Session Topic: When the Stakes are High: How to Build a High-Income Legal Career That Actually Makes a Difference (Suits vs. Real Life)
Day
Tuesday
Start Time
4:00 PM
Length
50
Location
CH 132
Presenter(s)
Cathy
Hunt
Managing Partner
Gailor Hunt Davis Taylor & Gibbs, PLLC
https://www.linkedin.com/in/cathy-hunt-attorney/
CSB Alum and UNCW Alumn
“So quick show of hands—who here has ever watched a courtroom drama and thought, ‘I could totally do that’?
And who’s thought, ‘There is no amount of money that would make me do that’?”
Well, today you’re getting the real version—what a career in law actually looks like.
Meet Cathy Hunt. Cathy is a divorce attorney in Raleigh, North Carolina, and she represents high-net-worth individuals and business owners when life, business, and relationships all collide at the same time. In other words, when the stakes are high, emotions are higher, and the assets have commas.
But Cathy didn’t start out in family law. She began her career in corporate law, working at large firms in Raleigh and Northern Virginia—wearing the suits, reviewing the contracts, and living that big-firm life. In 2001, she made a pivot that completely changed her career path toward entrepreneurship—and she’s going to tell you why that decision mattered.
Academically, Cathy knows her stuff. She earned her J.D. from the University of Memphis, where she was on Law Review, and her business degree from UNC Wilmington—so yes, she actually understands both balance sheets and people. Her peers have recognized her as one of North Carolina’s Legal Elite and a Top Family Law Attorney in the state.
But here’s what really makes Cathy relatable: she’s also a mom. Her son, Jack, is a senior right here at UNCW, so she knows exactly what stage of life you’re in—and how fast it goes.
Today, Cathy’s going to give you a candid look at what a legal career is really like—the wins, the stress, the unexpected turns, and why this profession can be challenging, meaningful, and lucrative.