Jacqueline M. Thomas

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Jacqueline M. Thomas

Partner, Lacy Katzen LLP

Years in current role: 29

What do you enjoy most about your position?

The best part about being a personal injury litigator is having the opportunity to make a real difference in people’s lives. Clients who seek my help are typically at one of the lowest points they have ever endured. A serious injury affects not only the client, but the lives of everyone around them. They need an advocate to speak for them and to stand up for their rights against a daunting and typically more powerful opponent. Helping to level the playing field, giving the client their moment and achieving good outcomes for good people is extremely rewarding. I am also fortunate to be inspired on a daily basis by the strength and resolve of my clients. They typically maintain incredible courage, tenacity and integrity throughout their ordeal.

What is one thing you hope to accomplish before the end of the year?

I hope to finally take that vacation I have been promising myself!

What are the biggest current challenges in personal injury law?

One of the biggest challenges in personal injury law is overcoming bias. Because I focus my practice in personal injury and medical negligence law, many of my clients have suffered tragic losses. Whether it is the death of a family member or a life-altering injury, it is likely one of the most difficult ordeals of their lifetime. When I speak to opposing counsel, claims adjusters, people in the community and juries I often encounter a bias that people who pursue personal injury claims are dishonest. They are accused of being fakers, malingerers, or opportunists looking to collect a windfall from their situation. The challenge for me is to overcome the bias by fostering an understanding of the very personal experience of my clients and give them a voice to achieve closure and justice.

What do you think the biggest change in your practice area will be over the next 3-5 years?

How we train, develop and interact with young lawyers will continue to evolve and change. As we focus more on work-life balance, flexibility in the workplace and permit more remote opportunities, the development of young lawyers needs to be more deliberate. The power of in-person training and connection can be lost if most of your interactions are via computer screen. We can never underestimate the power of in-person connection in our careers. It is critical for career satisfaction to cultivate personal relationships with clients, mentors, colleagues, staff and even adversaries.

What do you enjoy most about practicing law in the Rochester area?

Rochester is a tight-knit legal community where you are able to get to know and respect your colleagues. We have outstanding lawyers and judges in and around Monroe County. There is generally a high level of professionalism and courtesy between lawyers and between bench and bar. Being a litigator means necessarily being adversarial on behalf of your clients. However, there is a difference between being a strong and effective advocate on behalf of your clients and simply being disagreeable for the sake of being disagreeable. The attorneys in the Rochester area seem to have a genuine respect for an excellent adversary and an understanding that an attorney doesn’t need to be nasty to achieve a successful outcome for his or her clients.

This profile is part of The Daily Record's Power List for Personal Injury for 2023. Information used in this profile was sourced from the honoree. View the full list here.