William C. ("Bill") Gentry has been practicing law in Georgia for over 39 years. His primary focus is high asset divorce and family law cases. He has handled hundreds of cases requiring complex property division including businesses, commercial and investment real estate holdings, residential properties, investment portfolios, and retirement assets.  

Bill has guided countless clients through some of their most difficult moments in state courts on issues of divorce, child custody support, and alimony.

Divorces are scary and things can get messy. Bill knows this well. He also knows one spouse is sometimes at a disadvantage –at first. Bill and his team of attorneys correct this by securing fair results, equitable division, and a smooth transition into the next chapter of your life.

Including with Bill’s 39 years of practice, the combined legal team at Gentry Law Firm has over 100 years of experience in family law.

 

Bill’s Legal Background

Bill has helped hundreds of clients with their cases in state and federal courts throughout Georgia and dozens of appeals in both state and federal appellate courts in Georgia. He has argued cases throughout Georgia as well as the Georgia Supreme Court, the Georgia Court of Appeals, and the 11th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals in Atlanta. Bill is also a member of the Bar of the Supreme Court of the United States.

Bill’s extensive courtroom experience affords him a well-earned reputation in Georgia’s courts. Judges and opposing counsel know him as an honest and aggressive advocate for his clients.

 

Bill’s Education

• JD from the University of Georgia School of Law, Athens, GA
• President, UGA Law Student Bar Assn
• BA from University of Virginia Honors Graduate, Charlottesville, VA
• Phi Beta Kappa
• Economics Honor Program
• Omicron Delta Kappa
• North Fulton High School, Atlanta, GA
• Valedictorian

Bill’s Attorney Licensing

• State Bar of Georgia, 1986
• 11th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals, 1986
• U.S. District Court
• Northern District of Georgia, 1987
• Middle District of Georgia, 1989
• Georgia Supreme Court, 1987
• Georgia Court of Appeals, 1987
• United States Supreme Court, 2007

 

Bill’s Bar Leadership and Activities

• State Bar of Georgia (mandatory state bar association), 1986 – Present
• President-Elect of the State Bar, 2025-2026
• Elected to serve as President of the State Bar, 2026-2027
• Treasurer of the State Bar, 2024-2025
• Secretary of the State Bar, 2023 – 2024
• Executive Committee Member, 2021 – Present
• Board of Governors Member, 2012 – Present
• State Disciplinary Board, Member, 2025
• Senior Lawyers Division, Founder 2025
• Senior Lawyers Section, 2018 – 2025
• Aging Lawyers Task Force, Co-Chair/Chair, 2016 – 2018
• Professionalism Committee, 2014 – 2020
• Standing Committee on the Unlicensed Practice of Law, 2007 – 2013
• Local Bar Activities Committee, Chair, 1993 – 1994
• Bridge the Gap Seminar, Chair, 1992 – 1993
• Civil Litigation for Younger Lawyers Seminar, Chair, 1991 – 1992
• Chaired, Served on various other committees
• Cobb County Bar Association, (chaired, served on various committees), 1988 – Present
• President, 2001 – 2002
• Senior Lawyers Section, Chair, 2019 – 2023
• American Bar Association, Member
• Old War Horse Lawyers Club, Inc., Member, 2019 – Present
• Lawyers Club of Atlanta, Member, 2016 – Present
• Southern Conference of Bar Presidents, Member,  2025

Bill’s Publications:

• Best Selling Author of the Forbes book, I Want Out: A Woman’s Guide to Finding Peace Through Divorce, 2023
• Tackling the Divorce Journey: Legal, Emotional, and Financial Knowledge to Empower You, 2024
• Coffee & Counsel: You Don’t Know What You Don’t Know About Divorce, 2024
• Coffee & Counsel: Common Monetary Mishaps to Avoid Before, During, & After Divorce, 2024
• State Bar of Georgia   Take Charge! Professionalism for Solo and Small Firms, 2018           
• Institute of Continuing Legal Education in Georgia   Convocation on Professionalism, 2015           

National Business Institute, 2005-2019

• Advanced Trial Tactics: Summations and Jury Instructions
• Advanced Trial Tactics: Voir Dire and Jury Selection Strategies
• "May It Please the Court” Effective Case Presentation at Trial: Closing Statements and Final Jury Instructions
• Complex Assets in Divorce
• Family Law From A to Z
• Dirty Litigation Tactics: How to Deal with the “Rambo” Litigator
• The Mechanics of Georgia Civil Procedure
• Financial Settlements and Support Issues in Divorce: QDROs and Other Legal Tactics to Ensure Your Client’s Financial Future
• Depositions A to Z

Bill’s Community Service

• Maple Avenue United Methodist Church (UMC), Member, 2021 – Present
• North Georgia Conference of The UMC Committee on Investigations, 2024 – Present
• Legal Counsel District Union, 2025
• Cobb County Law Library Board, Trustee, 2021 – Present
• District Union Committee, Central West District/Atlanta West District, North Georgia Conference, UMC, Chair, 2012 – 2023
• Due West UMC, Marietta, GA, Member, 2000 – 2021
• Lay Leader, 2016 – 2018
• Administrative Board, Chair & Secretary, 2013 – 2016
• Long-Range Planning Committee, Chair, 2009 – 2011
• Lay Delegate, North Georgia Conference, UMC, 2006 – 2008
• Staff-Parish Relations Committee (Chair, 2004-2007, 2012-2013), 2003 – 2013
• Mountain Top Boys Home, Board of Directors, 2016 – 2020
• Walker School Football Booster Club, Walker School, President, 2007 – 2008
• Booster Club, Walker School, 2004 – 2006
• Coached, sponsored youth baseball teams, Oregon Park, West Cobb, 1996 – 2000
• Hardage Farm Homeowners Association, Trustee, 1994 – 1996
• McEachern UMC, Powder Springs, GA, 1993 – 1999
• Administrative Board Member at Large, 1995 – 1998

 

Testimonial Quotes from Bill Gentry’s book, “I Want Out”

“I’ve known and worked closely with Bill for years, and one word best characterizes him: service. I Want Out captures perfectly Bill’s dedication to serving others by relaying how he has helped client after client navigate the divorce process, and more often than not, come out better on the other side of it. It is Bill’s service-first perspective that makes him such a capable lawyer, and it is what should draw any woman considering divorce to this book.” 

 Darrell L. Sutton, owner of Sutton Law Group LLC and president of the State Bar of Georgia 2019-20

 

“Using his years of experience, his extensive knowledge of the law, and his compassion for his clients, Bill Gentry has created a masterful book which will be invaluable to women going through a most challenging and painful time. This book provides insight into the law in a positive, encouraging manner. You will want him on your team; he dies not disappoint.”

Janet “Janel” Wiles, partner at Wiles & Wiles LLP, and John J. Wiles former Georgia legislator and managing partner at Wiles & Wiles LLP

 

“I have known Bill Gentry for more than 35 years and have had the pleasure of Bill appearing in front of me on hundreds of occasions. He is always prepared to zealously advocate for his family law clients. In his book I Want Out, he outlines the divorce process from a woman’s perspective in the state of Georgia. I believe this book will assist women to navigate the divorce process in Georgia.”

Retired Superior Court Judge Robert E. Flournoy III, Cobb Judicial Circuit, state of Georgia

 

“Whether you are a working woman who is the breadwinner of your family, or a stay-home mom (CEO of your household), this book is for you. No woman should have to worry about her future just because her husband did not hold up his end of the agreement. If your husband has told you will be left with nothing if you leave, don’t fall for it. Bill Gentry won’t let that happen. Take the first step and read this book. Knowledge is power.”

Phyllis Collins, owner and operator of Phyllis Law

 

“I have known Bill Gentry for 40 years. I was a mentor in his early career and have watched him develop as a leader or the organized bar and as one of the leading divorce lawyers in Georgia. Bill has written a book, I Want Out, that answers questions that a person has when she faces a divorce. I highly recommend this book.”

Harold T. “Hal” Daniel, Jr., president, State Bar of Georgia 1994-95