for President-Elect Lori E. Andrus Andrus Anderson LLP

Candidate Statement

As an AAJ member for 20 years, I’ve dedicated myself to keeping the courthouse doors open. As your Vice President, I’ve dedicated myself to making AAJ the strongest, most effective trial lawyer organization that it can be.

As AAJ’s President-Elect, I’ll focus on AAJ’s three core objectives: education, advocacy, and community. Together, we can fight tort reform legislation, and beat back regulations designed to put us out of business. We can educate each other on cutting-edge trial techniques and teach others how to run a successful law practice. We can build relationships across the United States, and even around the globe, helping us all be the most exceptional trial lawyers we possibly can.

Education
Through my leadership in Litigation Groups, writing for Trial magazine, and speaking at AAJ Education programs, I have witnessed the power that comes from our collective education efforts. We must build on the recent successes we have had with webinars, and continue utilizing innovative delivery mechanisms for our education programs, so that they are accessible to members of modest means. We must continue to offer practical tools that can be put into use immediately to help our members’ law practices succeed in real time.

Advocacy
As a legislative aide on Capitol Hill, I saw firsthand how the U.S. Chamber of Commerce seeks to dismantle the 7th Amendment. As an AAJ Officer, I will use the skills I developed in Washington to ensure that we employ the most effective messages to convince lawmakers of the importance of a trial by jury. Of course, to preserve our profession, we’ve also got to help elect pro-civil justice candidates. I have a proven track record in political fundraising for AAJ. As my law practice has flourished, I have been able to move up through the ranks of donorship: originally AAJ PAC M Club, then Falcon, and now Eagle.

As an AAJ Officer, I will be sure that we are not overlooking donors who can be cultivated and who, over time, can give greater amounts to causes and candidates that matter.

Networking and Membership
There is strength in numbers, and the diversity of ideas that comes from a strong membership base will serve us well in our fight for justice. As Chair of the Women Trial Lawyers Caucus, I learned how working together makes us so much more effective. We solve problems quicker, meet goals faster, and communicate our message to a broader audience more efficiently. Through my regular participation in phone drives, fundraisers, and Lobby Days, I’ve developed one-on-one relationships with lawyers around the country. Those connections are critical to our success; getting to know someone on a personal level, and not just a professional one, helps bridge divides, build consensus, and strengthen loyalty. Widening our membership base remains one of my highest priorities. We must get outside of our cliques (and comfort zones) and make sure we are including every trial lawyer in this battle.  I’ve worked hard over the years to reach out to folks who may not have heard from AAJ before, and I will continue that effort.

For my entire career, I have dedicated myself to AAJ and to protecting your firms, your clients, and your livelihood. As your President-Elect, I will continue my service, driven by the desire to enhance the strength, diversity, and efficacy of AAJ. 

Education

Boston University (B.S. 1993); Duke University School of Law (J.D., with honors, 1999) 

Leadership Activities & Honors/Awards

AAJ Vice President 2022-2023; AAJ Secretary 2021-2022; AAJ
Treasurer 2020-2021; AAJ Parliamentarian 2019-2020; AAJ Executive
Committee 2015-2019; AAJ Budget Committee 2017-2019; AAJ Board
of Governors 2014-2019; Chair, Women Trial Lawyers Caucus 2013-
2014; AAJ PAC Board of Trustees 2012-present; AAJ PAC Eagle; Leaders
Forum 2014-present; Wiedemann Wysocki Award 2010-2013, 2017
& 2018; Above & Beyond Award 2014 & 2018; Distinguished Service
Award 2016; Evergreen Fund Recognition Award 2017; Ortho Evra
Litigation Group, Co-Chair 2007-2009 & Chair 2009-2011; VW Litigation
Group, Chair 2016-2018; regular contributor to Trial®; Committee
on the Judiciary 2018-2022; National Finance Council 2015-2022;
Evergreen Advisory Board 2016-2022; Leaders Forum Advisory Board
2015-2016; Publications Committee 2008-2022, Vice-Chair 2013-2017;
Law Schools Committee 2009-2015, Co-Chair 2011-2012; Legal Affairs
Committee 2016-2017; Marketing & Client Services Committee 2006-
2010; Membership Oversight Committee 2009-2010 & 2017-2022;
Press Advisory Board 2009-2017 & 2018-2022; Public Affairs Committee
2009-present; Public Education Committee 2007-2016; Section and
Litigation Group Diversity Task Force; Voter Protection Action Committee
2014-2019 & 2021-2022; Litigation Group Leaders Council 2012 & 2018;
Board of Governors for Consumer Attorneys of California (CAOC) 2006-
2022; youngest AV-rated attorney in the country; named one of 75
“Outstanding Women Lawyers” by the National Law Journal, 2015 (only
7 other plaintiff attorneys honored); received the ABA Tort and Insurance
Practice “Pursuit of Justice” Award, August 2016; Woman Consumer
Attorney of Year from CAOC, 2013; Finalist for Consumer Attorney of
Year, (CAOC), 2017.