Attorney Spotlight – Warren Buliox

Who inspires you and why?

While I’m certainly inspired by individuals (Arthur Ashe, Carter G. Woodson, Thurgood Marshall and many others), I’m perhaps most inspired by the triumphs, accomplishments and stories of African-American women who, in spite of so much adversity, have persevered. I’m reminded of my mother (and others like her) who, despite having a college degree, faced many challenges and yet was able to overcome, raise two boys as a single mother and take herself and her family to new heights. I’m reminded of my grandmother and great-grandmother (and others like them) who held families together through unyielding tenacity, beating the odds to overcome power dynamics, poverty and exclusion. And I’m reminded of the Church Mothers who were the living essence of love, strength, support and community. It almost brings tears to my eyes just thinking about it all. These women faced and conquered seemingly insurmountable roadblocks at the intersections of race, gender and class, and yet they persevered. They inspire me the most.

What led you to the practice of law and/or to your specific area of law?

Exposure. For undergrad, I went to Alabama State University, a Historically Black College and University (HBCU). As a kid who spent most, but not all, of his childhood in the inner city, the exposure I received at my HBCU to so many Black professionals (from medicine and science to academia to legal to law enforcement to government to you name it) was life altering. It was in this space that I was exposed to legendary civil rights lawyers, judges, politicians (who were lawyers) and other lawyers, and it was in this space that I fell in love with the idea of advocacy.

What advice would you give young Black professionals considering a career (lawyer, paralegal, operational, etc.) in the legal industry?

My advice would be to know your worth and advocate for yourself, to push and challenge yourself and, from early on, to develop a network of mentors and collaborators.

What does Black History Month mean to you? 

Growing up, I can remember 400-plus page history textbooks, year after year, having one maybe two chapters about the lives and contributions of people of African descent, and those mere 30 pages or so somehow attempting to cover everything from great African Kingdoms to the Middle Passage to the Civil Rights Movement. That was all the education we received on black heritage until Black History Month, where we learned about the often-overlooked achievements and lives of Black Americans and people of African lineage. While my mom and grandfather always celebrated and gave us nuggets of black history year-long, Black History Month gave us a window to celebrate that rich history, formally, with everyone else. Carter G. Woodson (often credited as the father of Black History Month) is one of my heroes and a large part of the inspiration behind my child’s name.

CONTACT ATTORNEY WARREN B. BULIOX