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Willie E. Gary

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Willie E. Gary
Born
Willie Edward Gary

(1947-07-12) July 12, 1947 (age 77)
Eastman, Georgia, U.S.
EducationShaw University
North Carolina Central University School of Law (JD)
OccupationLawyer
SpouseGloria Gary
Children6
Parent(s)Turner Gary
Mary Gary

Willie E. Gary (born July 12, 1947) is an American lawyer.[1] Gary and his wife Gloria established Martin County's first Black law firm at the age of 27,[2] presently known as, Gary, Williams, Parenti, Watson, Gary & Gillespie, P.L.L.C.[3] Gary was portrayed by actor Jamie Foxx in the 2023 film The Burial.[4]

Early life and education

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Born Willie Edward Gary on July 12, 1947, in Eastman, GA, he is one of eleven children, and the son of Turner, a sharecropper, and Mary Gary.[5] With his father's backing, Gary attended school two half-days a week, farming with his family the other three days. At 13, Gary supported his family by establishing a lawn service.[6] Gary attended Shaw University on a football scholarship graduating with a Bachelor's degree in business-administration in 1971.[7][8] In 1974 Gary earned his Juris Doctor degree from North Carolina Central University School of Law.[9]

Career

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In 1995, Gary filed a lawsuit on behalf of Mississippi funeral home operator Jeremiah Joseph O'Keefe against Canadian businessman Raymond Loewen after Loewen reneged on a contractual agreement with O'Keefe. Gary won the case, with a jury awarding O'Keefe $500 million in punitive damages; although the case was settled afterward for $175 million, Gary's victory would eventually lead Loewen to resign from his firm, which later would be reorganized after a bankruptcy filing and be sold to a competitor, Service Corporation International.[10][11] The Loewen funeral company case formed the basis of the 2023 movie The Burial starring Jamie Foxx and Tommy Lee Jones.[12]

In 2000, Gary won a $240 million verdict against Disney for stealing the concept of the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex.[13]

In 2019, a $23 billion case Gary won against R.J. Reynolds was overturned on appeal. The case stemmed from the death of Michael Johnson of Escambia County, Florida in 1996, who died from lung cancer.[14]

Memberships

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Gary is a member of the American Bar Association, The Florida Bar, National Bar Association, and NAACP.[15][16]

Awards and honors

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General Assembly of the State of South Carolina recognized him as one of the United States’ most respected and accomplished lawyers.[17]

In 2019, the American Bar Association awarded him the Spirit of Excellence award at Caesar’s Palace in Las Vegas.[18]

Personal life

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He is married to Gloria Gary and has six children: Tahj, TaJiah, Kenneth, Sekou, Kobe, and Ali.[19][20]

References

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  1. ^ "Willie Gary". williegary.com. Retrieved 2021-04-14.
  2. ^ "Willie Gary | Encyclopedia.com". www.encyclopedia.com. Retrieved 2023-11-05.
  3. ^ "Willie Gary - Willie Gary". williegary.com. Retrieved 2023-11-05.
  4. ^ "Jamie Foxx portrays Shaw University graduate Willie E. Gary in the highly anticipated film, The Burial. - University News". news.shawu.edu. 2023-09-26. Retrieved 2023-11-05.
  5. ^ "Willie Gary | Encyclopedia.com". www.encyclopedia.com. Retrieved 2021-04-14.
  6. ^ "Willie Gary | Encyclopedia.com". www.encyclopedia.com. Retrieved 2023-11-05.
  7. ^ Writer, JIM SCHLOSSER Staff (27 March 1992). "MILLIONAIRE ALUM SHARES SUCCESS WITH SHAW". Greensboro News and Record. Retrieved 2021-04-14.
  8. ^ Bernstein, Nina (1996-01-27). "Brash Funeral Chain Meets Its Match in Old South". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2024-05-04.
  9. ^ "Famous HBCU Alumni". Retrieved 2021-04-12.
  10. ^ Harr, Jonathan. "The Burial". The New Yorker. Retrieved 2021-04-14.
  11. ^ "How A Mississippi Funeral Home Showdown Freaked Out The White House". BuzzFeed News. September 2016. Retrieved 2021-04-21.
  12. ^ "The Burial: Jamie Foxx to Star in and Produce Amazon Studios' Legal Drama". ComingSoon.net. 2020-11-10. Retrieved 2021-04-14.
  13. ^ Staff, Jerry Jackson of The Sentinel (13 August 2000). "NOT EVEN DISNEY CAN TOP THIS LAWYER". OrlandoSentinel.com. Retrieved 2021-04-14.
  14. ^ Caplan, Andrew. "Jury sides with tobacco company in $23.6 billion case". Gainesville Sun. Retrieved 2021-04-14.
  15. ^ "Willie Gary". Gary, Williams, Parenti, Watson & Gary, P.L.L.C. Retrieved 2021-04-14.
  16. ^ "::Attorney Willie E. Gary - WCP Communications Speakers Bureau ::". www.wcpcommunications.com. Retrieved 2021-04-14.
  17. ^ "2003-2004 Bill 5050: Willie E. Gary - South Carolina Legislature Online". www.scstatehouse.gov. Retrieved 2021-04-14.
  18. ^ "Florida attorney Willie E. Gary to receive ABA 2019 Spirit of Excellence Award". www.americanbar.org. Retrieved 2021-04-14.
  19. ^ "Kobie Gary imprisoned after plea in drug case | Video". www.tcpalm.com. Retrieved 2021-04-14.
  20. ^ "1999 Horatio Alger Award Recipient".
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