Reflections on Experience, Identity, and the Work That Connects Us All
Throughout my 25-year legal career, I’ve heard many comments—some curious, some complimentary:
At times, I’ve heard things like:
“You don’t really have clients, just cases.”
“It’s all numbers—you don’t work them up like real trial lawyers do.”
“You’re more of a case manager than a litigator.”
Such comments show a misunderstanding of what it is that mass tort lawyers do.
I don’t take offense, though. I see these moments as opportunities to help others understand the sheer depth, detail, and commitment required. In my experience, I represent hundreds or thousands of individuals harmed by corporate negligence, each with their own case filed in the courts.
Mass tort lawyers don’t just manage volume; we manage impact. Every client we represent has a story, a loss, a need for accountability—and we approach each case with the same duty of care and preparation that any high-stakes trial requires.
While the structure of mass torts—often consolidated in multi-district litigation—may look different from single-event cases, the core tasks remain familiar:
- We evaluate each client’s case individually
- Investigate and document complex medical or product-related injuries
- Assess causation through science, research, and expert testimony
- Manage discovery, draft motions, and prepare for trial with focus and strategy
- Zealously advocate for each individual client selected to go to trial not only through the trial itself but also through the appellate process
- And we do all of this knowing that one ruling or order may impact thousands of people
Throughout my career, from my early days with George Fleming in Texas to my time at Morgan & Morgan and now as a partner at Justice Law Collaborative, I’ve leaned into what I call the “two-court strategy”: pursuing litigation in the consolidated court while simultaneously advancing cases through individual state courts to push for trial dates. It’s a balancing act that requires creativity, perseverance, and a trial-ready mindset every step of the way. It is also a way to think outside of the box and that nothing is off the table as a legal strategy to ensure each client gets to be heard and hopefully have their day in court.
At one point, I helped lead a legal team managing more than 10,000 individual cases. That involved tens of thousands of depositions, expert disclosures, and fact sheets, while also coordinating litigation strategy, responding to court orders, drafting motions, and yes, preparing for trial and going to trial.
I’ve found that success in this field doesn’t just come from legal knowledge—it comes from knowing your clients, knowing your facts, and preparing to go the distance to trial. It comes from embracing leadership, building strong litigation teams, and never backing down from a challenge.
I’ve never seen a divide between mass tort lawyers, personal injury lawyers, medical malpractice attorneys, or any other trial lawyer who fights for the people. At the heart of our work is the same mission: hold wrongdoers accountable, pursue justice with integrity, and give every client a voice.
No matter how we structure our cases or where we, plaintiff attorneys, sit in the courtroom, we are part of the same community, and the work we do matters.
I’m proud to be a trial lawyer exercising the 7th Amendment on behalf of my clients to achieve justice. And I’m proud to stand alongside all of you in this shared fight for justice.