Brian LaCien, a managing partner of Smith LaCien LLP, a law firm concentrating in catastrophic injury, wrongful death and medical malpractice cases, has been selected by the Board of Managers of the Illinois Trial Lawyers Association (ITLA) to serve on the Association of Justice (AAJ) Board of Governors for the 2020-21 fiscal year. Currently, he is the chair of the AAJ’s Aviation Section. 

A member of ITLA since 2003, LaCien has been a member of its board. In addition, he currently serves as chair of the Tort Law Section of the Illinois State Bar Association. 

Smith LaCien managing partner Todd A. Smith is also is a past president of the AAJ and now serves as chair of the AAJ’s Endowment Fund and as board member of the organization’s Center for Constitutional Litigation. Smith is a past president of ITLA, Association of Trial Lawyers of America and the Illinois State Bar Association. He has served in a leadership capacity for numerous other national, regional and local lawyer groups.

The mission of the American Association for Justice is to promote a fair and effective justice system—and to support the work of attorneys in their efforts to ensure that any person who is injured by the misconduct or negligence of others can obtain justice in America’s courtrooms, even when taking on the most powerful interests. ITLA is a statewide organization whose lawyer-members represent injured consumers and worker, and fights to ensure all citizens get a fair trial, even when taking on powerful interest groups.