Campbell Law 50th Anniversary Spotlight: Gary Shipman ’80

Gary Shipman ‘80 knew from a young age he was destined for the courtroom. After graduating cum laude in 1977 from the University of North Carolina at Wilmington (UNCW), he earned his JD from Campbell Law School at the age of 24. Two years later, Shipman founded his own firm, and he hasn’t looked back, trying cases nationwide, including complex and consequential cases involving personal injury, commercial litigation, professional negligence and class actions. His courtroom presence and dogged advocacy have earned him a national reputation. He is passionate about giving back, serving as the former chairman of the New Hanover County Democratic Party and as a former member of the UNC-Wilmington Board of Trustees. He has also spent 20 years as a youth baseball coach and developed a full-service sports agency, Atlantic Sports Management, in 2013. Shipman y is certified as a contract advisor and agent by the NFL and NBA, and his clients include coaches and athletes. 

Current Role: Managing Partner, Shipman Wright & Moore LLP

Why Campbell Law?

I grew up in Raleigh, and my “mentors” growing up were lawyers and teachers/coaches.  By the time I graduated from high school, “being a lawyer” was my career goal, and by the time it came to apply to law school, my “mentors” from Raleigh, who included Gene Boyce, Burley Mitchell and Sid Eagles, told me of this “new law school” that was going to be at Campbell, and arranged for an interview with founding Dean Leary Davis. I didn’t apply anywhere else because Gene, Burley and Sid told me that this was the place that would prepare me to be a “trial lawyer;” they were right. 

On practice

My principal practice area is litigation, but today, there are a wide variety of practice areas that I”m involved in because of my vast litigation experience.  What drew me to it – my mentors. I sat in courtrooms in Wake County from the time that I was in 9th grade and watched lawyers try cases, supplemented by my afternoon viewings of Perry Mason reruns. I knew I wanted to be a part of something that I could feel, at any given moment, had “changed the course of history,” at least for my client.

A lesson that stuck

Effort = results.

The people who shaped him

My mentors were many, and included Gene Boyce, Burley Mitchell, Sid Eagles, Judge George Green, Judge Stafford Bullock, Duncan McMillen, Tommy Manning, Joe Cheshire and Julian Mann.

Advice to current students

Law school is a means to an end, but it’s not nearly the end. It’s the start of a life long passion; but if it’s not,  then find something else that is.

The next 50 years

The first 50 years should define the next 50 years, with improvements related to the current state of legal education.

Sidebar
Currently reading: “Finding the Third Way: Lessons in the Politics of Civility” by Lanny Davis

Most adventurous thing: Marry my wife.

Favorite Raleigh spot: YMCA

Proudest moment: Watching my sons and nephew grow up to be the men that they are today.