Local lawmaker, two colleagues launch historic law firm

The nation’s first law firm led by three sitting lawmakers – all Black women – will have a local office. 

State Reps. LaVon Bracy Davis, Ashley Gantt and Michele Rayner announced the launch of BDGR, P.A. on Juneteenth, the federal holiday commemorating the end of slavery. The three joined forces to advance justice, equity and strategic legal counsel throughout Florida, and the firm’s moniker is an acronym representing each legislator’s last name.

Rayner’s House District 62 encompasses a wide swath of St. Petersburg and parts of Hillsborough County. She noted the three will now not only help create laws but also ensure the legislation is “working for the people we get to serve as attorneys.”

“I think there was a commonality between us serving in the Legislature as Black women attorneys, who obviously became friends,” Rayner told the Catalyst. “I think we realized our voices were stronger together than apart.” 

BDGR offers legal services across a spectrum of practice areas, including civil rights, criminal defense, family law, estate planning and government affairs. The three partners believe that access to justice is a right and not a privilege. 

Rayner said she and her fellow lawmakers will play to their strengths. She called them “movement attorneys.”

Davis is a former attorney for the Florida Department of Children and Families and a nonprofit executive. She represents House District 40 in northwest Orange County, outside of Orlando, and will specialize in family, government and community law. 

Gantt is a former teacher and public defender who founded a law firm led by Black women in 2021. She represents House District 109 in Miami-Dade County and will focus on civil litigation, probate law, estate planning and education equity. 

Rayner, a nationally renowned civil rights attorney,  has also led a firm and will handle social justice and criminal defense efforts. She and Gantt have previously worked together outside of the Florida House, and partnering to launch BDGR “felt like a natural progression of the next steps for us when we were thinking about our legal career.” 

The three will combine their legal expertise and lived experiences in their communities, courtrooms and the state’s Capitol to provide impact-driven legal representation. “Nothing happens by chance,” they collectively said in a prepared statement. 

“Our journeys have combined for us to be more powerful together than separately,” the statement continued. “We look forward to representing the people of Florida, not only in the Legislature but also in the courtroom – from the Panhandle to the Keys.” 

Reps. Michele Rayner (left), Lavon Bracy Davis (center) and Ashley Gantt will open offices in Tampa Bay, Orlando and Miami.

Rayner believes their unique perspectives set them apart from other attorneys. While BDGR welcomes clients of all races, the firm will work to bolster Black causes. 

Rayner said the three lawmakers understand that “if the people who are the most marginalized are protected, everyone else is going to be fine.” She also noted that they are standing “on the shoulders of incredible Black women – giants who came before us.” 

BDGR will have offices in Tampa Bay, Orlando and Miami. Prominent civil rights lawyer Benjamin Crump offered his support. 

“I’ve had the honor of walking alongside each of these women in the fight for justice – and I can say without hesitation, BDGR Law is built on brilliance, integrity and an unshakable commitment to our communities,” Crump said. “LaVon (Bracy Davis), Ashley (Gantt) and Michele (Rayner) don’t just know the law – they live it, they lead it and they use it to lift others up. 

“This firm is more than a practice – it’s a movement.” 

While Rayner said an outpouring of support “means the world,” she noted the three lawmakers did not launch the firm to garner acclaim or validation. “We went into this because we believed it was right,” she said. 

The partners hope to mitigate “heightened attacks on civil rights, reproductive justice and community autonomy.” Rayner noted that BDGR’s motto is “rooted in service and driven by justice” and pledged that clients would not find anyone “more dogged and persistent in protecting their rights.”