Casby Harrison, who was a partner in a prominent Providence law firm before leaving that practice to open his own office in South Providence’s multi-cultural community, was recently elected chairperson of the board of the Rhode Island Black Business Association.
Harrison has been a full-time lawyer for more than 35 years, a career that included two years as Deputy Legal Counsel to Gov. Bruce Sundlun.
Harrison assumes the leadership of an organization that says it is committed to “changing the economic landscape for micro and small businesses in Rhode Island. RIBBA remains a solid voice for the Black business community, while continuously refocusing its efforts to meet the ever-changing needs of our members and the larger community.”
On its website, RIBBA says it embraces “diversity and celebrates the contributions of people of all backgrounds regardless of ethnicity, race, gender, disabilities, socioeconomic status, culture, sexual orientation, and gender identity.”
Harrison, on his website, says he believes through law he can “help others confront their adversaries and, in some cases, to change people’s live for the better.” He says that in his career he mostly represented “victims of broken contracts caused by the unscrupulous, victims of tragic accidents caused by the negligence of others, and victims of discrimination and/or retaliation in the workplace.”
He began his career at the law firm of Levy, Goodman, Semonoff & Gorin, which later merged to become Tillinghast, Licht & Semonoff. He left the firm in 1990 to become Gov. Sundlun’s Deputy Legal Counsel and returned two years later when he was named a partner in the firm.
In 1999 he opened his own law office in a building on Broad Street in Providence’s south side. He said then that he wanted to serve that underserved neighborhood and become a role model for youth in the community.
His website says that “he sought a greater opportunity to assist businesses and people in the underserved Providence areas, particularly those in the minority community.” His practice has grown to where he represents a wide array of clients in Rhode Island and Massachusetts.
A graduate of the University of Dayton and the University of the District of Columbia/David A. Clarke School of Law, Harrison is admitted to practice law in Rhode Island and Massachusetts.
He currently serves on the Providence Police Advisory Board and has been involved in leadership positions for City Year Rhode Island, the National Conference for Christians & Jews, Bannister House, the Providence Plan, and Big Brothers of Rhode Island.
