MD lawyer to serve as American Association for Justice president

Maryland lawyer Bruce Plaxen will serve as the next president of the American Association for Justice, a national advocacy group for civil trial lawyers. The personal injury litigator will take the seat in July and be the first Marylander to lead the organization. 

The AAJ has its roots in worker’s compensation litigation and serves trial attorneys across the country. The group is notable for its support of arbitration reform and its advocacy for the importance of civil trials in improving American daily life and safety. 

Plaxen is a senior partner at Plaxen Adler Muncy, a prominent personal injury firm in Maryland. He has previously served as president of the Maryland Association for Justice and has worked for the AAJ in several roles, including serving as vice president from 2023-2024.  

In an interview with The Daily Record, Plaxen emphasized the importance of access to the civil justice system and resilience against the weaponization of government as essential to protect the legal rights of Americans.

The interview has been edited and condensed for clarity. 

The Daily Record: How has your experience as a leader in both MAJ and AAJ, as well as your own law firm, prepared you for this role?

Plaxen: I’m just not someone who sits in the back row or stays on the sidelines. I opened my law firm in 1985 when I was 26 years old. It’s a somewhat unique story; I was just barely out of law school and started with no employees. The key to that was hard work. It was a willingness to meet clients at night, I understood that not everyone could get out of work, a willingness to meet people on weekends, I made home appointments, I visited people in hospitals. I wasn’t looking for a leadership role in the state. I was sort of plucked and asked to serve on the Board of Governors of MAJ and a few years later I was asked to be an officer, and I ended up being one of the youngest presidents in MAJ. They got very involved in the legislative process in Annapolis, and I think that’s where the leadership came in, because I quickly saw I could make a difference in Annapolis and not only help people get better judgments, but also change the laws to get a better civil justice system in Maryland. 

TDR: What do you plan on accomplishing as president of AAJ?  

Plaxen: In today’s volatile environment, legal and political, it’s hard to make plans, because every day unforeseen challenges come about. I’m not certain that a few months ago anyone understood the attack on law firms, the challenges to the rule of law or the weaponization of government against lawyers. A lot of the plans I have are to play defense and make sure that people can seek legal representation, that the rule of law is preserved, and that the doors to the courtroom stay open. When I started practicing in the 1980s these cases were fought in courtrooms. Right now, so much is happening in state legislatures and Congress, that’s where the real battles are being fought, and they’re putting up barriers and roadblocks preventing people from even getting in the courtroom.  

TDR: What challenges is the AAJ facing and how will you address them? 

Plaxen: We’ve seen battles across the country to give chemical manufacturers immunity on cases like pesticides, and now we’re seeing loans to law firms being taxed. Luckily, AAJ has the best lobbying team in the country. We’re clearly outnumbered by corporations and insurance carriers and special interest groups, but we’re confident we can win in Congress because we’re right on these issues. I think legislators want to do the right thing eventually, despite pressure from the other side. We have to prevail so that the civil justice system is able to provide a fair system for people who are injured.  

TDR: How has your experience in Maryland shaped who you are as a lawyer and as a leader? 

Plaxen: I’ve been battle-tested because Maryland, despite being a relatively progressive state on social issues, has a flawed tort system. We have contributory negligence, we have no dram shop law, we have no strict liability for dog bites, we have no punitive damages. For over 30 years, I have been facing similar battles in Maryland to improve the civil justice system, so it’s not only shaped me, but gotten me ready for the national battles. 

TDR: How will you shape the philosophy and broader ideals of the organization? How do you want your legacy to be defined?  

Plaxen: I want to continue the great work we’ve done. I’m not sure the average man or woman understands that trial lawyers have improved safety in America for decades. The ability to bring these cases has improved our daily life in America and I want to continue that arc of AAJ improving the life of Americans. I also am concerned that the appointment of judges has become political football. I want to see qualified judges appointed around the country, and that’s something I’m going to focus on as president.