at UB School of Law, attracted by a tuition waiver program for minority students who had experienced educational deprivation due to segregated schooling in the South. He found the culture at Buffalo far more inclusive than at the University of Georgia, with a more diverse student body and faculty.

Influenced by television depictions of lawyers, Wilson initially envisioned a career as a general practitioner. However, a labor law course taught by Professor David Kochery sparked his interest in labor law, leading to an internship with the National Labor Relations Board. After graduating, he joined the NLRB’s Atlanta regional office, where he worked for three years handling representation and unfair labor practice matters.

Mr. Elarbee recruited him to join Elarbee Thompson in 1980 and he transitioned to private practice, becoming one of the first African-Americans in Atlanta to represent management or unions in labor law. His entry into private practice was facilitated by the regional director of the NLRB, Curtiss Mack, as well as Wilson’s determined efforts.

Wilson acknowledges the impact his career choices have had on his wife, as they prioritized his professional development over her own, staying in Atlanta. However, he emphasizes the positive outcomes, particularly his ability to support their families, especially during the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.

He also expressed amazement at the transformation of the University at Buffalo campus, contrasting the sparse landscape of his student days with the fully developed campus he witnessed upon his return.