Richard Bruce Gantt
Like most former athletes, Richard Gantt is a competitive person who plays to win, making him a natural at advocating for clients in the courtroom. The board-certified family law specialist has been practicing for over 20 years with an unwavering determination to help people fight for all they are entitled to. In August 2020, Richard founded Gantt Family Law, a rapidly growing firm based in North Carolina’s Triangle metro area (Raleigh, Durham, Chapel Hill, and surrounding communities). In addition to his role as founding partner, he is a former president of North Raleigh’s Rotary Club and is frequently asked to teach at continuing education seminars for other lawyers in his practice area. In acknowledgement of his contributions to the legal industry, Richard has received numerous awards and distinctions, including a 10.0 Avvo rating, membership in Lawyers of Distinction, and recognition in Who’s Who in America. He has also been ranked among the Top 3 Divorce Lawyers in Raleigh and among Business North Carolina Magazine’s Legal Elite, where he was recently featured as a result of voting by his peers.
We recently had the pleasure of sitting down with Richard to learn more about his remarkable career journey and successful family law firm.
Have you always been in family law, or did you start out in another area?
I initially worked in general practice firms, and I did some investment banking for a few years while figuring out my niche. I’m glad I had that time and was given those opportunities because they helped to broaden my experience and get some context regarding what I’m best suited for. Once I discovered what I was meant to do, I started practicing exclusively in the divorce and family law arena, and that’s where I’ve remained over the past 15 years.
What made you decide to open your own family law firm?
I’d been working for a large firm for many years and felt it was time for me to branch out and do my own thing. It was certainly the best decision I’ve ever made. I had ideas about how I could better serve our clients—by being more attentive, understanding each client’s specific goals, and structuring their cases accordingly—and it has been a huge success.
You had some experiences in your personal life that enhanced your success as a divorce lawyer. Tell us about that.
Well, I’m divorced myself. I have four awesome sons and a wonderful fiancée, Sanan, who I’ll be marrying next fall, but it was quite a journey getting to this point in my life. As someone who has personally been through a divorce and fought for custody of my own kids, I can relate to the clients who come into our office on a heartfelt level. They can see that I’m fighting as one of them, as someone who’s been through what they’re going through, which helps them to trust me to guide them down that same path to the better things that lie ahead for them.
Have your prior career positions been beneficial to your firm as well?
Absolutely. Due to my business background, I can understand the complicated financial issues that many of our business owners and professional clients are contending with. My experience in tax, finance, and investment banking equipped me with knowledge of how to navigate complex, financial cases. Also, my background makes me a good hire for financially complicated divorce cases, especially for high-net-worth clients.
What types of clients do you typically represent?
I’ve successfully represented everyone from the CEOs of publicly traded companies, spouses of professional athletes, and other high-net-worth individuals, to small business owners, working parents, and stay-at-home spouses.
Do you mainly handle divorce cases?
The actual divorce is just one component. We handle all kinds of domestic relations matters in the family court realm. The cases can involve divorce, child custody, equitable distribution, alimony, child support, orders of protection, alienation of affection and criminal conversation, enforcement of existing orders, and all related matters.
Gantt Family Law has received a lot of positive reviews about its legal team. What sets you apart from others?
In addition to myself, the firm currently has two amazing associate attorneys, Eva Freeman and Belinda Sukeena, as well as three highly skilled paralegals and a great practice manager (my lovely fiancée). We will probably be adding to our team in the near future as we grow. Because of their own life experiences, my group is not only sensitive to the needs of our clients, but they also possess the right skills to help them. We pride ourselves in being aggressive, which is extremely advantageous. Divorce court can be a battle, but we gladly go to war for our clients.
What do you enjoy most about your work, or what drives you?
I love standing up for people who aren’t being treated fairly or who are being taken advantage of—people who need someone to fight for them. We refer to Gantt Family Law as “Your Divorce Fortress” because we make our firm a safe and secure place for our clients to run to for protection while they’re going through challenging times.
Richard is a graduate of Wake Forest University and Tulane Law School. He holds an MBA from Regent University and completed additional graduate studies in taxation at Georgetown Law School.
Contact:
Richard Bruce Gantt
Founder and Senior Partner
Gantt Family Law
Website: www.ganttfamilylaw.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/ganttfamilylaw
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