Montana

Paul D. Odegaard

Billings, MT

Paul Odegaard, a North Dakota native, began his legal career in Montana in 1999. He graduated with honors from the University of Minnesota in 1994 and earned his law degree from the University of North Dakota School of Law in 1998, where he was inducted into the Order of the Coif. After clerking for the North Dakota Supreme Court, he practiced civil litigation, focusing on personal injury and workers' compensation. In 2008, he started his own practice, which evolved into Odegaard Injury Lawyers in 2023, dedicated to representing victims of physical injuries or wrongful death, particularly in the Bakken oil fields. He is recognized by Best Lawyers in America for Workers' Compensation Law for multiple years.

For 40+ years, Clifford Edwards has dedicated his law practice to representing individual Montanans and their small businesses. He is a founding attorney of Edwards & Culver. He was inducted into the International Academy of Trial Lawyers in 1996 and the American College of Trial Lawyers in 2002. He was named Montana Trial Lawyer of the Year in 1996 and has been listed in Best Lawyers in America since 1987. He holds the distinction of receiving the largest verdict in Montana that was affirmed, intact, with 10% statutory interest, in the State's history.

Nick Rowley

Nicholas Rowley is the founder of Trial Lawyers for Justice, representing individuals against corporations and insurance companies. He served as a military medic and earned a bachelor's degree by 19, starting law school at 20. He has authored and co-authored several books and created Trial By Human. Nick has received multiple Trial Lawyer of the Year awards, including from CAALA, and has extensive courtroom experience with 162 jury trials. He is an active philanthropist and, with his wife Courtney Rowley, received the Consumer Watchdog Rage for Justice Lifetime Achievement Award and CAALA’s Ted Horn Award for Service.

Sydney McKenna

Missoula, MT

Syd McKenna is a partner focusing on workers’ compensation and personal injury law in Montana, with over 30 years of experience. She was named 'Trial Lawyer of the Year' in 2012 by the Montana Trial Lawyers Association and recognized as a Super Lawyer and a top 50 women lawyer in the Mountain States. She has held leadership roles in the Montana Trial Lawyers Association.

Jeffrey G. Wigington

Corpus Christi, TX

Our success is based on trust, respect and strong relationships we build with our clients and referring counsel. Jeff received his Bachelor of Arts degree in business from Baylor University in 1989. Jeff obtained his law degree from the Wake Forest University School of Law in 1992. At Wake Forest, he was a member of the National Order of Barristers, Moot Court Board, and the American Inn of Court. After graduating from law school, Jeff joined the defense firm of Brin & Brin PC in Corpus Christi, Texas. He quickly distinguished himself and was named a partner after four years with the firm. Jeff joined Harris & Watts P.C. in 1998. His first case, a wrongful death product liability case, resulted in a $7.5 Million net recovery for his client. He became a partner in two years after amassing more than fifty million dollars ($50,000,000.00) in settlements and verdicts. Jeff Wigington and David Rumley established Wigington Rumley LLP in 2002. That first year they obtained a $225,000,000 verdict against Ford Motor Company, which was reported as one of the largest awards of actual damages in Texas history and the largest award of compensatory damages against Ford Motor Company, according to The Detroit News. See, “Lawsuits Target Ford SuperCab Roof; Jury Links Vehicle’s Roof Design to Ejection,” written by Bill Vlasic and Jeff Plungis and published by the Detroit News on April 12, 2004. In 2016, Jeff Wigington and Joe Dunn obtained a $125,000,000 verdict against Volkswagen/Audi. This verdict is considered the largest automobile product liability verdict in the history of Bexar County, Texas, and one of the largest against Audi. To date, Wigington, Rumley, Dunn & Blair, L.L.P. has generated more than one billion dollars in settlements and verdicts. Throughout his career, Jeff has been lead trial counsel in cases involving multi-million dollar recoveries for his clients and responsible for complex multi-district litigation. This includes his work as lead/liaison counsel on the Plaintiffs’ Steering Committee for the Texas Toyota Sudden Unintended Acceleration MDL (multidistrict litigation) and as a member of the Plaintiffs’ Steering Committee in Texas GM (General Motors) Ignition Switch MDL. Jeff continues to prosecute high-profile cases across the country. Jeff has been lead counsel in more than 300 significant cases involving defective products. He has prosecuted these cases against all major foreign and domestic automobile manufacturers in numerous states, including Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Florida, Idaho, Louisiana, Minnesota, Mississippi, Montana, Oklahoma, Oregon, Nebraska, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Washington and Wisconsin. Jeff has been a featured speaker in civil litigation seminars and is a published author on civil litigation issues. He has been published by the American Association for Justice in articles that include Ford's Dangerous Door-Latch Defects and The Best-Selling Defect in America. His cases have been profiled by, or he has been quoted as a legal authority, by The New York Times, the Los Angeles Times, USA Today and other major news organizations. Jeff was born in Anaheim, California on February 23, 1967. He graduated from high school in Pryor, Oklahoma in 1985. Jeff relocated to Corpus Christi after completing law school. Jeff is married to Lyn, his wife of 30 years. They have three children, Ella, George and Sophia. He is an avid sportsman, runner, and rancher.

Richard J. Suzuki

Phoenix, AZ

Richard J. Suzuki is the founding attorney of Suzuki Law Offices. He is licensed to practice law in Arizona, the US Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit, and various United States District Courts across multiple states. He began his legal career as a law clerk, then served as a criminal prosecutor at the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office, and later as an Assistant United States Attorney for the District of Arizona, handling federal felony cases. He is a member of numerous professional organizations and has received multiple honors and awards, specializing in criminal defense and personal injury law.