Magazine

At Sullivan Law, we believe in providing our clients with the best possible service, and we do so by offering a collaborative, team-based approach. When you choose us, you’re not just hiring a lawyer — you’re gaining a dedicated team of elite and experienced professionals working together to support you every step of the way. From the legal expertise at the heart of our firm to the specialized services we bring in from first class external partners, we ensure that every aspect of your case is handled with precision and care.

Richard Sullivan oversees your case, bringing more than 46 years of experience to guide the strategy and direction of your divorce. With Richard at the helm, you’re assured that your case will be managed with the utmost care, expertise, and insight.

In addition to Richard, you are assigned a dedicated Senior Associate with over 25 years of experience, Paralegal and Legal Assistant who will be actively working on your case, ensuring all details are handled effectively and efficiently. To complement this core team, our Director of Client Services ensure that you’re always informed about the status of your case and that you’re never left in the dark. Our team structure allows us to handle each aspect of your case at the appropriate expertise level, maximizing efficiency while providing the high-quality of service we demand of ourselves.

At Sullivan Law, we understand that legal fees can be a concern during an already stressful time. While our rates reflect the high level of expertise and reputation we’ve built, we take pride in delivering exceptional value. Unlike firms that may burn through your budget unnecessarily, we are strategic and deliberate with every dollar you invest throughout this process. Our streamlined processes and coordinated team ensure that your case is handled efficiently, without unnecessary work or wasted resources. You can trust us to prioritize your time and financial investment while providing the uncompromising quality of service you deserve with a prestigious firm like ours.

When you hire Sullivan Law, you hire a team of best-in-class professionals who will provide you with the most comprehensive support available for your divorce. From legal strategy to financial planning and emotional support, we have the expertise and resources to guide you through every step of this difficult process. With us, you’re never alone. You’ll have a team of leading professionals working together to deliver the best results possible, all while keeping your best interests at the forefront.

Ronald L. Bell has been practicing law since the age of twenty-three and is the founder of Ronald L. Bell & Associates P.C. Libertyville Illinois. Mr. Bell graduated from the Lake Forest College with a Bachelor of Arts in History and Political Science Magna Cum Laude in 1976. Subsequently, in 1980 he obtained his Juris Doctor from the prestigious John Marshall Law School, Chicago, Illinois. Mr. Bell graduated top of his class with distinction and was the law Research Editor from 1978 to 1979. Admitted to the State Bar of Illinois, He represents clients before the U.S. District Court Northern District of Illinois, U.S. Court of Appeals 7th Circuit, and the U.S. Supreme Court. As the sole practitioner of the Ronald L. Bell & Associates P.C., Mr. Bell practices family law, divorce, custody and visitation, child support, property division, criminal defense, drunk driving, personal injury, motor vehicle accidents, business organizations and business litigation. Before building his practice, Mr. Bell held notable positions. From 1980 to 1984, he was the Assistant Attorney General of the Illinois Attorney General’s office and served as the Special Prosecutor for DuPage County, Criminal Justice General Law Division. Mr. Bell was personally chosen for these positions by the Illinois Attorney General. Mr. Bell is renowned as a high-stakes litigator and has successfully managed multi-million-dollar lawsuits and divorce as the lead counsel as well as numerous areas such as contract, partnership disputes, personal injury, and medical malpractice. He also has considerable experience in prosecuting and defending criminal felonies and misdemeanors. Mr. Bell has over 40 years of experience in handling divorce and custody related legal matters. He oversees all his cases with professionalism and provides the best possible service for his clients. He has received numerous honors and accolades because of his tremendous contributions to the legal field. He has been rated as Top 10 DUI Defense Lawyer in Illinois, Top 100 Trial Attorneys State of Illinois, Top 1% of the Best Attorneys in America by the National Association of Distinguished Counsel, and he holds a certification as a Trial Master. Mr. Bell has also authored the book “Dealing with Divorce in Illinois” and contributed to various publications. Avocationally, he collects sport memorabilia.

Richard Sullivan- 46 Years of Experience

Attorney License Number: 83025

A veteran attorney with four decades of legal experience, Richard Sullivan is widely regarded as one of the top family law attorneys in the Orange County area. He is compassionate and competent, always dedicated to securing the best possible result for his clients, whether this is accomplished inside or outside of the courtroom. He is a talented litigator with a background in criminal defense, using his experience to better protect his clients’ best interests.

Richard obtained his Bachelor of Arts degree from Southeast Missouri State University and his Juris Doctor degree, with honors, from Western State College of Law. After passing the bar, he began his career as a criminal litigator, where he was able to hone his courtroom skills. In 1996, Richard devoted his practice exclusively to family law and has tried over 15,000 cases in this field.

Richard is a member of the Orange County Bar Association and the Orange County Family Law Section of the State Bar of California. He has been appointed by the Orange County Superior Court to represent minors on several occasions and has acted as Special Master to the Court to address litigation in domestic relation actions. He has served as a lecturer, instructor, and panelist for the State Bar of California, Orange County Bar Association, Western State School of Law, and Chapman School of Law.

Richard is an executive committee member of the Orange County Bar Association, Family Law Section, and has served in this role since 2010. He is also a board member of the Orange County Community Service Program – CSP Victim Assistance.

Through the years, Richard has had the privilege of helping families across Southern California in complex matters related to:

• Adoption
• Divorce
• Child custody
• Child support
• Spousal support
• Property division
• Prenuptial and postnuptial agreements
• Post-divorce modifications
• Guardianship
• Domestic violence

He takes pride in delivering results-driven counsel tailored to his client’s unique needs.

Education

• South East Missouri State University, B.A. (1973)
• Western State College of Law, J.D. (1978)

Bar Admissions

• State Bar of California (1978)
• California Supreme Court (1978)
• U.S. District Court, Central District (1980)
• U.S. Federal Tax Court (1981)

Gray Ellis is the founder and managing partner of Ellis Family Law and has successfully represented individuals and families in their most important legal matters for more than 20 years. He is a North Carolina Board Certified Specialist, with offices in multiple cities in the Triangle area. He has represented clients in district and superior court, and also the North Carolina Appeals and North Carolina Supreme Court.

His accomplished career has been recognized by many professional agencies, and he has received numerous awards of distinction such as The North Carolina Family Law Power List, North Carolina Leaders in the Law, Martindale-Hubbell Preeminent Rating, BBB Ethics Award, amongst others.

In addition to his training and experience, Gray believes his effectiveness on behalf of clients is due in part to his personal experience as a parent who has gone through a separation.

“Perspective is very powerful, especially in issues involving divorce, child custody, support, and end of life planning. I feel my background makes me a more effective advocate on behalf of our clients and provides an extra layer of determination and understanding about exactly what it is they are going through when they hire our firm.” – Gray Ellis

Gray is also a believer in giving back to both the legal profession and broader communities served by the practice. He has taught numerous continuing legal education courses on a variety of topics, served as a visiting lecturer at Triangle area law schools, and mentored numerous younger attorneys. He also served as a Board Member of Meals on Wheels Durham and created and implemented the Feed the Need Gala, an annual event dedicated to raising awareness and funding to fight nutritional challenges among our elderly population. It has become the agencies’ highest annual fundraising effort.

In his free time, Gray enjoys tennis, golf, traveling and watching ACC sporting events.

Richard Bruce Gantt is an award-winning Board Certified Family Law specialist with over 20 years of experience. He has been chosen for Super Lawyers and the Business North Carolina magazine’s “Legal Elite” Hall of Fame and is rated 10 out of 10 on Avvo.com. Richard frequently teaches continuing legal education seminars for other attorneys in his practice area on topics such as trial techniques, business valuation and division of assets, tax considerations, advanced custody issues, and spousal support (to name a few).

Richard graduated cum laude from Wake Forest where he was a Poteat Scholar and a member of the track team and the National Politics Honor Society. He then earned an MBA from Regent University where he was a Dean’s Merit Scholar. Richard graduated from Tulane Law School where he was a member of the Environmental Law journal and the Moot Court Board, was President of the Phi Delta Phi honor fraternity, and represented the school on both the interschool Trial and Appellate teams. After graduating law school, Richard studied Taxation in the Georgetown LLM program, worked for several years in Investment Banking assisting small business owners, earned his Series 79 certification, and practiced family law for several large firms in Chicago before returning to North Carolina to practice family law in the Triangle.

Richard understands the stress of going through a divorce because he walked that road and was, for many years, a single father. He is passionate about fighting for those in crisis and brings all of his talents to bear on behalf of his clients. A Triangle-area native, Richard grew up in Sanford, North Carolina. He is a member of the Cary-Kildaire Rotary Club, Be Renewed Church, and Mensa. When he isn’t practicing law, Richard enjoys playing club rugby, sport shooting, Taekwondo, and traveling with his lovely wife, Sanan, their five sons, and their two dogs.