Name: Donte Mills and Lennon Edwards
Profession: Attorneys – Mills & Edwards L.L.P.
Age: Mills 36, Edwards 43
We have contributed to the legal field by: maintaining the highest standard of integrity while getting excellent results in and out of the courtroom by our knowledge of the law and our ability to connect with people. We have raised the bar. Not only are we extremely effective, we are also principled, compassionate, and authentic.
Donte Mills & Lennon Edwards, two of the country’s top personal injury lawyers recognize the importance of leading by example and setting the stage for young BE Modern Man hopefuls to follow. The team has successfully built their firm Mills & Edwards L.L.P. to staggering heights. They’ve collectively reached settlements and verdicts totaling millions of dollars for their clients but realize this means nothing if they do not use their platform and influence to create change.
With offices located in New York and Philadelphia, Mills & Edwards are building and strengthening relationships with clients, members of the community, and key stakeholders throughout the I-95 corridor.
For Mills and Edwards, belief dictates behavior and they wholeheartedly believe that their success is not optional. It’s their obligation. “Everyone is born with a special gift, however only a few accept the responsibility of their gift and even fewer persevere long enough to maximize their potential. It is when you combine the two that you rise to be a leader in whatever field you are in,” Mills and Edwards tell BE Modern Man.
The establishment of Mills & Edwards L.L.P.
which began as a dream for the two kids from North Philadelphia and East Flatbush, Brooklyn, respectively, has transformed into one of the most well respected firms in its field with offices in multiple states. “The current expansion of our midtown Manhattan office due to an exploding client-base highlights that achievement,” says Mills and Edwards. “Whether through sponsoring youth athletics or training the next generation of legal professionals, our success has enabled us to “pay it forward”.” Through Mills & Edwards L.L.P. we’ve been able to do good while doing well.”Although Mills and Edwards continue to progress in their law careers, transitioning into the Wall Street law practice was a very challenging experience. “There were some with preconceived ideas of who we would be, what we would know and how we would handle ourselves,” Mills and Edwards tell BE Modern Man
. Belief dictates behavior but the opposite is also true. Behavior challenges beliefs. “Had we adopted the beliefs of those around us, we would not have risen to where we are today. The challenge was to be confident enough in who we are to maintain our behavior until the others around us changed their beliefs. We did that, and forced them to understand that it is our normal to be extraordinary.”Preconceptions and misrepresentations of black men remains a widespread problem in today’s media landscape. “The issue is there seems to be an under-reporting of Black men succeeding outside of sports, music, and entertainment,” say Mills and Edwards. “That is why spotlights like BE Modern Man
are so essential to dispelling those beliefs.”Mills and Edwards are without a doubt leaders in law and leaders in their communities who are dedicated to those they serve. “A BE Modern Man controls his own narrative and doesn’t wait for his story to be acknowledged or written by others. By performing excellently and living authentically, a BE Modern Man forces a fresh dialogue about what people of color can achieve.”
The BlackEnterprise.com team congratulates Donte Mills and Lennon Edwards on successfully building one of the top personal injury law firms in the country while staying true to their core beliefs. We are honored to call them BE Modern Men.
It’s our normal to be extraordinary. Follow @blackenterprise and join the BE Modern Man conversation using #BEModernMan.