Brian LaCien

Chicago trial attorney Brian LaCien is a founding partner of Smith LaCien LLP. He has a broad range of experience in the areas of medical malpractice, professional negligence, wrongful death, class actions, trucking litigation, product liability, aviation negligence, civil rights violations and premises liability.

LaCien and Todd A. Smith, also a founding partner, have a lengthy track record of achieving exceptional results for clients, with more than $2 billion in verdicts and settlements and over 100 cases with results of at least $1 million.

LaCien was selected by the Board of Managers of the Illinois Trial Lawyers Association (ITLA) to serve on the Association of Justice (AAJ) Board of Governors for the 2020-22 fiscal year. He is a past chair of AAJ’s Aviation Section. A long-time member of the Illinois State Bar Association, he is a past chair of the Tort Law Section.

LaCien began his career as an assistant legal counsel to the Illinois House of Representatives. He received a J.D., magna cum laude, from DePaul University College of Law, where he was elected to the Order of the Coif. He was recognized by the Illinois SuperLawyers as a “Rising Star” and then designated as a SuperLawyer every year since 2011. Recognized by Leading Lawyers annually since 2014, he has been included on its list as a Top Ten Emerging Lawyer.

“Empathy is essential in my role in dealing with clients and explaining fully to them what litigation involves,” LaCien said. “Clients look to me to ensure that they will receive fair compensation. I remind them it’s my job to focus on their case while they focus on their recovery.”

Honors

• llinois Super Lawyers since 2011
  Previously a “Rising Star”
• Recognized by Leading Lawyers publication annually since 2014
  “Top Ten Emerging Lawyer”

Professional Associations

• Illinois State Bar Association
  Chair, Tort Law Section
• Illinois Trial Lawyers Association
• American Trial Lawyers Association (now the American Association of Justice)
  Chair, Aviation Section
• Chicago Bar Association

Previous Positions

• Speaker of the Illinois House of Representatives, Assistant Legal Counsel
• Honorable Richard D. Cudahy at the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit, Judicial Extern

Education

• DePaul University College of Law, Chicago, Illinois
  J.D. - 2002
  Honors: magna cum laude
  Honors: Order of the Coif
  Honors: Research Assistant, Professor Rodney Blackman
• University of Iowa, Iowa City
  B.A. - 1999
  Major: Finance

Classes/Seminars

• Guest lecturer, Practical skills training and fundamental litigation techniques for new lawyers program, Greenhorn Legal LLC, 2013 to 2015

Bar Admission

• Illinois, 2002
• U.S. District Court Northern District of Illinois, 2004
• U.S. Court of Appeals 7th Circuit, 2007