From Engineer to Judge: Jeffrey Garis, is a successful practicing attorney for over 30 years, and is currently licensed to practice law in North and South Carolina, New York and Connecticut. Jeff has also been an extremely effective arbitrator and certified mediator for over 25 years in Mecklenburg County, NC. In 1995, when Jeff and his family, Elyse, his wife since 1975, and his three sons, Jordan, Dustin and Arden, first moved from New York to Charlotte, NC, he was hired as the Assistant Clerk of Court of Mecklenburg County, NC where he was the Legal/Hearing Officer – ex-officio Probate Judge. Jeff was responsible for the management of 125 people in the Clerk’s Office, was Legal Advisor to the Courts and Judicial Hearing Officer over such matters as: Incompetency, Guardianships, Probate & Estates, Real Estate Partitions, Foreclosures, Default Judgments, Claim & Delivery, Minor’s Funds, Property Bonds, Judgment Enforcement, and other Special Proceedings. While at the Clerk’s office Jeff was a member of the Domestic Violence Task Force Committee, a member of the Family Court Task Force Committee and a member of the NC Child Support Council.
Jeff grew up in a small, highly integrated neighborhood in Queens, New York. In 1970, at the age of 16, while working as a horseback riding instructor, teaching young children how to ride and jump in a summer camp in upstate New York, he met a 15 year old girl, named Elyse. They have been together ever since. They have been married for almost 50 years, and after 54 years together they are still very much in love.
In 1975, Jeff graduated from Polytechnic Institute of New York as a Bio-Medical Engineer. It was a 5 year combined program of Electrical Engineering and pre-Med which Jeff completed in just 4 years. In 1976 Jeff joined Siemens Medical Systems, Inc. initially as a salesman and later on as a Regional Manager, selling highly sophisticated medical equipment to hospitals where he spent a great deal of time in operating rooms, intensive care units, and cardiology departments. During his almost 16 year tenure, he was ranked as one of the most successful salesmen/managers in the company’s history. He was the only recipient of the President’s Award and was the first 1, 2, 3, & 4 Million Dollar Sales Representative.
While working a full time job, which required a fair amount of overnight travel, married, raising three young sons and a home owner, in 1986 at the age of 32, Jeff decided to pursue his true passion, he went to law school at night for 4 years, and in 1990, he graduated and passed the New York and Connecticut Bar on his first try. He then immediately opened the Garis Law Firm, in White Plains, NY, a full service general law practice handling such matters as: Business/Corporate, Bankruptcy & Debtors/Creditors Rights, Real Estate, Estate Planning (Wills & Trusts) & (Probate), Collections, Arbitration and Mediation, Civil Litigation, Foreclosure, Family Law & Child Custody and Support, Personal Injury, Medical Malpractice, and Criminal.
In 1995, after living their entire lives in New York and living in beautiful Westchester County for almost 20 years, Jeff and Elyse decided it was time to make a change. By chance they found Charlotte, NC and instantly fell in love with the area. Elyse, a former art teacher, who was the owner of the One of a Kind Art Gallery in NY, sold her business and Jeff closed his law practice and without any jobs waiting for them, Jeff and Elyse packed up the 3-kids and 2-dogs and 1-iguana and moved to Charlotte where they had to start all over.
After leaving the Clerk’s office at the end of 1996, Jeff immediately re-opened the Garis Law Firm in Charlotte, NC, handling such matters as: Corporate & Business, Real Estate, Arbitration & Mediation (Resolving Disputes without Litigation), Estate, Civil Litigation, Bankruptcy, Personal Injury, Family Law, Special Proceedings, and Immigration. For many years, Jeff was also a NC State Court Appointed Child Support Enforcement Attorney. Several years ago Jeff took and passed the South Carolina Bar and then opened a second office in Fort Mill, SC.
Over the years, Jeff has lectured on such topics as: Business Law, Real Estate, Foreclosure, Estate Planning, Bankruptcy, and Alternate Dispute Resolution – Arbitration & Mediation.
In addition to having a passion for his family and the practice of law, Jeff loves to rescue and restore old sailboats, and of course, he loves to sail.
Jeff actively pursued the opportunity to serve as Chester County Chief Magistrate because he has another passion and that is to help his community. He felt that at this stage of his life and career he had a lot to offer the people of Chester County.
Even though he is a litigator, Jeff believes that there are two ways to resolve most issues, the easy way and the hard way and therefore, almost all civil matters can be and should be resolved outside of court. He believes that it is always better for one to have control over the outcome of their own issues rather that allowing someone else, a Judge or jury, to solve their problems, and that is why he strongly believes in the alternate dispute resolution concept.
After stepping down as Chester County, SC, Chief Magistrate Judge, Jeff went on to work with the County Attorney’s Office in Mecklenburg, NC, working with the Child Support Enforcement Agency. Jeff is currently active as a Mecklenburg County Arbitrator and Mediator and working with Timothy Abeel and Associates, LLC.