Chris Jackman was born and raised in Dallas, Texas, and still practices law there today. When he was a student in law school, Chris Jackman took part in many internships and worked for a judge in the area. After graduating from law school in 2012, Chris has been practicing law full time; giving him over a decade of experience as a lawyer. Chris’s field of expertise in law is personal injury and family matters.
Why did you decide to create your own business?
I decided to start my own business out of an overarching need to help my clients better than when I was working at a law firm for management. As an employee for someone else, I found that I was simply unable to create the kind of change that I could if I worked for myself. I struck off and started my own firm with the mission to help people receive compensation for their injuries and finality to their family situation.
In addition to my legal work, I have also begun the process of a 501c3 charity to help children who are hearing impaired. On my own, I am better able to help people than I would if I was working for another lawyer, with their principals as my guide rather than my own.
What do you love most about the industry you are in?
The thing that I love the most about the legal industry is the relationships I builds with the people I help. There are very few professions where someone’s life can be as positively impacted as it can be when that person has a lawyer who is advocating for them, especially when that person is in a challenging position in their life, whether it be an injury or a family situation. Having those kinds of interactions means the world to me and allows me to work so tirelessly for my clients.
What keeps you motivated?
What keeps me motivated is the client I have the privilege to work with. Given that each case is unique and given that each case has its own twists and turns, no case, and no one person, is the same as the last case. Thus, it always keeps me on my toes and striving to help my clients overcome their particular legal obstacle. I never lack for motivation when he is able to positively affect my clients and see the difference my hard work makes in their lives.
How has your company grown from its early days to now?
I have been able to grow my company so successfully by continually focusing on the needs of my client and doing everything I can to make their lives better. I focus on what my clients need, and I have found that as long as I meets their needs, they will refer others to my firm, allowing for organic growth that does not need necessitate the need for a large advertising budget. With that client-focused ethos in mind, I have never wavered from the need to make his clients happy.
Where do you get your inspiration from?
I get an endless supply of inspiration from his clients. They are the reason I continues to work, day in and day out. I am always looking to find new ways to serve them and it is a privilege to be able to represent them in their needs and problems that they are likely unable to resolve on their own. It is the children who have been injured who give me the greatest inspiration because I have seen what a large settlement can do to change their future, such as providing a college education or money for their future.
What traits do you possess that makes a successful leader?
The trait that I possess that make me such a successful leader is my commitment to abiding by my professional principals. I believe in living my life by the principals I have set out, which are integrity, honesty, hard work, and a need to help my clients recover in the best possible way. I have always made these points the touchstone of my professional life and take daily steps to make sure they are constantly being implemented.
What suggestions do you have for someone starting in your industry?
I often meet people who are just breaking into the industry and they often ask me what they should do to get their foot in the door. I always tell them to find an area of law that they are passionate about and work at it every day. This may sound like simple advice, and it certainly is, but it’s really the only advice there is. If you love what you do and work at it every day, then you are likely going to be successful, with time. Be patient and don’t expect instant gratification or results because life doesn’t work that way.
What is one piece of advice that you have never forgotten?
The one piece of advice I have never lost sight of is to always put my clients first and to give back to them in some way. It is easy to not see the forest for the trees and fail to really view each client as precious rather than a commodity and to remember that each client is often at the lowest point of their life when they come to an attorney. Armed with this knowledge, I have never lost sight of my unique responsibility to try to make their life better than when I first met them.
What’s one piece of advice you would give to others?
The biggest piece of advice I give to people is to try to find a higher purpose than just simply trying to make money. So often I come across young people who want to make money, but they forget that their life needs to be served for something bigger and more important, that they need to think about the legacy they are leaving. I have found that helping people with their life situation, whether it is a divorce or a personal injury matter, has allowed me to find a happiness that has nothing to do with making money.
Outside of work, what defines you as a person?
The biggest thing that defines me as a person outside the office is my tireless dedication to the community. I am constantly taking time out of my day, both after work and during the weekends, to help others. Whether through various volunteer efforts or charitable organizations, I am always looking to help people who are in need. This isn’t always through legal work, though it is occasionally, as I strive to serve the community not just through his legal efforts.
Explain the proudest day of your professional life.
My proudest day, professionally-speaking, occurred when I was able to get a sizeable settlement for a young girl who was injured by her dentist. Though there was no evidence to suggest the young girl was intentionally harmed by her dentist, the fact of the matter is that she was harmed. The dentist’s negligence left a small scar on her upper lip that her insurance would not pay for since it was considered a cosmetic procedure, and thus, it wasn’t covered. Through my efforts I was able to recover enough money for the family to be able to go to on a nice vacation and for the young girl to be able to go to college. This case occurred early in my legal career and it showed me just how much my work can mean to my clients and change their lives.