Todd A. Smith and Brian LaCien, who collectively have 60 years of experience as trial lawyers, are the founding partners of Smith LaCien LLP, a Chicago-based personal injury law firm concentrating in catastrophic injury, wrongful death and medical malpractice cases.
Whether a horrific accident on a highway claiming the lives of four people, a negligent delivery resulting in harm to a newborn, or the crash of the 737 Max aircraft in Ethiopia, he and his team find a way to tell their clients’ stories, thereby winning substantial verdicts and settlements for victims and their families. Over the years, Smith and LaCien have received exceptional results for clients, with more than $2 billion in settlements and verdicts and more than 100 cases with results of at least $1 million.
A long-time advocate for access to justice, Smith regularly handles high-stakes cases for plaintiffs and their families who were harmed or killed due to negligence but who would not otherwise have had the means to pursue a claim.
A trial lawyer throughout his career, Smith received his law degree from Loyola University of Chicago School of Law and became an assistant public defender in the Felony Division of the Circuit Court of Cook County. He left to join a respected trial law firm, and in 1993, he joined Joseph A. Power, Jr. and Larry R. Rogers, Sr. as a founding partner in the Chicago law firm of Power Rogers & Smith, P.C.
Smith is a member of the Inner Circle of Advocates, an invitation-only organization limited to 100 top trial lawyers in the nation. He is also a Fellow in the International Academy of Trial Lawyers, the American College of Trial Lawyers and the International Society of Barristers. He has been elected to leadership positions in numerous bar associations.
Among his many awards, he was named by Illinois SuperLawyers as the Number 2 top-rated Illinois lawyer in their 2021 edition – covering all practice areas. He was named by Lawdragon to the 2021 Top 500 Leading Lawyers in America, an honor given to attorneys who have achieved the highest level of success. Previously named the recipient of the “Mass Tort Lawyer of the Year” by Best Lawyers in America, he and LaCien were recently named to the 2022 Best Lawyers® list.
Brian LaCien began his career as an assistant legal counsel to the Illinois House of Representatives. Previously a trial lawyer at Power Rogers & Smith, He currently serves as the Illinois appointee to the American Association for Justice after having served as chair of its Aviation Section. A member of the Illinois State Bar Association, he was chair of its Tort Law Section.
LaCien received a J.D., magna cum laude, from DePaul University College of Law, where he was elected to the Order of the Coif. LaCien was recognized by Illinois SuperLawyers as a “Rising Star” and then 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.
Lawyers at Smith LaCien are accessible 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. For a free consultation, or to learn more about our firm, visit
https://www.smithlacien.com/ or call (312) 815-6455.