Trial Magazine

Craig Morrow was at “The Safehouse”—his ­backcountry retreat in the Louisiana ­woodlands near his office—when an idea came to him: “Why not invite war vets to come and get away from it all and just take a mental break?” Veterans gladly took Morrow up on his invitation to relax, hunt, and fish.

Morrow soon realized his legal services were needed within the community and that he could do more. Trial Lawyers for Warriors (TL4W), a legal service for veterans, was born. TL4W helps returning vets navigate legal sides of life after active military service. “They need a trial lawyer to stand by and protect them, just as they protected and defended us,” Morrow explained.

His experience representing people with traumatic brain injuries and ­post-traumatic stress disorder laid the foundation for his pro bono work. In what Morrow described as the “battlefield­ we call the courtroom,” he has stopped predatory lenders and expedited medical treatment within the Department of Veterans Affairs.

But providing legal services is only part of what TL4W does. It also helps active servicemembers and their families. Morrow has bought plane tickets so that those wounded in action can be joined by their loved ones during recovery. He steps in wherever help is needed, from sending care packages overseas to personally covering vets’ medical costs. It’s all part of Morrow’s pay-it-forward philosophy. “I want to help the very people who protect and defend our freedoms around the world,” he said.

And the respect goes both ways—the vets have dubbed him “The Legal SEAL.” Though he refuses donations, Morrow finds other ways to encourage TL4W’s growth. He uses social media as a platform to spotlight issues that vets face after they return from war, and he receives messages from soldiers all over the world.

He also collaborates with like-minded organizations to boost their mutual support for vets. Morrow has worked with Suiting Warriors, which provides suits for servicemembers transitioning back into the workforce. “Who has more suits than trial lawyers?” Morrow commented.

As an adopted member of the special ops community, the Legal SEAL is grateful for his opportunity to serve. Morrow said he is constantly amazed at the response he receives from the vets he helps: “The gratitude is palpable.”

To learn more about TL4W, visit www.triallawyersforwarriors.org.

Are you or another AAJ member doing work for your community that you’d like to share with Trial readers? Send your story for consideration to trial@justice.org with the subject heading “Members in Motion.”

To learn more about AAJ members helping their communities, visit www.triallawyerscare.org.