We all know that lawyers generally charge by the hour. So to help our clients cut costs and to share a little of what our lawyers know, we decided to give you 10 minutes with one of our attorneys.
Gary C. Rogers is a litigation attorney with over 30 years-experience in advocating on behalf of clients. He is a shareholder with Fraser Trebilcock and based out of our Lansing, Michigan office.
What do you do?
I am a litigation attorney, specializing in personal injury litigation. I am also a bankruptcy attorney, representing creditors (banks and other financial institutions), but I also represent individuals who are being sued by bankruptcy trustees seeking to recover money from creditors.
What do you do well?
I vigorously represent my clients, leaving no stone unturned in developing their case but at the same time I use a practical approach to achieve the best and most cost-effective outcome possible for my client.
What is your best moment as a lawyer?
I think I speak for all litigators – a favorable jury verdict after a hard fought trial.
What aspect of law, in your practice area, are in need of reforms and why?
In the no-fault insurance area, there are a number of law firms representing plaintiffs who are counseling their clients to seek treatment from certain “plaintiff friendly” medical providers to enhance the value of their case or to obtain additional insurance benefits. There are also a number of lawyers that solicit business from injured parties before they even leave the hospital. Such “ambulance chasing” gives the entire profession a bad reputation and should cease.
So what’s your solution?
If it were up to me, I would prohibit lawyers from soliciting an injured person or their family until at least 30 days after the accident. Right now it is not unethical for a lawyer to make such contact using so-called “runners” but it is very wrong. Lawyers need to be more sensitive to the families and those that are injured, rather than constantly seeking new business at all costs.
If you were not a lawyer, I would be a ….
High school teacher, teaching history. I might also coach the school’s baseball and/or basketball teams.
What advice do you have for new lawyers?
Get out and volunteer in the community and be active in your local bar association and to the extent possible, specialize your practice.
What do you like about Fraser Trebilcock?
I enjoy the overall collegiality among the lawyers at Fraser. Our attorney’s doors are always open for one another. For example, if I ever need advice on any area of law, I can always turn to one of the specialist attorney’s here. If they don’t know the answer, they know someone that can find the answer, and they have never let me down.
What is your best accomplishment that is not law related?
Raising my four children to adulthood to be upstanding and involved citizens.
What is the last book you read or movie watched?
The last book I read was Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins. I read the trilogy after I saw the Hunger Games. The last movie I saw was the Avengers. My children encouraged me to see it with them (of course I paid for the tickets) and I was glad I did … but see “Thor” first!