When Ed Martell was fortunate enough to be granted a second opportunity, he realized he had to make up for his previous mistakes and accomplish what was expected of him this time.

Ed took the oath of office as an attorney earlier this month, and although this is unquestionably a huge achievement for anybody, the fact that he has a checkered background makes it even more impressive that he has reached this point in his life.

This 43-year-old man’s background as a dealer makes it very unlikely that he would pursue a career in police enforcement. However, he was able to, and he attributes his success to a single individual who served as motivation for him to make positive changes in his life.

Ed, who was 27 at the time, did not finish his high school education in Inkster and is now considered an adult dropout.

Ed finally found himself in front of Judge Bruce Morrow of the Wayne County Circuit Court after a string of run-ins with the authorities. He was well aware of the gravity of his actions and anticipated serving between one and twenty years in jail for the sale of substances.

However, instead of being sentenced to prison, he was placed on probation for three years and given a motivation. Judge Morrow encouraged Ed to pursue a career as the chief executive officer of one of the Fortune 500 companies.

And Ed accepted the task with enthusiasm. He is presently practicing law. He stated, “I knew what I wanted to be, but when you come from an area where I came from, I didn’t grow up knowing any lawyers.”

Ed was aware that he had been presented with an extraordinary chance, and as a result, he set out to make significant changes in his life. He started off by returning to school and enrolled in the associate’s program at Wayne County Community College for his degree. After that, he was awarded a scholarship to go law school at the University of Detroit Mercy on a full ride.

After that, he told the committee on character and fitness for the State Bar of Michigan about his experience. To their credit, they kept an open mind and realized that Ed’s history did not have to determine his future in any way.

And recently, Ed was sworn in by the same guy who challenged him all those years ago, and now, Judge Morrow is more than simply a judge to him; Ed considers him his mentor.

The judge said that he had served as a mentor to numerous other individuals before to Ed, individuals who had also been in front of him in the courts. It is a duty for him to love each and every person.

“I tell them you were sent to me – this isn’t random, you’re not at a place by chance, you’re here for a reason.”

Ed intends to give back to the community and act as an example for younger generations in the same way that Judge Morrow had a transformative impact on his life.