Celebrating Local Black Heroes: Philip & Ean Hamilton
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Kalamazoo attorneys Philip and Ean Hamilton of Hamilton Law bring an air of trust and transparency to their law firm. The energetic duo, whose practice focuses on estate planning, business, and real estate, share that they “focus on being good people first,” and are passionate about leaving the world better than they found it.
Using Their Voices
Both Ean and Philip serve on a variety of boards. Philip sits on the board for the Bronson Foundation and NAACP, while Ean is on the board for the Boys & Girls Club, Inner City Youth for Change, and Friendship Village. Ean, a passionate advocate for local youth, is also running for Portage School Board.
“Using our voices to represent the interests of those who may not be represented in the community is so important,” Ean shares. “We also believe that being active on the Boards that we serve is different than being just present at the meetings. Being engaged is important to be able to have a positive impact. “
Inspiration
An inspiration to many in the Kalamazoo community, Philip and Ean explain that they have inspirations of their own. Philip shares that a professor from University of Michigan, C. Keith Harrison, mentored him for several years. “Because his focus at the time was big on imagery and black male representation in society, Professor Harrison taught me a lot about how I see myself and others perceive me in the world,” Philip recalls.
Ean shares that her late grandfather, Floyd H. Skinner, whom she was never able to meet, inspired her to become an attorney. One of the first Black attorneys in Michigan, Skinner paved the way for other Black attorneys in the state. Ean knew from a young age that she wanted to follow in his footsteps.
Fail fast, and often. If you are not losing sometimes then you are not trying hard enough.–Philip Hamilton
Family First, Always
Being an attorney comes with challenges in terms of balance. In order to uphold balance in their family, the Hamiltons enjoy spending their time traveling. “Always having something on the calendar to look forward to getting out and seeing a different part of the country or world helps bring a certain perspective and inspires us,” Ean explains.
Though their schedules are busy, the Hamiltons work hard to prioritize family. They create a culture of family first by encouraging their team to put the needs of their family before their jobs.
Good People First
Philip and Ean Hamilton impact the Kalamazoo community in powerful ways. By using their voices to amplify the needs of those less-represented, assisting their professional clientele, and being active on non-profit boards, Philip and Ean are building a legacy that will impact Kalamazoo for generations to come.
