Gabe Talton — A Personal Perspective

An early experience helped forge a passion for justice

Gabe Talton knows first-hand what it's like to feel powerless when faced by larger, more powerful interests.

When Gabe was an 18-year-old history major at North Carolina State University, the state decided to construct the Leesville Road exit for Interstate 540 directly through his childhood home. His family refused the state's low settlement offer and brought the case to trial.

"I am convinced my family was chosen because they thought that we presented less of a challenge than the businesses and large landholders around us," Gabe said. "My family took our case to trial, but the result was not good. That was when I decided that my interests in history and English could be put to concrete use. I wanted to fight powerful interests, whether it was the government or big insurance. I decided that I could be a part of the important job of protecting North Carolina families."

Gabe decided to attend Rutgers University Law School in Camden, New Jersey due to its focus on public interest law. During the summers, he became involved in a legal outreach program for farm workers in rural New Jersey.

A commitment to trying to protect freedom for his clients

Following graduation, he took a position at the Miami Public Defenders office protecting the rights of accused criminals who could not afford a lawyer. He quickly sharpened his legal skills and his fluency in Spanish.

"Many people asked me how I could, in good conscience, represent criminals," he said. "I tell them that protecting the rights of the least of us is necessary to provide freedom for all."

Gabe is also dedicated to ensuring that cultural and linguistic differences do not prevent injured people from getting just settlements. As such, he is extremely active in the Hispanic community, serving as Vice Chair of the North Carolina Advocates for Justice Hispanic/Latino Affairs Division and on the board of the North Carolina Hispanic Chamber of Commerce.