Five Questions With Matthew J. Focht

1. What made you become a lawyer?

There was never one thing in particular that made me to want to become a lawyer.  It was more a mixture of being in the right place at the right time and having the right people for role models.  Coming out of undergrad and having grown up around dozens of lawyers (friends of my parents, my closest friends’ parents, and a very well-liked political science professor at Loyola in particular), it seemed like a fit for someone with some ability in analyzing, speaking, and writing.  It was only a few years later, when I was I was starting out as a new lawyer, that I saw the difference I could make in someone’s life by being there to help in a time of need.  Once I realized that, and once I had the opportunity to serve others in that way, I never looked back.  

2. What will be the biggest challenge for the generation behind you?

Patience.  The generations ahead of mine are practicing longer than ever and there is going to be an inevitable period of having to pay dues.  The good news is that if you can find the right mentors (and I have, thankfully), every day is an opportunity to learn from the lawyers “ahead” of you.  

3. What is the most interesting case you’ve ever had?

My most special cases have been not so much “interesting,” but impactful.  When we have a truly catastrophic case, it forces you to realize that you are representing the best interests of someone’s entire future.  In those cases, what I am doing MATTERS.  Over the years, this responsibility has caused me to bond in a special way with our most seriously injured clients.

4. How do you measure success?

Pretty simple.  If I can do right and make my family proud, then I’m good.  The rest will take care of itself.

5. What do you look forward to when you go to work every day?

I have been blessed with the opportunity to be a part of an exceptional Personal Injury team.  My teammates motivate me and make me a much better lawyer than I could ever be on my own.  I think they really are the unsung heroes of the firm.