Robert L. Gavin holds a bachelor's degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and a law degree from the University of North Carolina School of Law. He began his career in the private sector, establishing a timber business before practicing law with a family firm. Gavin served in the United States Army Coast Artillery Corps during World War II and later held positions as Assistant United States District Attorney and United States District Attorney for the Middle District of North Carolina. He transitioned between public service and private legal practice, including a tenure as city attorney of Sanford. Gavin also served on the North Carolina State Constitution Study Commission and as a special judge on the North Carolina Superior Court.

Robert L. Gavin's political career reveals a complex ideological positioning, marked by a critical stance on civil rights while simultaneously advocating for cross-party support to achieve his goals. His opposition to the Civil Rights Act of 1964 contrasts sharply with his later push for the Republican Party to engage with black voters. Gavin's economic strategy of promoting a "fusion" of Democratic and Republican voters in 1960 highlights an ideologically flexible approach. His judicial appointments, first by a Republican governor and later by a Democrat, further illustrate a calculated, non-partisan judicial philosophy.