Practice Areas

   
• Workers Compensation Law
   
• Social Security - Disability
   
• Personal Injury Motor Vehicle Accidents

 BIO:

David is an Asheville based Social Security Disability and Workers’ Compensation Lawyer. He provides nearly four (4) decades of experience representing injured and disabled clients throughout western North Carolina. At the David Gantt Law Office, he provides clients with knowledgeable and compassionate representation as he pursues compensation and benefits for workers' compensation, Social Security Disability, and personal injuries on their behalf.  David is a North Carolina Board Certified Specialist in Workers’ Compensation Law, though the primary focus of his practice is Social Security Disability Benefits.

He enjoys spending his free time with his wife and two (2) children and one (1) grandson. The Gantts enjoy hiking and traveling. David and Charise Gantt are UNC-Chapel Hill graduates. Charise Gantt is a pharmacist at the Minnie Jones Clinic.  Brett Gantt is a UNC-Chapel Hill graduate, holds a Ph.D. from NCSU in Atmospheric and Environmental Studies, is employed by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) at Research Triangle Park, and serves on the Apex Town Council.  Carrie Gantt Tarkocin is a Duke undergrad, graduate of George Washington University Law School, and current student at University of Chicago MBA School.

Education:

   
•  University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (B.A. in Economics, 1978)
   
• Campbell University Law School (J.D. 1981)

Admissions:

   
• North Carolina State Bar, 1981
   
• S. District Court, Western District of North Carolina; 1981
   
• S. Court of Appeals, Fourth Circuit, 1984
   
• S. District Court, Middle District of North Carolina; 1984
   
• S. Supreme Court; 1985

Certifications:

   
• Board Certified Specialist in Workers Compensation - Claimant’s Law
  North Carolina Board of Legal Specialization

Professional Memberships & Associations:

   
• 28th Judicial District
   
• North Carolina State Bar
   
• North Carolina Bar Association
   
• American Bar Associations
   
• North Carolina Advocates for Justice, President’s Club
   
• Advocates for Justice, Sustaining Patron
   
• National Association of Social Security Disability Claimant's Representatives
   
• The National Trial Lawyers Top 100
   
• Top 100 Litigation Lawyers in NC, American Society of Legal Advocates 2013, 2014, 2015
   
• Top 100 Lawyers- National Advocates 2014, 2015
   
• Society of Legal Advocates- 2013, 2014, 2015
   
• Top 100 Lawyers in NC- American Trial Lawyers Association 2009, 2010
   
• National Advocates - Top 15 Social Security Disability Law since 2019

Professional Recognition

   
• NC State Bar Association Centennial Award for Community Service 2005
   
• NC State Bar Association Citizen Lawyer Award 2007
   
• Super Lawyer, North Carolina Super Lawyers Magazine 2009, 2010, since 2017
   
• AV Preeminent Peer Rated Lawyer by Martindale-Hubbell, since 2014
  
     
  • Martindale Hubbell Client Distinction Award, 2015
  
  
   
• Best Lawyers in America Workers’ Compensation Claimants Section, since 2015
  
     
  • Workers’ Compensation Lawyer of the Year for Claimants in Asheville, 2017
  
  
   
• S.News/Best Lawyers in America “Best Law Firms”, Workers’ Compensation, Asheville
   
• Leaders in the Law Award by Elon University and NC Lawyers Week, 2016
   
• North Carolina Bar Association, General Practice Hall of Fame, Inductee, June 2016.

Public Recognition:

   
• Charles Campbell Regional Leadership Award 2004
   
• Circle of Excellence Award for Community Leadership 2005
   
• RiverWise Award for French Broad River Preservation 2006
   
• Friend of the Blue Ridge Parkway
   
• Friends of the River Award 2007
   
• WENOA Sierra Club Leadership Award 2010
   
• Environmental Excellence Award- Asheville Greenworks 2011
   
• Stepp Labor Leader Award- WNC Central Labor Council 2012
   
• WNC Elected Official of the Year – Mountain True 2015
   
• Marvin Collins Outstanding Planning Award for Distinguished Leadership by an Elected Official, American Planning Association NC, 2016
   
• Champion of Buncombe County Animals - Asheville Humane Society, 2016
   
• Minnie Jones Social Justice Award, 2016
   
• Greenway Hero, Friends of Connect Buncombe, 2016
   
• American Political Leadership Award, Sierra Club, 2016
   
• Gantt Square dedicated in gratitude for David's service to the County Commission, 2017
   
• Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy, Legacy Award 2017
   
• MLK Humanitarian Award, MLK Association of Asheville & Buncombe County, 2017

Presentations:

   
• “Why practice SS law?”- NC Advocates for Justice, October 2010
   
• “WC Ethics” NC Industrial Commission, October 2010
   
• “SS law for Paralegals”- NC Paralegal Association, September 2010
   
• “Basics in Social Security Law”- NC Advocates for Justice, June 2009
   
• “Basic Social Security Benefits”- NC Academy of Trial Lawyers, September, 2006
   
• “Where do I find Social Security Rules and Regulations?,” NC Academy of Trial Lawyers, March, 2006
   
• ”Social Security Regulations”- NC Academy of Trial Lawyers, December, 2003
   
• “Damages in Workers’ Compensation Cases”- NC Academy of Trial Lawyers, October, 2003;
   
• “Ethics in Worker’s Compensation Cases”- NC Bar Association, February, 2003;
   
• “Intro to Social Security law”- NC Academy of Trial Lawyers, December, 2002;
   
• “All Star Trial of Sex Harassment Case”- NC Bar Association, February, 2001;
   
• “Interpreting Social Security Language for Beginners”- NC Academy of Trial Lawyers, December, 1999;
   
• “Social Security Jargon for Beginners" NC Academy of Trial Lawyers, December, 1998;
   
• “Social Security Language Made Easy”- NC Academy of Trial Lawyers, November, 1996;
   
• Ethics in Worker's Compensation Cases" Wake Forest University, January, 1996;
   
• "Social Security Administrative Mistakes and Remedies"- NC Academy of Trial Lawyers, October, 1995.
   
• "Ethics from the Plaintiff's Workers’ Compensation Perspective" Wake Forest University CLE, August, 1994;
   
• "Advanced Worker's Compensation and Ethics" NC Academy of Trial Lawyers, October, 1993;
   
• "Farmer's Right of First Refusal”-North Carolina Academy of Trial Lawyers, September, 1991;
   
• "Trying the Automobile Injury Case in North Carolina" National Business Institute, August, 1991.

 

   
• Speaker at major government events
  
     
  • “Creative Sector Summit”- Asheville, NC, April 2015
     
  • “Entrepreneurship/Small Business Summit”- Western Carolina University- Cullowhee, NC, April 2015
     
  • Keynote on “Regional Partnership thoughts and benefits’- Southeastern Regional Directors Institute-Asheville, NC, May 2013
     
  • “Benefits of Open Spaces”- National Association of Counties- Pittsburgh, PA, July 15, 2012
     
  • “A new sustainability index for WNC”- Southern Appalachian Man and the Biosphere conference- Asheville, NC, November 17, 2011
     
  • “Economics of the Blue Ridge Parkway”- Virginia Tech Symposium- Roanoke, VA, October 2010
     
  • Keynote on “Motivation and Inspiration”- NC Employment Security Commission employees- Charlotte, NC, October 2009 and October 2006
  
  

Publications:

   
• “Woodson Worker’s Compensation Case”,North Carolina Academy of Trial Lawyer Magazine, January, 1996
   
• Buncombe County Lawyer Newsletter(Editor), 1993-1998

Social and Community Engagement: (current and past)

   
• Martin Luther King, Jr. Committee
   
• Life Member NAACP
   
• WorkForce Development Board
   
• United Way
   
• Eblen Charities Foundation
   
• Asheville Airport Authority
   
• Metropolitan Sewerage District Board
   
• NC Employment Security Commission 2008- 2012 Governor Appointment
   
• Mountain Resources Commission- 2010- 2013 Governor Appointment
   
• Asheville Buncombe Community Relations Council
   
• NC Advocates for Justice Board of Governors
   
• Chair- Disability Advocate Section of NC Advocates for Justice 2008
   
• University of North Carolina Chapel Hill Parents Council
   
• Pack Square Park Conservancy Board
   
• President, Glen Arden PTA
   
• Dean, People’s Law School- NC Academy of Trial Lawyers
   
• Chairman of 2012 March of Dimes Babies Walk
   
• Polar Plunge for Meals on Wheels- Polar Bear Club

Employment History:

   
• David Gantt Law Office, since 1981

Political Service:

   
• Elected to Buncombe County Commission 1996 to 2016
  
     
  • Chair 2008-2016
  
  
   
• Elected as Chair of Land of Sky Regional Council 2001 to 2004
   
• Appointed by Governor; Chair of Mountain Resources Commission 2010- 2013
   
• Appointed by Governor, North Carolina Employment Security Commission 2008-2012