This story originally appeared in Res Ipsa, the UMKC School of Law alumni magazine. To learn more, read the full issue or visit the School of Law website.

In his home country Ethiopia, Mekebib Solomon was a successful practicing attorney and judge — until he drew the attention of government officials who wanted him to convict political dissidents who had not received due process. Growing pressure to comply and fear for his safety brought him to the United States, where his story has been far different than those in his homeland.

“My father is a factory worker and my mother works in an office,” Solomon says of his parents who still live in Ethiopia. “They didn’t have an education, but they paid for me and my brother to go to private school. We had the best education available in my home country.”

Solomon studied hard and decided to study law. He graduated from Addis Ababa University School of Law and Governance with an LLB degree and was eventually appointed as a federal judge in the district court. On the bench, Solomon was responsible for reviewing cases of people who were imprisoned without due process.

“I left everything and fled to neighboring Kenya to save myself from unlawful arrest and prosecution.” - Mekebib Solomon

“People were arrested because of their affiliation to parties that opposed the government,” he says. “Many were human rights activists who were reporting violations … Despite the threat and pressure from government officials, I released people because no charges had been filed against them and there was no legal ground to imprison them indefinitely.”

As political unrest mounted in Ethiopia, the government was also putting pressure on Solomon to fall in line.

“My parents taught me to respect myself and others, and most of all to stand for truth and for what is right no matter what. I did not want to be enslaved and be a puppet for someone else. In law school I learned to be fair to all and to administer the law equally, without corruption, favor, greed or prejudice, so that is what I did.”

The government dismissed Solomon from his job and expelled him from the bench. He then started to teach at a law school and also became a human rights advocate reporting government atrocities to the public and international organizations. He knew that it would not be long before he was arrested.

“I left everything and fled to neighboring Kenya to save myself from unlawful arrest and prosecution,” he says.

In Kenya, Solomon became an advocate for refugees like him, who fled their country to save their lives. He worked as volunteer refugee coordinator, helping refugees complete asylum applications and make their cases to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and other institutions. In 2013, he was granted asylum and came to the United States as a refugee.

What was a seemingly wonderful opportunity also came with challenges — namely, that he had to go to law school and get a juris doctor to be a lawyer once again.

“I had been a lawyer at the peak of my profession, and I had to start over.”

A new beginning

Solomon settled in Kansas City and joined the paralegal program at Johnson County Community College. He also began working with Gregg Lombardi at Neighborhood Legal Support (NLS), helping to improve neighborhoods in the urban core.

“At NLS we believed that the best solutions for neighborhood problems come from the neighborhood,” Solomon says. “Our goal is to empower urban core neighborhoods and give them the legal tools they need to solve their own problems. One way we do this is by clearing titles on abandoned and blighted urban core properties, so the properties can be turned into good-quality housing.”

Lombardi was amazed at Solomon’s humility and resilience.

“He was a respected judge in Ethiopia who was forced out of office because he wrote an opinion upholding the basic civil rights of detainees. He paid a horrible price for that simple act of courage,” Lombardi says. “He worked for years at a Walmart just to get back on his feet while he volunteered with us.”

Lombardi encouraged Solomon to go back to school — again — to get his juris doctorate.

“Gregg was always saying, ‘You should be a lawyer,’” Solomon says. “So, I was accepted to UMKC and earned my LL.M. and was able to transfer to the J.D. program.”

Many of Solomon’s friends thought law school would be too much of a strain. He’d gotten married in June, was going to school and working. Still, he was undeterred.

“I was the first person in the parking lot and the last to leave while in law school. I had to be extremely focused and dedicated in my studies because there were a lot obstacles that stood before me,” he says. “I’m not a conventional law student.”

Based on these convictions, Solomon was able to perform exceptionally in and outside the classroom. Solomon received the CALI Excellence for the Future Award for his excellent achievement in the study of constitutional law in Spring 2019. While in law school, Solomon was chosen to take part in competitive internship programs in the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and the U.S. Department of Justice. He also worked as a student assistant for the UMKC International Program and as a seasonal tax law analyst for H&R Block. And for a year, Solomon served as a Diversity Ambassador for the UMKC Division of Diversity and Inclusion.

Solomon met Associate Professor Timothy Lynch in his contracts class. The two connected after an impromptu and extended lunch close to campus. Solomon now considers Lynch a valuable mentor.

“He’s a brilliant person and his story made me particularly impressed with him,” Lynch says. “He was able to contribute so much to the class discussion since he had these intense personal experiences with these areas of immigration law. He’s one of my favorite students of all time.”

Solomon was in the final year of his law school studies when the COVID-19 pandemic hit. The relationships that he had formed with students and faculty were valuable.

“Imagine how difficult it was to switch to virtual classes and prepare for the bar exam during a pandemic,” he says. “But I told myself, ‘I’ve been through so much and still had the grit to do this.’ We were advised that it would be better to postpone the bar exam considering the disruption created by COVID-19 … no more postponing.”

Barbara Glesner Fines, dean of the School of Law, knew Solomon would be an exceptional student — not only because of his performance, but because of the challenges he’d overcome.

“Mekebib was in my lawyering skills class,” Glesner Fines says. “I knew something about his background, so when he spoke in class or in his written assignments, I would hear his statements through the lens of knowing that he had literally put his life on the line using these legal skills advancing human rights.”

She notes that it’s not unusual to hear students or other people talk about law school as something separate from “the real world.”

“But by his very presence in my class, Mekebib inspired us to always remember that the law school classroom is the real world,” she says. “It’s where we learn the skills, knowledge and values that can make the difference for an entire career.”

Solomon credits his resilience to his parents’ example.

“My dad worked hard in the factory. He never gave up on us. He taught us that if you do something to the best of your ability, you will have peace of mind.” Solomon’s father was able to see him graduate from law school and he was also present for the swearing-in ceremony when Solomon was admitted to the Missouri Bar.

“That was the moment that they could see that I did this. I deserve this,” Solomon says. “Seeing the eyes of Dean Glesner Fines and hearing her say, ‘I’m proud of you,’ that’s rewarding. This is what people need to know. You lead with examples … I had all the odds against me, but I succeeded.”

A promising future built on a tumultuous past

Solomon’s success didn’t end with graduation. After graduating, he was a recipient of the Truman Fellowship for the Tenant Initiative. Solomon represented local tenants facing eviction during the pandemic. And in January 2021, he moved to Virginia to work for the Walton Law Group LLC, a small law firm located in Fort Washington, Maryland. Solomon’s practice area includes immigration and tax law.

“There’s a large Ethiopian population in the DMV area, and they have a lot of immigration cases that need help,” he says. Solomon says his long-term plan is not very different than his current reality — just bigger: “I’d like to form a nonprofit that is dedicated to helping refugees. Every case is different … We don’t need to label refugees as bad people.”

Solomon hopes that in his work people will see him and think, “If he can be a lawyer — if he can succeed — so can I.”

Dean Glesner Fines is certain they will.

“Mekebib is characteristically modest, but I know he will make a tremendous difference in the lives of his clients and the legal system around him,” she says. “He is a courageous, skilled and compassionate advocate. He will be a powerful force for empowering his clients.”