DEARBORN – On June 11, the Arab American Civil Rights League (ACRL) board elected Nabih H. Ayad, Esq. as the new chairman of the civil rights group.
Ayad, the founder of the ACRL, served as the chairman for the organization’s first five years and now resumes this pivotal role. With more than 25 years of private practice at Ayad Law, PLLC, he established a distinguished career as an attorney.
He currently operates out of a law office in Downtown Detroit and has had an impressive and successful career. He founded the ACRL in December 2008 and was appointed as Michigan Civil Rights Commissioner by former Governor Granholm in 2011. He has been serving on the Advisory Council for Arab and Chaldean Affairs for the state of Michigan since 2007.
Ayad also served as vice president of the Arab American Political Action Committee (AAPAC). He served on the Detroit NAACP Legal Redress Committee and was the chairman of the NAACP Western Wayne County Legal Redress Committee for 18 cities in Western Wayne County. He has been a member of the ACLU Lawyers Committee for Michigan since 2002.
He served on the National Executive Board for the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC) and served as chairman of the ADC Advisory Board for the state for more than seven years. He also co-chaired ALPACT (Advocates and Leaders for Police and Community Trust), an organization comprising 100 law enforcement and civil rights groups, alongside the head of the FBI in Detroit.
Attorney Nabih Ayad
From 2015 to 2021, Ayad served on the board of the Detroit Wayne County Airport Authority, overseeing the operations of Detroit Metropolitan Airport and Willow Run Airport, and served as chairman of the board in his final year. He is a member of several boards in Southeastern Michigan, including the New Detroit Board of Directors, Wayne State President Advisory Board and chairman of the Board of Behavioral Health Professionals Inc. (BHPI). He was also on the Detroit East Mental Health Board. He is the vice chair of the MEA TV Board.
He has received numerous honors and awards for his leadership, including the ADC National Advocate of the Year Award in 2005, ADC Michigan Attorney of the Year Award in 2003, ACLU 2006 Bernard Gottfried Award, Forum and Link Magazine Distinguished Leadership Award, Wayne County Community Leadership Award, NAACP Western Wayne County Outstanding Leadership Award, AAPAC Community Service Leadership Award, Lakeshore’s Leaders, Legends & Luminaries 2011 Honoree Award and the Wayne County Executive Office Certificate of Recognition. He was honored with the prestigious NAACP Great Expectation Award at the Centennial Year Celebration in May 2012 at the nation’s largest sit-down dinner at Cobo Hall.
Ayad was honored by the Michigan Department of Civil Rights in 2011, the Wayne County Airport Authority in 2020 and awarded by the Arab American and Chaldean Council for his leadership. In 2012. He received the Arab American Leadership Award and the Arab Student Union Visionary Award. He was honored with the Alkebulans Community Leadership Award in 2016 and featured in The Top Attorneys of North America in 2021.
He is a member of the Michigan Trial Lawyers Association (since 1999), American Immigration Lawyers Association (since 1999), Alpha Delta Law Fraternity International, Golden Key Honor Society and Beta Gamma Sigma. He received his JD from the Detroit College of Law at MSU in 1998 and a B.S. in Accounting from Wayne State School of Business in Detroit in 1995. In February 2003, the Detroit News described Ayad as a “tireless crusader for civil rights since September 11, 2001.” He has been featured in major media outlet, taking on cases to protect our nation’s constitutional rights.
Ayad looks to expand and grow the tremendous work the ACRL has been doing for the last 13 years as he works alongside Executive Director Mariam Charara.
During the Tuesday meeting the board thanked exiting chairman James P. Allen, for his tremendous work and dedication. As a long-time attorney and advocate, Allen has made significant contributions to the ACRL during his tenure as chairman.
“His commitment to ACRL mission and his efforts have greatly benefited the organization and the community we serve,” Ayad said. “We extend our deepest gratitude to him for his outstanding service.”
– ACRL press release. Edit for style
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