Image commercially licensed from: Unsplash
Sometimes, no matter how much we prepare for them, there are some experiences in life that must be lived to be truly understood. Unfortunately, getting involved in any kind of accident or personal injury — or having a loved one get in an accident — is one of those experiences.
After getting involved in an accident of his own, George Salinas realized how little information there is for the regular person. With this frustration and a passion to help others in mind, he created George Salinas Law Firm (GSIL) to help people by giving them the voice they need, the knowledge they deserve, and the ability to regain their life after an accident.
From passionate beginnings
Salinas remembers how, after his family moved to Texas, he didn’t have many friends, so he would rush home and watch the OJ Simpson trial on television. He was drawn to F. Lee Bailey and the other lawyers on that case and suddenly found himself — even at a young age — cross-examining people on the stand. That’s when he knew that he wanted to be a litigator, so he went to school to accomplish that goal.
While studying law at the University of Texas, Salinas completed internships with Judge Fred Biery with the Federal District Court of the Western District and with Chief Justice Alma Lopez with the 4th Court of Appeals of Texas, as well as two clerkships with private law firms.
After law school, Salinas went on to serve as a Policy Analyst in the Texas Senate during the 79th Legislature. Soon after, he worked for a law firm defending corporations and insurance companies in personal injury cases but, during this time, he realized this isn’t who he wanted to protect. With that mentality, he set out to gain experience working for the other side, representing individuals in serious personal injury and wrongful death cases against those same corporations and insurance companies.
George Salinas soon recognized that he wanted to provide more to the community and people who don’t have the voice to defend themselves. In 2011, he started George Salinas Law Firm and hasn’t looked back.
Talking to others with empathy
While building GSIL, it was important for Salinas to hire the right people. Communication is crucial in law and to Salinas, especially. As such, it took roughly two years to hire his first employee to ensure he had found someone that shares his same values.
At GSIL, the number-one priority for Salinas is the relationship he and his firm creates with their clients. His firm has processes in place to make sure that, if a problem arises, everyone knows what they need to do to reassure the client and make them feel comfortable, heard, and happy.
Although Salinas knows how hard it is to be happy in these moments, he asserts that it’s never about his firm or how he feels. Rather, it’s about making the client happy with how they are represented so they can trust that Salinas and his team will advocate for them every step of the way.
Giving back
Giving back has been an integral part of Salinas’ growth as a person and for GSIL. Since 2007, he has been a mentor for Big Brothers Big Sisters. He has also volunteered with Wounded Warriors, H-E-B Feast of Sharing, and many more.
Salinas believes that life is meaningless if it’s not filled with altruism. He knows that helping others helps one to be happy and maintain their own happiness, so if he has the ability to give back, he will take it.
Advice to achieve success
For Salinas, the passion he has for helping others is the driving force behind his firm’s growth. He has three main tips for smaller personal injury firms to grow their business:
- Word of mouth: Making sure that your work colleagues and clients are happy can lead to receiving the best reviews you can get as a personal injury lawyer. This costs zero dollars and goes a long way.
- Marketing: Increase your digital marketing budget spend and focus on one avenue of digital marketing, then hone in on that. It’s important to understand that you will not be able to compete with the bigger personal injury law firms.
- Multi-channel approach: Once you start to earn more money and recognition, you can increase your digital marketing budget. Remember to go slowly and not rush. The clients that you currently serve are more important than your potential clients.
George Salinas takes pride in being a champion and representative for individuals who have been mistreated and are seeking recourse through the legal system. He recognizes that the right to a trial by jury is a crucial aspect of this nation’s bedrock. After years of practicing law, Salinas has discovered his passion for supporting victims of personal injury and wrongful death to assert this right.
