Areas of Practice:
Gerald "Gary" Groon, is a partner within the firm's Creditors' Rights section; he concentrates his practice in the area of debt collection and civil litigation.
Gary is one of only four attorneys in the State of North Carolina to have completed the requirements for certification in the field of Creditors' Rights Law by the American Board of Certification.
Gary has worked in the field of collections and litigation with Smith Debnam since 1990. He has extensive trial experience, having tried cases before both judges and juries and in both District and Superior Court. Gary also represented the Plaintiff before the North Carolina Court of Appeals in the case of Lexis-Nexis, Division of Reed Elsevier, Inc. v. Travishan Corporation. In that case, Gary was able to convince the North Carolina Court of Appeals to adopt the general rule that a corporation involved in litigation pending in District and Superior Court must be represented by an attorney.
Gary speaks several times each year at seminars on collection law and enforcement of judgments. He has been featured as a speaker at educational programs sponsored by Heritage Professional Education, Lorman Education Services and National Business Institute. Prior to entering the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Gary served in the United States Air Force. He was assigned to the 351st Missile Security Squadron at Whiteman Air Force Base, Missouri and to the 43rd Security Police Squadron at Andersen Air Force Base, Guam.
