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What Is Willie E. Gary’s Net Worth?
Willie E. Gary, a prominent American attorney, motivational speaker, and businessman, has accumulated a net worth of $50 million. His journey began in Eastman, Georgia, on July 12, 1947, where he was born into a family of sharecroppers. Gary’s early life was marked by financial hardship, as his parents, Turner and Mary, struggled to make ends meet. He grew up with ten siblings and experienced periods of homelessness, sometimes residing in tents on farmers’ properties. At 13, his family settled in Indiantown, Florida, where he started a lawn service to contribute to the family income. He earned a football scholarship to Shaw University in North Carolina. After graduating, Gary obtained a Juris Doctor from North Carolina Central University School of Law, marking a significant step towards his future legal career.
Willie E. Gary’s Legal Career and Financial Ventures
After joining the Florida Bar in 1974, Willie E. Gary faced initial challenges due to racial barriers, leading him to establish his own law firm. His legal career quickly gained momentum, and he achieved a $250,000 settlement in his first case. Gary didn’t lose a single case in his first seven years. His practice evolved into The Law Firm of Gary, Williams, Parenti, Watson, Gary & Gillespie, P.L.L.C., which now has more than 30 attorneys and three Florida offices. The firm handles personal injury, wrongful death, medical malpractice, product liability, and class action lawsuits, as well as international and commercial litigation. The firm primarily operates on a contingency basis.
Like many contingency-based firms, Gary’s firm has utilized loans to finance its operations. In 2012, LawFinance Group sued Gary and his firm over a $10 million high-interest loan, claiming Gary and his senior partners personally guaranteed the loan. In April 2013, the Martin County Sheriff’s office seized $3.2 million worth of personal property from his mansion in Sewall’s Point due to a lawsuit by IberiaBank, which alleged that Gary and his wife, Gloria, owed $3.3 million in unpaid loans related to three properties in Fort Pierce, Florida. Gary explained that he had acquired the properties in the 1990s for $900,000 and later took out a loan against them when they were valued at $4-5 million. He further stated that the funds were invested in the Black Family Channel, which was later absorbed by the Gospel Music Channel, where Gary became a minority owner.
Gary’s notable cases include a $240 million verdict in 2002 for All Pro Sports against Disney over the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex idea. In 2005, he secured a $120 million settlement from Anheuser-Busch for the family of baseball legend Roger Maris in a defamation case. Although he won a $23 billion verdict against R. J. Reynolds Tobacco Company in 2019, this verdict was later overturned. Gary also has a real estate management company called Gary Enterprises, headed by his son Kenneth. Willie’s son Sekou is a partner at his law firm.
The $500 Million Judgement and “The Burial”
In 1995, Willie E. Gary represented Jeremiah Joseph O’Keefe in a lawsuit against businessman Raymond Loewen, resulting in a $500 million settlement for O’Keefe. This settlement was later reduced to $175 million after appeals and trials, leading to Loewen’s resignation from his firm. In 2022, it was announced that Jamie Foxx would produce and star as Willie E. Gary in a film about the case for Amazon Prime Video, with Tommy Lee Jones as Jeremiah O’Keefe. The film, titled “The Burial,” premiered in October 2023, showcasing Gary’s role in the landmark case.
Willie E. Gary’s Assets and Personal Life
Willie E. Gary travels on his custom-designed Boeing 737-200, “Wings of Justice II,” which accommodates 32 passengers and a full flight crew. Manufactured in 1981, this aircraft was initially part of Malaysian Airlines’ fleet from 1981 to 1987, followed by Panamanian Copa Airlines. Gary acquired the plane in July 2003 and invested $11 million in renovations, including a $1.2 million sound system, a full-service kitchen, bedrooms, and an 18-karat gold sink. General Electric Capital sued Willie and his law firm in 2012, alleging a default on a loan used for the plane’s renovation. In 2009, “Wings of Justice II” was featured in T.I.’s music video for “You Know What It Is ft. Wyclef.”
In 1992, Willie E. Gary and his wife, Gloria, acquired a waterfront property in Sewalls Point, Florida, and constructed a 14,500-square-foot mansion with 8 bedrooms and 12 bathrooms. They sold this home in May 2022 for $5.225 million.
Willie married Gloria Royal, his childhood sweetheart, during his sophomore year of college, and they have five children. In 1994, Willie and Gloria established The Gary Foundation, which provides scholarships and resources to youth for higher education. Their sons, Kenneth and Ali, serve as president and vice president, respectively, of The Gary Foundation, with Kenneth also holding the position of CEO.
Philanthropy and Recognition
In 1991, Willie E. Gary donated over $10 million to Shaw University, his alma mater. He has contributed millions to Historically Black Colleges and Universities. In 1995, Gary was featured on “Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous.” Willie received the Horatio Alger Award in 1999, which recognizes perseverance, integrity, and commitment to excellence. In 2004, the South Carolina General Assembly adopted Bill 5050 to honor Gary for his contributions to the community and the nation. Gary received the American Bar Association’s Spirit of Excellence award in 2019.
