Zachary Thomas Porfiris

Licensed in NC & SC

“I represent people, not cases. I guess that means getting emotionally involved in your clients’ lives. That’s a price I’ll gladly pay to try to help the person, not just the case.” Richard A. Zitrin & Carol M. Langford, Legal Ethics in the Practice of Law 230 (1995).

A client’s case cannot be defined by the law alone. An attorney must recognize the potential impacts on the client’s life and keep the client’s most important goals in mind. I understand every family is different, and I am eager to use my counseling skills as I support clients through some of the most important decisions of their lives.

I grew up in Mooresville, North Carolina. Growing up, my father shared stories of how his own broken family shaped his upbringing. He told me about his immigrant father who struggled to adapt to the ideals of an American nuclear family with my grandmother, the economic hardships my grandmother faced as a young single mother, and the stress involved with high-conflict communication between divorced co-parents. Learning from these stories and understanding why my own father worked so hard to provide for our family, I found my passion for law – an opportunity to counsel those adapting to changing circumstances and accomplishing new beginnings.

I studied economics and finance at the University of North Carolina Wilmington and am a graduate of the University of South Carolina School of Law, where I developed a strong background in advocacy and leadership. I received the CALI Award by the non-profit consortium of law schools throughout the United States which conducts applied research and development in the area of legal education. Recipients of the CALI Award are identified by faculty and given to the highest scorer. I served as the Student Bar Association’s president and a student member of the John Belton O’Neall American Inn of Court. I earned a leadership certification from the Konduros Leadership Development Program, further equipping me with creativity, strategic thinking, and problem-solving strategies to best help my clients with evolving environments. I also have a background in legislative research from my tenure with the South Carolina Legislative Council.

Today, I am an experienced attorney licensed in North Carolina and South Carolina. I am honored to serve all clients in the areas of domestic and family law, child custody, child support, spousal support, property division, divorce, dissolution of relationships, retrieval of property, premarital agreements, postnuptial agreements, separation agreements, property settlement agreements, contempt, breach/enforcement of contracts, domestic violence, no-contact orders, cyberbullying, defamation, discrimination, harassment, real estate transactions, and estate planning. As an active member of the Carolinas’ LGBTQ+ community myself, I developed a niche in my practice for advocating for LGBTQ+ rights and equality.

I am a dedicated member of the National LGBTQ+ Bar Association and National Center for Lesbian Rights’ Family Law Institute, a board member for the Pauli Murray LGBTQ+ Bar Association, actively involved with the North Carolina Bar Association’s Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Committee, and a business leader in the Carolinas LGBT+ Chamber of Commerce. I volunteer with the Mecklenburg County, North Carolina, 26th Judicial District Court’s SelfServe Center’s Custody and Visitation Clinic, write legal opinion articles for Qnotes Magazine, and play sports with Stonewall Sports Charlotte. Outside of serving my clients and being actively involved in our community, I enjoy spending time with my partner, family, and friends, exercising on Peloton and at Barry’s Bootcamp, staying active outdoors, and attending concerts and shows.

I joined Johannesmeyer & Sawyer because of the Firm’s commitment to providing full service, personalized, and focused counsel for each client’s specific home, family, real estate, estate planning, and business needs. My primary goal at Johannesmeyer & Sawyer is to help our clients navigate their own lives and life-long meaningful relationships – whether that includes changing circumstances or building upon new relationships.

While advocating with integrity, honesty, and trustworthiness, I am prepared to stand for clients who need legal, personal, and emotional guidance. I would be honored to help you, your family, and your business accomplish resolution. Your family is not just another case to me.