In this deeply personal and unflinchingly honest conversation, veteran trial lawyer Gary Gwilliam opens Season Two with a story unlike any other.
Founding partner of Gwilliam Ivary Chiosso Cavalli & Brewer and the author of “Getting a Winning Verdict in My Personal Life: A Trial Lawyer Finds His Soul,” Gary reflects on a 60-year legal career marked by grit, grace, and a long walk toward healing.
From 180 jury trials to the presidency of the Consumer Attorneys of California (formerly California Trial Lawyers Association) during a high-stakes ballot war, Gary’s professional journey is as storied as it is human. But what sets him apart isn't just the big verdicts—it's his candor about what trial work costs the people who do it. “We don't get anything unless we take it away from somebody,” he says. “Almost always money.”
He talks openly about substance abuse, devastating personal losses, and what finally pushed him to get sober. That turning point led to a spiritual reckoning—one that shaped how he mentors younger lawyers today. Gary isn’t afraid to talk about his losses, in or out of court. And maybe that’s the legacy he’s most proud of: helping fellow trial lawyers find the courage to show up honestly, for their clients and themselves.
The Trial Lawyer's Journal is Presented by CloudLex and Lexvia.ai.
