My Journey: From Ranch Life to the Courtroom

The Early Years

I became a lawyer more than three decades ago for a simple reason: I enjoy helping people.

It’s something that’s always been a part of who I am. Growing up at the Saddle and Surrey Guest Ranch in Tucson, Arizona, I spent my childhood watching my family welcome guests from all corners of the world—authors, politicians, athletes, and even a few celebrities like Walt Disney and John Wayne. I saw firsthand how my parents, Jack and Colette, could make anyone feel at home. They communicated with warmth, empathy, and a genuine curiosity for other people’s stories. It was at the ranch that I first learned the value of listening—not just hearing, but listening deeply—and contributing meaningfully to conversations.

My mother wasn’t just the heart of the ranch; she was also the face of it. She led guests on tours around Tucson and even made the cover of Newsweek magazine. My father had a knack for making connections. He served the community as part of Rotary, the Chamber of Commerce, and just about every major travel association you could think of. He even moonlighted as one of the cowboys in those classic Winston cigarette ads. My sister, Jana, was out in the world, riding horses and camping under the stars—and I was right there with her, riding, roping, exploring old mine shafts, and doing things kids probably shouldn’t do, like playing with century-old boxes of dynamite (kids, don’t try this at home; we’re lucky we still have our fingers).

Finding My Path

High school brought a love of motocross, scuba diving in the Sea of Cortez, and sports. I played football, dabbled in baseball, and competed in tennis—even playing #1 varsity as a freshman. Along the way, I picked up hang gliding, eventually becoming an expert-level pilot. I loved the freedom, the thrill of catching the wind, and flying high above it all.

After high school, I started at the University of Arizona studying civil engineering. But a passion for business and marketing led me to switch gears and transfer to the business school. I graduated with a degree in Business Administration. To pay my way through college, I worked waiting tables and bartending—jobs that taught me as much about people as any class. I learned that in both a restaurant and a courtroom, success comes down to reading people, responding to their needs, and making them feel understood.

Upon graduating in 1980, I moved to Lake Tahoe to work as a front desk manager at Caesars. I learned how the hospitality industry operated and spent my free time windsurfing on the lake in the summer, skiing all winter, and getting to know a local lawyer who stoked an old interest in law. I’d always been intrigued by the idea of practicing law, and after hearing his stories, I knew it was time to make that interest a reality.

Entering the Legal World

I put myself through Western State College of Law in Southern California, working for various lawyers and firms along the way. During one of those clerkships, I discovered my calling: using the law to protect injured consumers and their families. It was here that I realized my purpose—to stand up for those who had been harmed by others.

In 1986, I was admitted to the California Bar, and I immediately opened my own practice, focusing on personal injury and wrongful death. Starting my own firm right away was challenging, but I was driven by a desire to help those in need and create a practice built on my own values of justice and empathy. During law school, I met Lisa Wilson, and eventually, she let her guard down just long enough for us to fall in love. Four years later, we got married. We enjoy working and practicing law together at our firm, Jackson & Wilson, Inc. For over three decades, we’ve had the honor of helping thousands of people, families, and businesses find justice.

More recently, we added a new private mediation division to the firm. Using Zoom, we’ve been able to help parties resolve disputes without the need for travel—saving time, money, and a whole lot of headaches.

Our daughter, Alexandra, graduated with honors from UCLA and USC’s Gould School of Law and is now a lawyer at Sheppard Mullin in Century City. Our son, Garrett, graduated from the Marshall School of Business at USC and works as a post-creative marketing strategist at VaynerMedia in Los Angeles.

Outside of the Courtroom

These days, I’m diving into AI, Web3, and spatial computing. It’s an exciting frontier, and I love sharing my 30+ years of law and business experience as a lawyer, mediator, and keynote speaker. I travel around the country—both virtually and in person—helping people, businesses, and professionals see how law, business, and technology can come together to leverage these new technologies to be better, faster and create better client experiences.

I was an early adopter of live video, and I’ve spoken at the New York, San Francisco, and Los Angeles Periscope Summits, as well as Social Media Day San Diego. Twice, I’ve taken the main stage at Tony Robbins’ Business Mastery, sharing my insights on law, business, and technology with thousands of people. Back then, my passion was in helping professionals harness digital platforms to build their businesses, brand, and persuasive communication strategies.

I was also honored to serve as a consulting expert for Sue Scheff’s book Shame Nation, with a foreword by Monica Lewinsky, and also for the California State Bar’s “Effective Introduction of Evidence in California- Chapter 54 Electronic and Social Media Evidence.”

I’ve written eight books: Artificial Intelligence In Law, Mastering The Art of Negotiation, How To Create AI, Web3 and Metaverse Branding and Licensing Opportunities, The Web3, Metaverse and AI Handbook, From AI to Blockchain: 14 Technology Trends Every Lawyer Must Know, The Mediator’s Handbook: Turning Conflict into Collaboration, From Courtroom to Boardroom: A Trial Lawyer’s Guide to Winning Negotiations, and The Ultimate Guide to Social Media for Business Owners, Professionals and Entrepreneurs.

Law and Mediation

I’ve spent my professional career as a trial lawyer and private mediator. In 2013, I received the prestigious California Lawyer Attorneys of the Year (CLAY) Award for litigation—an award recognizing attorneys who’ve changed the law, influenced public policy, or achieved remarkable victories for their clients. In 2009, I was named Orange County Trial Lawyer of the Year by the Orange County Trial Lawyers Association for my work on a challenging wrongful death case. I’ve been honored to be nominated several times since then for both local and statewide awards for my trial work.

My firm is listed in the Bar Register of Preeminent Lawyers, which includes fewer than 5% of all law practices in the U.S. I’ve also been recognized as a “Southern California Super Lawyer,” and my ability rating on AVVO is 10.0—Superb.

Lisa and I both love what we do. We’ve dedicated our lives to helping others find justice, and since 1986, I’ve secured numerous multimillion-dollar verdicts and settlements for my clients. I’m also a member of the Million Dollar Advocates Forum. I’ve served as a Judge Pro Tem, mediator for the Orange County Superior Court, and fee mediator for the Orange County Bar Association.

When I’m not in the courtroom, I’m sharing legal, business, and tech tips with my community. I’ve been active in several legal organizations, from the Orange County Bar Association to the National Trial Lawyers Association.

Life Beyond Work

Outside of work, I love spending time with family and friends, paddle boarding, and running. Though I’m no longer directly involved in Rotary, I’m a fourth-generation Rotarian and helped start our local Monarch Beach Sunrise Rotary Club in 1988. I served as President in 1994-95 and traveled to Taipei, Taiwan, for the International Convention. I was also honored to serve as a Past Assistant District Governor, and as Rotary Interact Chair for several years.

For me, life has always been about helping people—whether it’s welcoming guests at the ranch, representing clients in court, or mentoring the next generation of lawyers. That’s my story, and I’m sticking to it.