Arizona Attorney - December 2015

dyed-in-the-wool plaintiff’s lawyer.” He
finds him to be “approachable, down to
earth, and congenial.”
“He’s an all-around great guy.”
Chuck Muchmore agrees, calling him “a
consummate gentleman.”
Trachtenberg has a short list of goals for the
coming year. But his top mission is related
to the continued scrutiny the Bar receives
from the Legislature.

Simply put, he says, “My Bar goal is to
make sure the Bar is here next year.”
In regard to legislative initiatives,
Muchmore says the Bar is fortunate in who
its public face is this year.

“He’s nuanced. He understands the lay-
ers and complexities of political matters. He
doesn’t pick unnecessary fights.”
President Trachtenberg also says he’d like
to see the Bar develop a program that will
help encourage pro bono work. There are
multiple ways to do that, and he’s confident
the Bar could be a leader in this area.

Muchmore adds, “He always has the pro-
fession’s interest at heart.”
In that mission, Trachtenberg is all in:
“My loyalty is to the organization and to
making sure that it flourishes.”
The core focus of Levenbaum Trachtenberg
is visible as a visitor arrives at their down-
town Phoenix offices. A flag beneath the
U.S. flag—as well as a boulder and a mini-
van—are emblazoned with the Law Tigers
logo. Committed to serving injured motor-
cycle riders, the law office is the primary firm
licensing the brand.

If there was any fear that the former Irell associate would find this practice repetitive or uninspiring, a single conversation dispels that notion.

Trachtenberg describes the work as suf-
fused with fascinating legal issues. Many
arise due to specifics of technology, such
as braking systems and helmet differences.
Others relate to variations between state laws
regarding motorcycles, such as lane-splitting
or helmet use. And even liability can be at
play, such as in the frequent occurrence in
which an experienced bike rider will “lay his
bike down” rather than collide with another
vehicle; the result may include injuries and
damages, though there was no contact with
the other vehicle. Not to mention the need
to understand liens and “unique insurance
issues that come up with motorcycle riding.”
“This is a challenging area,”
he says, “one that has provided
me multiple opportunities to
take issues to the courts of ap-
peal.”
(And yes, it also lets him
ride. Asked what he rides, he
says, “I’m a Harley guy. I’ve al-
ways owned Harleys, my favorite
being my VRSCDX. That said,
I’m in the market for a Triumph
Bonneville T100.”)

All of that only hints at the affinity he clearly feels for his clients, who may face challenges and setbacks wholly unknown to his onetime California clients. He speaks movingly about how to help people get a cellphone or groceries or a used car while they await their case’s resolution.

“I think these are things that
are lost on most people who just
think about injury. I mean, it’s
getting people through, especial-
ly people who are poor—which
turns out to be a lot of people.”
Smiling again, he adds, “Ev-
ery day at work is different.”
His career reinvention was aided
also by his involvement with the
Arizona Trial Lawyers Associ-
ation (now the Arizona Associ-
ation for Justice.) He says he found many
mentors there, and a home.

“I found collegiality there like I’ve nev-
er experienced. It’s a remarkable bar. I’m a
member of the trial lawyers in four states,
and nothing comes close to the friendships
and camaraderie that I have with my col-
leagues in Arizona.”
What appeals to him in the group? “The
personality, and people who love what they
do. We’re a group that unabashedly feels
passionate about helping our community. I
mean, while everyone loves to make money,
there is little to no talk ever of money. And
when somebody does make money, it’s a
celebration of the justice system and people
getting what they ought to get, not people
walking into a windfall.”
“We all know how hard these cases are.
It’s true we get to pick our cases, but there
are real burdens: the burden of proof, over-
coming the public skepticism of injured peo-
ple and lawyers in general, is an enormous
burden. We take it deathly seriously; there’s
a sense of responsibility.”
A career’s twists and turns may be unpredict-
able, but touchpoints recur.

Perhaps it’s not odd that an attorney who has a pilot’s license—as Trachtenberg does—now is fascinated by “quadcopters,” or drones, as they’re commonly called. He’s used them in his work to look at commercial buildings and intersections, among other things, as well as for fun. And maybe it’s such a lawyer who would be moved by the futile plight of a housefly.

The resonances continue as he describes his love for his transformed practice and how it’s done his soul good.

“I’ve had clients bring me soup as a way
of thanking me. I mean, that is just an amaz-
ing thing.”
“I’ve really enjoyed the transition. But
was it trying something different? Or was it
just flying the other way?”

Geoff Trachtenberg is a partner at Levenbaum Trachtenberg, which focuses on personal injury, litigation, and appeals, particularly related to motorcycle injury and wrongful-death cases. He is certified by the State Bar of Arizona Board of Legal Specialization in Personal Injury and Wrongful Death Litigation.

Education:

B.A., Psychology, UCLA, 1993; J.D., Boalt Hall School of Law, Univ. of California, Berkeley, 1997.

Legal and Professional Experience:

Irell & Manella LLP, Newport Beach, Calif., 1998– 2002; admitted in Arizona, California, Utah, and New Mexico. Judge Pro Tempore, Maricopa County Superior Court; State Bar Board of Governors; Arizona Association for Justice, Executive Director; American Association of Motorcycle Injury Lawyers.