We Are Black History 2026: Ayanna D. Neal, Senior Litigation Attorney at Grewal Law PLLC | A Chronicle News Spotlight

Ayanna D. Neal, Lansing native and Senior Litigation Attorney at Grewal Law PLLC, continues to make Black history through landmark litigation and survivor advocacy.

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Justice is not abstract for Ayanna D. Neal. It is personal. It is local. And it is lived.

A Lansing native, Neal has built a legal career rooted in accountability, institutional reform, and survivor-centered advocacy. For more than twenty years, she has used the courtroom not just as a workplace, but as a platform to protect the vulnerable and challenge systems that failed them.

After earning her degree in Political Science from the University of Michigan and completing her Juris Doctor at Thomas M. Cooley Law School, Neal entered the legal field with a clear understanding: law is power, and power must be used responsibly.

Fifteen of her early professional years were spent as an Assistant Prosecutor for Ingham County. There, she handled complex and high-stakes cases ranging from major drug offenses to arson and criminal sexual conduct. Her work placed her on the front lines of justice, advocating for victims and navigating some of the most difficult realities within the legal system.

Today, as a Senior Litigation Attorney at Grewal Law PLLC, Neal’s impact extends far beyond county lines. She has played a role in some of the most consequential sexual abuse litigation cases in American history, contributing to landmark settlements that not only compensated survivors, but forced institutions to confront long-standing failures.

Her work has helped secure historic settlements in cases involving the University of Michigan, the FBI’s failure to act in the Larry Nassar investigation, and USA Gymnastics — cases that reshaped national conversations about accountability and institutional responsibility.

But for Neal, the headlines are not the point. The people are.

Her legal practice spans civil rights, employment law, sexual assault litigation, and criminal defense. The throughline is consistent: compassion, preparation, and results-driven advocacy.

Beyond litigation, Neal remains deeply invested in mentorship and equity. She has served on the State Bar of Michigan’s Equal Access Initiative for Diversity and Inclusion Committee and has mentored aspiring attorneys navigating a profession that has not always reflected their communities.

When asked what “We Are Black History” means to her, Neal describes it as a tribute to the excellence Black professionals contribute across every industry, contributions that shape America and the world.

Looking ahead to 2026, her focus remains steady: continuing to advocate with excellence, empathy, and strategic precision for those who place their trust in her.

In a profession often defined by titles and wins, Ayanna D. Neal’s legacy is defined by something deeper-impact.

And that impact began right here in Lansing.