Sharif Gray

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Sharif Gray: I remember sitting back thinking like, “Am I the crazy one? What’s going on?” … There’s no way in hell I could have planned this all to happen the way that it did, but it happened just right… We could see the health records deteriorating with time. You could see his performance evaluations deteriorating at the same time….

Narrator: Welcome to “Celebrating Justice” presented by the Trial Lawyers Journal at CloudLex, the next-gen legal cloud platform built exclusively for personal injury law. Get inspired by the nation’s top trial lawyers and share in the stories that shape our pursuit of justice. Follow the podcast and join our community at https://www.triallawyersjournal.com. Now here’s your host, editor of TLJ and VP of marketing at CloudLex, Chad Sands.

Chad Sands: Welcome back, friends, to Celebrating Justice. In this episode, we hear stories from trial lawyer Sharif Gray. Valedictorian and a distinguished graduate from the Virginia Military Institute, Sharif has traveled the world defending soldiers at trial, pursued justice for victims as a prosecutor, and now represents individuals who have been seriously injured as a trial lawyer based in Richmond, Virginia.

Sharif Gray: What’s wild is that I remember being really taken by the movies — as juvenile as that sounds. I loved A Few Good Men. I loved My Cousin Vinny. I loved all that stuff. I was like, ah, that sounds cool. And lawyers — maybe they make good money, right? It seems like they get to fight for people, all that. This was at a pretty young age, and I don’t think I really appreciated at all what a lawyer did, let alone what it meant to be a trial lawyer.

Then my first job out of law school was with the Army JAG Corps. And it was there that, to me, this idea — not just the idea, but the ability to stand up for somebody and to advocate for someone — became real. And to get to do it and to get results that were tangible, results that made a difference in people’s lives, and to be able to sit there and realize, wow, my work, I was able to genuinely help someone.

And then also just to see, to some degree, the injustice in that — lawyers are needed. I was in more of the criminal sector at that point. I just remember the fights, the long hours, the digging for evidence, the dealing with the clients to try and get them through this process, and trying to get them the best result possible. And it was just such a meaningful experience that I was hooked.

And then of course, you can’t ever replace the invitation to the retirement ceremony you get from one of your clients — the hug after the trial, the handshake saying, “You saved my career.” For me, there’s no bigger compliment. There’s no feeling that’s just more meaningful than that.

So when I had that experience, I knew that I was hooked. I’d been an athlete in high school and college, and so trial work has a lot of similarities — tons of practice, tons of preparation, and you’re kind of getting ready for the game. To go to the game, to go to the trial, and to be able to get a good result for a good person and really make a difference — it’s just the most meaningful work I can really ever see myself doing.

So that was the hook. And once I got, I guess, the trial bug, I’ve never jumped off the train. I joke, but while my wife’s on the couch at night — Love Island is the thing she’s watching now — I’m over there on my computer watching Marc Lanier doing an opening statement. So I embrace the nerd comments and all that, but I’m okay with it because I just love the stuff. I so wish that everyone could have a job that they truly love and that really can move the ball for people in a good, positive direction.

Chad Sands: For sure. I mean, you got the trial bug officially when you were in JAG, but how did you kind of decide to go to law school? Or maybe actually I should back up — how did you decide to go into the military? Or did you decide one before the other?

Sharif Gray: I went to VMI — Virginia Military Institute — which is a military school in the western part of the state. It’s not a big school; it’s a difficult school for a number of reasons. People all the time ask, “Why’d you go there?” I was like, well, 17, 18 at the time, and thought it’d be a cool place to go. They said I could come wrestle on the wrestling team, and that was it.

By no means, when I go back in time, do I think, man, I had this well-thought-out plan and my decision making was great. Gosh, I’m struggling with decision making now — I’m 35 and I have two kids.

If I were to go back in time and really think what kind of led to all of this, it was: I had an interest in the military — I always had. My godfather was a lawyer, and I heard cool things about being a lawyer. And so when I was at VMI — it’s a military school, so the military was kind of thrown at me on steroids, right? It was all over the place. Then when I learned that you can also be a lawyer in the military, I was like, wow, this is the best of both worlds.

What was also really cool was that VMI has a single-sanction honor system. And the Honor Court process replicates a criminal trial — of course, it’s an administrative proceeding. When someone’s charged with an honor offense, they literally go through a jury trial of their peers. If they are found guilty, then that leads to expulsion.

I was fortunate enough to get elected to be on the Honor Court. I had the role of a prosecutor. That, again, just amplified like, hey, I love the trial stuff. I love the fight. I felt this noble purpose of getting justice — keeping this noble cause.

So that, coupled with the godfather who was a lawyer, the interest in the military, and again, my love for movies like A Few Good Men — it just made going JAG such a natural choice for me. So I went JAG, and at that time in my mind, it was: I’m going to be a prosecutor. That’s all I wanted. I had the trial experience to some degree at VMI — and I’ll credit, I had no clue what I was doing.

Chad Sands: Have you seen the movie Scent of a Woman with Al Pacino?

Sharif Gray: I haven’t, but I’ve heard of it, and I’m sure I’ve seen clips of it.

Chad Sands: So were you basically at VMI — did you kind of have or represent students who were in trouble and about to get expelled and there was like a mini court?

Sharif Gray: So yes, but I was on the other side. I was a prosecutor. I, along with my classmates on the Honor Court, would bring the charges and try the case as a prosecutor. It was that experience that I think really cemented my desire to go to law school and also put in my head that I want to be a criminal prosecutor — for a million reasons, right? From the trial work to this idea of getting justice and nobility.

When I got into the Army, my first job was legal assistance attorney. Part of that included kind of administrative defense — so when soldiers were in trouble on the administrative side, getting separated, alleged misconduct, something going in their permanent record, possibly leading to separation. It was not pure criminal defense, but it had the similarities.

At first I was disappointed — I was like, what do you mean? I want to be a prosecutor. But I realized through that experience how much I loved representing people and helping people. My eyes were also opened to the fact that not everyone is guilty. Not every charge is legitimate. There is a genuine need for defense advocates to truly dig in and hold the government to its burden.

So that experience cemented my desire to be a trial lawyer and introduced me to helping people directly, which I really enjoy. That eventually led me to defense work. I switched to being a criminal defense lawyer at Fort Bragg.

By happenstance, Fort Bragg is home of Delta Force, Green Berets, the 82nd Airborne — plenty of Rangers. By accident, I’m now representing some of these incredible people who have made mistakes or were wrongly charged or overcharged. I got thrown into the fire to help these people out.

We had one case that got national attention that I got to assist with. I had a trial in Egypt — a sex assault trial — that I flew out and handled on my own. That again cemented my desire to help people and be a trial lawyer.

Ultimately, I didn’t think the Army made sense long-term. Like every military job, they move you around — not just physically, but job-wise. My time as a trial lawyer would have ended as I rose in rank. So it was very clear to me that I needed to move on.

I clerked for a couple of federal judges, which helped with the transition from military to civilian law. Then I went to one of those massive law firms that pays massive money — realized it wasn’t for me. I wouldn’t really see a courtroom there.

So I left. I prosecuted in the Richmond area — a great experience. And ever since, I’ve switched to personal injury and haven’t looked back. I genuinely love the work.

Looking back, there’s no way in hell I could have planned this all to happen the way that it did, but it happened just right. And that’s one of the biggest lessons I think I’ve learned — and am still learning — that life is about change and being open to opportunities you don’t expect. You adapt and take advantage of them when appropriate.

Because if you’d gone back to me 11 years ago when I was graduating law school and said, “Sharif, you’re going to be a personal injury trial lawyer in Richmond, Virginia with two kids and a wife,” I would have laughed. No way. And now, 11 years later, I can’t think of doing anything else. In fact, I don’t think I would. I’d probably leave the law altogether before doing some other legal job — I just love it that much.

Chad Sands: You mentioned it earlier that you’re also a student of trial law. And I also know that you went to Thunderhead Ranch and graduated from the Jerry Spence method. Can you talk to me a little bit about how you decided to apply and what that was like?

Sharif Gray: When I was in the Army, I had the privilege of handling a couple of cases with an instructor from the Jerry Spence Ranch. I also took a course — not at the Ranch — but by another instructor. The Army Criminal Defense Service was pretty good about their training, and they hired a guy named Ray Foreman. I remember taking a class from him on jury selection and direct examinations. I was just blown away by how amazing he was.

Having worked with another instructor from the Jerry Spence method on a couple of cases, I thought, all right, this is something I need to do. This is on the to-do list. I have to do this. Then COVID hit and I wanted to do it, but I was clerking and thought, well, it’s really not applicable while clerking. Then I went the Big Law route.

It wasn’t until 2023 — I have to look back at the calendar; time flies — that I finally did it. I remember going to Trial Lawyers University in Huntington Beach that spring. I sat in on a lecture by Rex Parris. He stopped midway, put up a photo of the Ranch, and said, “Listen, if you haven’t gone, you’ve got to go.”

I spoke to some other people at TLU and they were like, “Dude, you just have to go. There’s never a good time to be away for three weeks.” I talked to my wife, and she was like, “Do it.” She’s incredible. It was three weeks — a long time — but it was truly a life-changing experience and very much a career enhancer, not just for what I learned, but for the people I met and continue to stay in touch with.

The Jerry Spence method, to me, is the right way to approach trial work. It’s counterintuitive — a very different way than what you learn in law school or from textbooks or some other trainings. In addition to Jerry Spence, I got an LLM in trial advocacy at Temple University in Philadelphia, which is a part-time program. I’ve done a bunch of the Trial Lawyers University stuff. Our firm is going to Lanier here in June. I’ve done a bunch of the Keenan Edge stuff, which was once the Reptile.

There are many courses I’ve been to and will continue to go to, because that’s one of the cool things about this line of work: the day you say you’re done learning or that you know the right answer — you need to hang it up. It’s constantly evolving. There are constantly new things to learn. And that’s the fun of it.

Chad Sands: I interviewed someone on Season Two and he’s in his 80s and he’s still practicing.

Sharif Gray: Yeah, and I’m going to be guilty of that too. The idea of retiring is never going to happen. And I recognize I’m 35 and I’m saying that, but there’s just no way. I like the work too much. I think my wife would kick me out of the house after day two if I stayed at home.

Sharif Gray: I don’t necessarily think I’m any better than anyone else. When I take a case and I’m representing a person, I make a point to care. I believe in the work that I’m doing. I’m not into this work for the money — as weird as that sounds. I don’t even think personal injury cases are really about money. Again, very counterintuitive.

I think a personal injury case is about deterrence. It’s about accountability. It’s about recognizing the full and fair value of what was taken from someone’s life. And I think human life has far more value than most of us give it credit for.

To come back to your question, I don’t think I’m any better than anyone else. I think I’m willing to work hard. I think I care. And I really believe in what I do. I’ve been fortunate along the way to have some good results, but by no means am I perfect. I’ve lost cases. I will continue to lose cases. But I’ve also won cases.

I do have a kind of a different name. I’m half Egyptian, so maybe that makes me a little bit more unique.

Chad Sands: That’s right. It’s not “Sheriff” — it’s “Sharif.” You got a minor in Arabic too.

Sharif Gray: That’s right. Well, I’m half Egyptian. My mom’s from Egypt. As a kid, I lived in Egypt for four years. But I don’t necessarily think there’s anything too terribly unique about me. I’m willing to work, and I care, and I genuinely believe in what I do.

Sharif Gray: Ben Rand — a former partner of mine — and I had a case, I think not last year but the year before. It was a significant verdict — $1.5 million — a trip and fall. Virginia is a contributory negligence state, so 1% and you’re done. Those cases just aren’t tried. We were told it was one of the highest verdicts for that type of case in decades. Could be wrong, but it was important for our client, and we got a good result.

That case gave me the confidence to realize: the stuff I’m learning — that people are teaching me, that I’m learning at these courses — it works. It’s not a trick. If you’re intentional about how you put your case together, how you present it, and you rely on the people who’ve gone before you and embrace their lessons — it works.

At the time, I’d only been doing personal injury for a year and a half. To get that big of a verdict and play that big of a part gave me a lot of confidence to think, “If you’re willing to go the distance and actually put into practice what you’ve learned, you can get real results for the people you represent.”

You can be 25 years old or 65 years old. I don’t care how old you are. The question is: are you willing to put in the work? Are you willing to learn? Do you care?

There was another case — resolved confidentially, so I can’t give too many specifics — but it was a wrongful arrest case. Not your run-of-the-mill personal injury. If I’m candid, it’s not a type of case we’d usually consider again — not a practice area we want to focus on.

But I represented a gentleman who was wrongfully arrested, charged, and imprisoned for about five days. It was one of the hardest legal fights I’ve had. I remember sitting back thinking, am I the crazy one? It got ugly — I’m sure I contributed in some part. But the other side also played their part.

Ultimately, it led to a significant result — the right result for a deserving client. The takeaway was: sometimes when everyone is looking at you and saying, “You’re crazy. You don’t have a case,” sometimes they’re just wrong.

Sometimes I’m wrong. I’ve been wrong about many things and will be again. But in that case, I felt I was right. I did the research. Once we finally got the evidence — the video footage — it proved we were right. The case settled shortly thereafter for a significant amount. The original counsel was removed, and different counsel brought in.

The lesson was: sometimes you just have to trust your gut and go. I’m grateful that Gray, the owner of our firm, really supported me in going after it. We got a good result for a deserving client.

Chad Sands: What about from your JAG days that still sticks with you?

Sharif Gray: Gosh, I’ve got so many. Certainly every case that ended with a hug, handshake, or invitation to a retirement ceremony was meaningful.

But probably the case I think about most — and I’m still in some contact with the client — involved a senior officer who had seen the worst of war. We’re talking about brains falling out of helmets, lungs — just the worst of it. When people thank me for my service, I think, “You’re welcome,” but the real people to thank are folks like him.

He had serious troubles. Multiple suicide attempts. They couldn’t figure out what was wrong. I really dug into his case. At one point, he went to a mosque near Fort Bragg and left a pack of bacon — incredibly disrespectful — and had loaded firearms in his truck. It became a major incident. He was arrested and ultimately convicted in federal court for interference with religious activity.

Now he’s a senior officer with a federal conviction — no security clearance, major limitations. The Army moved to separate him with an other-than-honorable discharge.

I was assigned to him. We went back and looked at performance evaluations and health records. We created a chart — green, yellow, red — and tracked how his health and evaluations deteriorated together. Ironically, that incident landed him in an inpatient unit where they finally figured out the medications were worsening things. They changed meds, and he stabilized.

We worked with the mosque to make amends. We helped people see he wasn’t defined by one bad moment, but by his career and struggles. He ultimately received an honorable discharge with medical retirement — despite the Army pushing hard to kick him out.

That case stays with me. Everyone thought we’d lose. But we got a great result — and more importantly, we changed a life. I feel blessed to have had that opportunity at a young age.

Narrator: At CloudLex, we understand the unique demands and opportunities that personal injury law firms face every day. That’s why we’ve built a comprehensive platform designed exclusively for personal injury law. Our seamless case management, AI engine, litigation support, and record retrieval solutions empower you at every stage, from intake through settlement and beyond, helping you stay productive, organized, and focused on achieving successful outcomes for your clients.

Sharif Gray: For many years, I thought lawyer marketing and advertising were things you don’t really do. If you’re a good lawyer, people find you. But a friend in California told me, “If you think you provide a good legal service and you’re not marketing — shame on you.”

There are people who need your help and need to find you. If you’re not out there, they won’t benefit from your legal services. That was a lightbulb moment for me.

Over the last few years, I’ve taken it seriously. I’ve made sure people know who I am. It works — not just for the firm or myself — it lets me do the work I love: directly helping people.

If there’s hesitation about putting yourself out there — about feeling ashamed of marketing — know that it can be done in a tactful, meaningful way. It doesn’t have to be the arms-crossed billboard. Just make sure people know who you are. Because if they don’t, those who need help may never find you.

Chad Sands: That was trial lawyer Sharif Gray. Thanks for sharing your stories. To learn more about Sharif and his firm, visit rvatriallawyers.com. Alright, I’m Chad Sands. Thanks for listening. See you next time.

Narrator: You’ve been listening to “Celebrating Justice” presented by CloudLex and the Trial Lawyers Journal. Remember, the stories don’t end here. Visit https://www.triallawyersjournal.com to become part of our community and keep the conversation going. And for a deeper dive into the tools that empower personal injury law firms, visit https://www.cloudlex.com/tlj to learn more.