Patrick McGroder III
Specialty: Personal Injury
LLaw School/Year Graduated: University of Arizona Law School, 1972
Years in Practice: 52
Your practice is built around some of life’s most tragic events. How do you balance compassion for your clients with the professional detachment needed to secure justice for them?
I’m a human being first and then a lawyer. I never lose my compassion and empathy for their struggles. However, when they place their lives in my hands to seek justice, my commitment to them is unwavering both professionally and personally. It’s a 24/7 job for me.
How do you set your practice apart in a city saturated with personal injury lawyers?
First and foremost, I’m a trial lawyer, having tried everything from murder to malpractice. We practice at the highest levels of integrity, civility and competence. My reputation and record of success as a lawyer speaks for itself. The respect of my peers is a tribute to my work ethic. Clients know that about me.
You represented the families of the fallen Granite Mountain Hotshots. What was it like to be in the center of such an emotionally charged and highly publicized case?
Representing the widows and children of those men was an honor. It was a tragedy beyond proportion. The result in those cases was far beyond compensation. We proposed remedial measures for wildland firefighting, many of which are now utilized all [over the U.S.] in an effort to ensure a tragedy like this never occurs again.
Of all the cases you’ve litigated during your storied 50-year career, do you have a favorite? Or one that was most rewarding?
I have several. I represented 16 victims of Ford Police Crown Victoria fire cases over [the span of] 10 years. Besides resolving all of the cases for the families, Ford fixed over 350,000 police vehicles.
What are some of the biggest changes you’ve seen in the legal field since first joining it?
The advent of technology is probably the most persuasive. Also, alternative dispute resolution and mediation has become a requirement for all civil cases [which has had the effect of] cutting down the opportunity to try cases.
What’s your favorite depiction of law in pop culture?
Paul Newman in The Verdict. It shows the pathos and reality of a civil trial lawyer litigating a medical malpractice case.
“If I wasn’t a lawyer, I’d like to be…”
President of the United States.
