FLINT TOWNSHIP, Mich. — Flint natives Trachelle Young and her son Curtis Young have made history as the first mother-and-son law firm in Genesee County.
Their firm, Young & Young, opened Feb. 21, 2025 at 4442 Beecher Road—marking the start of what they call both a legacy project and a dream realized.
“I’ve been practicing [for] 28 years, but this has to be by far the most exciting year,” said Trachelle, 54. “It’s like a fresh start because of the privilege of being able to practice with my son.”
Curtis, 32, a former assistant district attorney for Dallas County—one of the largest counties in the nation—said the vision to work alongside his mother was sparked in law school. After spending over a year in Texas building his expertise in criminal law, he returned to Flint to co-create something of their own.
Now licensed in both Michigan and Texas, Curtis is taking cases in both states, with plans to open a Dallas office in the future. Meanwhile, Trachelle is in the process of obtaining her Texas license to expand their reach.
The firm focuses primarily on criminal defense, but they also do estate planning, personal injury, labor and employment and civil rights. For both attorneys, their work is deeply personal and shaped by lived experience.
“I’ve been on the prosecuting side, I’ve been on the judicial side, and I’m now on the defense side,” Trachelle said. “To have seen it from all different perspectives and to see where the gaps are, and to see where nobody is bothering to fill those gaps … We’re now able to speak to those gaps—and we can speak truth to power.”
For Curtis, his time in the Dallas courtrooms underlined some truths about the criminal justice system.
“You learn that many people are not in jail because they’re guilty. Many people are in jail for no other reason than they can’t afford to fight for their innocence,” he said.
Affordability and accessibility is a priority at Young & Young. While other firms might charge a $50,000 retainer for serious criminal cases, they start at $20,000—and they’re open to payment plans.
Their office also includes an in-house mental health professional to support clients dealing with trauma and stress, and a drive-thru window for quick legal services such as notaries and consultations.
Trachelle is firm in her conviction that “we need to meet [people] where they are.”
Representation is another core value for the Youngs. As a Black-owned firm, they say their visibility matters in a field where diversity is often lacking.
“I’ve been told so many times in this profession, don’t put your picture on business cards, don’t put anything that people are going to tell right off the bat that you’re a Black attorney — but Curtis and I have big faces our billboard out here, because I embrace that,” Trachelle said.
Rather than shying away from their Blackness, they embrace it. Trachelle said some clients come in simply because they’re proud to see attorneys who look like them.
“The fact that we are breaking barriers, the fact that we are destroying stereotypes, and the fact that we are raising the bar and the expectation—we truly feel like this is what black excellence looks like,” she said.
Trachelle spoke of a 15-year-old client whose face lights up when he sees Curtis, giving him his undivided attention.
“When I go see him, the first thing he’ll ask me is, where’s Curtis? Where’s Curtis? And I’m like, it’s just me, but you can clearly see the appointment on his face,” said Trachelle. “I see how important it is for that young African American male to see him, to see Curtis as a man who looks like him on the other side that’s fighting for him.”
“That’s powerful,” she continued.
Curtis agreed, noting how critical empathy and shared experience can be in building trust.
More than just lawyers, the Youngs are advocates and educators. Trachelle, who played a key role in the Flint water crisis litigation and successfully challenged local jail visitation policies, continues to push for systemic change.
“Nobody’s going to give us a handout, and we’re not even looking for one,” she said. “But we’re going to fight that good fight.”