MEET CARLOS BIBBS
Both Carlos and his sister Maria were born in Memphis, Tennessee and raised between the communities of South Memphis, French Fort, and Whitehaven. Born to educators, Mr. Charlie and Mrs. Alyce Bibbs, Carlos spent his earliest school years enrolled at Scenic Hills Elementary while participating in Memphis’ City Schools’ inaugural C.L.U.E. program for gifted students. Carlos’s initial contact with the legal profession was as a participant in the Central High School Debate Team at Memphis Central High School. Carlos enjoyed preparing the mock case for presentation in Nashville, but he assumed he would lead a career in broadcasting after college.
After working part-time for actual attorneys as an undergraduate at Memphis State University, Carlos began to recognize the practice of law as potential avenue to serve the public. After a taking a break to work as an overnight cargo handler for Federal Express, a small minority-owned Memphis law firm offered an opportunity to not only run pleadings to court, but to interact with clients and prepare routine paperwork for review by its lawyers. Under the tutelage of Bailey, Stokes, Wilson, & Wright, Carlos saw firsthand the true positive impact the law can have on everyday people. More teachers and influencers reveled themselves in programs like the Tennessee Pre- Professional Summer Program for aspiring law students and the Memphis State University Leadership Program.
Carlos was accepted to Loyola University-New Orleans College of Law and awarded the Earl Warren Scholarship for outstanding potential for training as a civil rights and public interest attorney. Following Carlos’ graduation from Loyola University, his first paid job as an attorney was as an Assistant Public Defender in Chattanooga, Tennessee. As a public servant, Carlos was immediately able to recall the compassionate approach of his mentors when representing his first clients who were unable to afford counsel for their criminal cases. Carlos was quickly trusted to work independently as the sole Juvenile Court defender for hundreds of at-risk children. Carlos became engaged to Dillard University graduate Taimme Williams-Bibbs and the couple made Collierville home for their daughters, Tyra and Cydney.
Carlos Bibbs has now practiced law in Memphis for nearly twenty-four years. Carlos started his own private practice in 2002 and operated it. His law firm was a general practice firm centrally located mostly in the East Memphis-Poplar Corridor area. Carlos handled a variety of cases such as family law, divorce, general civil litigation, personal injury, medical malpractice, landlord tenant disputes, and collection law. Even in private practice, Carlos continued to serve the public by maintaining a position on the Juvenile Court Defender’s Board. Carlos traveled downtown to Juvenile Court once a week, every other month for ten years to represent often dependent children facing delinquency charges.
Carlos Bibbs’s commitment to his community continues today. He was first appointed by Mayor A.C. Wharton to serve the entire city of Memphis as an Assistant City Attorney in 2012. Mayor Jim Strickland recently reappointed him to continue working hard for people of Memphis. Representing a city itself entails ensuring the government operates within its Charter and other applicable laws. Aside from defending the city of Memphis from litigation and pursuing violations of environmental pollution laws, Carlos works independently to standardize city collection recoveries. His work in this area over the years has benefited the financial interests of each city taxpayer. Carlos taught Business Law, Conflict Resolution, and Business in a Legal Environment at Belhaven University’s Southaven satellite campus.
Carlos served on Memphis Area Legal Service’s Board representing Ben F. Jones Chapter of National Bar Association. More recently he served on Collierville’s Environmental Commission and assisted Shelby County families as a volunteer for the local COVID-19 Eviction Settlement Project. Carlos is actively involved in Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Incorporated and Mississippi Boulevard Christian Church.
It's not about what I want to say to the community, but more importantly hearing from the community and meeting the community with equality and justice... for all.