Willie E. Gary (born on July 12, 1947), once a migrant worker, is an attorney, motivational speaker and cable television executive. Gary has earned his reputation and nickname as "The Giant Killer" by winning suits against some of America's most well known corporate giants, such as Disneyland and Anheuser-Busch, on behalf of his clients through his law firm, Gary, Williams, Parenti, Finney, Lewis, McManus, Watson & Sperando, P.L.
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Willie Gary was born in Eastman, Georgia where he was raised in migrant farm communities in Florida, Georgia and the Carolinas. He is one of eleven children. With an unwavering desire to receive an education, he took his credentials as a Florida All-State High School football player to Shaw University in Raleigh, North Carolina. He received an athletic scholarship and co-captained the team during the 1969, 1970 and 1971 seasons. Earning a Bachelor’s degree in business administration from Shaw University in Raleigh, North Carolina, he continued on the North Carolina Central University in Durham where he earned a Juris Doctor in 1974. He moved back to Stuart where he was admitted to the Florida Bar and opened the first black law firm in Martin County. Gloria, his childhood sweetheart, now wife, assisted him at this newly formed law firm.
Gary was the first black male to go to college from the small town of Indiantown where his family labored in the cane fields. He is known to still speak of the tiny shack where he lived in the Silver City settlement of Pahokee, Florida, and says he often drives by the shack with a clear vision of those times.
With Gloria he has 4 adult sons : Kenneth, Sekou, Ali and Kobie. Kenneth is president & CEO of The Gary Foundation and Gary Enterprises ( the family’s real estate management company ). Sekou is a member of the Florida Bar and recently opened his own law practice, Gary Legal Group LLC, in Miami, Florida. Ali earned his Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration and is Editor and Chief of “Update,” the firm newsletter. Kobie, is a graduate of Nova Southeastern University located in South Florida.
He also is the father of girl and boy twins Tajilah And Tahj (born November 2000) by former Olympic hopeful Diana Gowins. Gary was paying $28,000 per month in child support. The order was recently reduced to $5,000 per month by an Atlanta judge after Gary learned that Gowins was mismanaging the child support payments. Reportedly, Gowins (who is unemployed) was spending the money on diamonds, tummy tucks, cruises without the children, and private school tuition for her older child from a previous relationship. Gowins is currently appealing the order.[1] Gowins can frequently be seen on The Real Housewives of Atlanta, as she maintains a close friendship with housewife NeNe Leakes.
Gary has won over 150 multi million dollar suits, including a $500 million award granted to one of his clients in Mississippi.
Gary is a member of the National Bar Association, American Bar Association, American Trial Lawyers Association, Florida Academy of Trial Lawyers Association, Martin and St. Lucie County Bar Associations and the Million Dollar Verdict Club. He has also received Honorary Doctorates of Law degrees from eleven universities. His extensive community activities include membership in the NAACP, Florida Guardsmen, Inc., Urban League, Civitan International, United Way of Martin County and Martin Memorial Hospital Foundation Council, along with others.
Gary owns two private jets, named the Wings of Justice and the Wings of Justice II, along with several cars, including two Rolls Royces. His main residence is in Sewall's Point, Florida overlooking the St. Lucie River.
Gary continues to lead a legacy of success, appearing on Oprah and giving numerous speeches world wide. Forbes Magazine has listed him as one of the top 50 attorneys in the United States, and Ebony Magazine declared him one of the "100 Most Influential African Americans." He continues to assert the quality of Black colleges and universities, and recounts that his firm religious beliefs have rewarded him throughout his life.
In 1999 he founded the Black Family Channel.
Recently, he was seeking legal fees equal to $22,000 per hour in connection with litigation against Motorola.[2] A judge in Broward County, Florida has set the fee plus costs for the case at $22.9 million, the equivalent of about $1,050 per hour for Gary and his firm. Gary was quoted as saying "Obviously, we felt it could be a bit more, but we can live with the judge's ruling. I'm very, very pleased."[3]