After early experience in public policy, Zoe Holleran, an associate attorney at Raleigh-based family law firm Gailor Hunt Davis Taylor & Gibbs, ultimately decided that “the most natural fit for me was to do family law, because it requires you to work very closely and personally with people.”
While studying public policy at UNC, Holleran was a public policy associate for the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention in Washington, DC. Although she enjoyed the mechanics of the law, Holleran found policy work too removed from the people and problems she wanted to help in real time.
“While policy can be impactful, it often feels removed from the individual,” explained Holleran. “I wanted to know the person I was helping and see, firsthand, how the outcome affected their life.”
While attending Campbell University School of Law, Holleran was a summer associate at Gailor Hunt and worked in the Gailor Family Law Litigation Clinic. The clinic provides free legal services to low-income individuals in the Raleigh area, giving Holleran hands-on experience serving clients. She joined Gailor Hunt as an attorney after earning her Juris Doctor last year. Her practice includes a caseload ranging from premarital agreements to child custody and complex equitable distribution cases.
High Stakes/High Empathy
Holleran said that empathy and open communication help her navigate the often emotionally charged nature of family law. “Being able to read the room helps me meet clients where they are, ask better questions, and guide them through a process that can feel intimidating.”
Holleran said she adapts her communication style to each client. “Some people come in guarded, and I have to work to draw out the details of their case. Others want to tell me everything, and I work with them to focus the conversation.”
It’s not uncommon for clients to arrive with a scorched-earth mindset, according to Holleran. “People might come in and say, ‘I want to take my spouse for all they’re worth.’” One of her first priorities is resetting expectations, without dismissing what clients are feeling.
In her initial meeting with clients, she grounds them in what the law can and cannot provide. “It’s not a client’s job to come in with a full understanding of family law; that’s my job,” Holleran said. “In areas like equitable distribution, the process can feel unfamiliar and complicated. I take time to walk clients through what the process will look like, what is realistic, and where our energy is best focused.”
“Everyone wants to feel heard,” explained Holleran. “While clients may be seeking legal advice, ensuring they feel seen and understood is equally important in getting them across the finish line. As their attorney, I pride myself on ensuring that clients know I’m hearing the things that are important to them.
“Clients are usually walking in during one of the hardest moments of their lives. Emotions are running high, and that’s okay; it’s not irrational, it’s human.” Her goal is to help clients make informed decisions by balancing emotions with the legal realities of their case. “High stakes require high empathy. Family law requires both compassion and clear-eyed judgment. You can’t do one without the other.”
Attention to Detail
In her free time, Holleran enjoys making sourdough bread and cooking dinner when she gets home. “I enjoy the precision of it,” she said. “There are many moving parts, but if you pay attention and stay patient, you can bring everything together in a way that works.”
That same attention to detail carries into her practice. “I want my clients to know that I am always present and truly understand every detail of their case, so I can help them bring everything together in a way that gives them a clear path forward.”
