 Pierce was raised by his step-mother, Violet Abrahams Pierce, a registered nurse, and, until he was eleven, by his father, Harold E. Pierce Sr.. Lawrence and his older brother, Harold E. Pierce Jr., were separated and only reunited on holidays at the home of their paternal grandparents, Lillian Willets Pierce and Warren Wood Pierce.Pierce was married twice, first to Wilma Verenia Taylor, with whom he had three sons, Warren, Michael and Mark.Warren and Michael followed in their father's footsteps and studied law.