J. Michael McGarity

Mike McGarity graduated from Georgia Institute of Technology in 1976, receiving a Bachelor of Science degree in Industrial Management. He received his Juris Doctor from the University of Georgia School Of Law in 1979, was admitted to the Georgia Bar, the Supreme Court of Georgia, and the Georgia Court of Appeals in 1979. Mr. McGarity is admitted in the U.S. District Court, (Northern District of Georgia), and the Eleventh Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals.

After receiving his J.D. degree, Mr. McGarity joined the Gwinnett County District Attorney’s Office as Assistant District Attorney. In 1997, Mr. McGarity was appointed by Attorney General Thurbert Baker as Special Assistant Attorney General and for four years represented the Gwinnett County Child Support Enforcement Division. He was appointed by the Supreme Court of Georgia as Special Master in several disciplinary matters and has also tried well over a hundred jury trials and hundreds of bench trials.

Mr. McGarity shifted into private practice, joining the Lawrenceville firm of Webb, Fowler and Tanner as an associate. He became partner in that firm after trying a large number of complex litigation cases, including wrongful death claims, medical malpractice, personal injury, multi-party claims, felony criminal trials and real estate litigation matters. Mr. McGarity was later named partner at Anderson, Tate, Mahaffey and McGarity, where he spent four and a half years before opening The McGarity Group in September 2006. Mr. McGarity has been appointed by the chief superior court judge to the Gwinnett County Law library Board as of December 13, 2013.

Mr. McGarity is also active in community affairs having served previously on the Gwinnett County Chamber of Commerce Executive Board for five years. He also served as the Chairman of the Environmental Heritage Center for a number of years. He was active in the Boy Scouts of America Board and served as the Council President for the Northeast Council from 2003-2005. He is currently active in the Braselton Rotary Club being a Paul Harris Fellow as well as a Will Watt Fellow. Mr. McGarity has been recognized as a SuperLawyer since 2005 and was again honored with that selection in 2020. He is also active in his hometown of Braselton, Georgia serving as the President of the Legends of Chateau Elan Homeowners Association having been a Board Member the last five years.

Mr. McGarity also enjoys spending time with his two married adult children and his three grandchildren along with his wife Caryn and with his four–legged bird dog friends, one of which is a stellar Brittany Spaniel that serves as the office mascot.