Trial Lawyers for Justice
Photographs by Bailey Jo Mill
Legal battles are David versus Goliath. Invariably, they are between human beings and an insurance company whose resources can appear limitless. The courts are meant to level this playing field so that everyone can receive full justice before the law. Nick and Courtney Rowley founded Trial Lawyers for Justice (TL4J) with an ethos of protecting civil rights and preserving the right to a jury trial. The mission, however, goes far beyond the courtroom. “We don’t want to just win cases, we want to change the world. It’s about standing up for the little guy when no one else will,” says Nick Rowley.
“We’re not just fighting for compensation for our clients; we’re fighting to make sure this doesn’t happen to anyone else.”
The Rowleys are well known for their commitment to improving the legal profession by helping lawyers learn the skills they need to represent other families and victims. “We are proud to be lawyers, and we believe that lawyers are an integral part of protecting and improving the American Civil Justice System,” explains Courtney. The Rowleys worked to pass the Fairness for Injured Patients Act, which replaced the 1975 insurance- and defense-backed medical negligence caps in California, called MIRCRA. They are actively involved in pro-patient legislation in other states.
“Until you see what happens to a family that has been destroyed by corporate greed or medical negligence, you won’t understand what we do or why we fight so hard,” says Nick. It’s this fight that can create industry-wide change setting precedents and inspiring reform. The cases that TL4J takes on have a far-reaching impact. They not only provide relief for clients and their families, but also create a ripple effect of accountability across industries.
In recent years, TL4J has achieved $100 million, $275 million and $857 million verdicts against Monsanto for families and school children who were affected by PCB chemical exposure at a school in Washington. Other achievements over the last year include a verdict of $45 million for a young girl who suffered a traumatic brain injury in a car accident and a verdict of $60 million against Tesla for a motorcyclist who was injured when a Tesla employee caused a crash. TL4J has recovered more than $3 billion in damages for injured families. “We’re not just fighting for compensation for our clients; we’re fighting to make sure this doesn’t happen to anyone else. We are fighting for a better world and a better country for everyone. Our work is about families,” says Courtney.
TL4J in California is made up of passionate lawyers focused on getting full justice for their clients in front of juries. “You can settle cases all day long, but when you take a case to trial, you can change the law,” Nick says. “You can change the world.” Nick, a U.S. Army veteran, and Courtney, the daughter of public school teachers, are dedicated to their philanthropy across the country and internationally. In Costa Rica, they founded a marine environmental conservation and research center. In Kenya, they have built and funded schools, education centers for girls, as well as drilling and setting up water wells to provide families access to water.If you’re interested in learning more about Nick, Courtney and the Trial Lawyers for Justice team, you can visit us at tl4j.com
