Bruce Plaxen Elected Parliamentarian for the American Association for Justice

Plaxen Adler Muncy, P.A. is proud to announce that Bruce Plaxen has been elected Parliamentarian for the American Association for Justice (AAJ). Mr. Plaxen was officially elected on July 13, 2020, and sworn in today, July 15, 2020. Mr. Plaxen is the first lawyer from Maryland to hold an officer position in AAJ.

As Parliamentarian, Mr. Plaxen will work to protect and uphold the civil justice system by ensuring its members and state Trial Lawyer Association members have access to the tools and resources they need.

According to Mr. Plaxen, “Representing the injured is my passion. AAJ is where I find myself amongst people with a shared value system. It is where I find empathy, respect, solace, and inspiration. My involvement with AAJ has had a profound effect on my life. It is where I see greatness amongst my colleagues and where I have been able to nurture friendships I am certain will last a lifetime.”

Decades of service to AAJ and its mission

The American Association for Justice is the country’s largest trial bar, with more than 20,000 members across the U.S. and Canada. Founded as the National Association of Claimants’ Compensation Attorneys in 1946, today’s AAJ “promotes justice and fairness for injured persons, safeguards victims’ rights—particularly the right to trial by jury—and strengthens the civil justice system through education and disclosure of information critical to public health and safety… AAJ provides lawyers with the information and professional assistance needed to serve clients successfully and protect the democratic values inherent in the civil justice system.”

Bruce Plaxen has been an active member of AAJ for more than 35 years, serving in multiple leadership roles in the organization, including as Chair of the Organization Review Committee, and as a member of the National Finance Committee and the Leaders Forum. He has served on the Board of Governors since 2001 and currently serves on its Executive Committee. He helped establish AAJ’s LGBT Caucus. He was honored with AAJ’s Distinguished Service Award (2017), its Above & Beyond Award (2019), and is a four-time recipient of AAJ’s prestigious Wiedemann Wysocki Citation of Excellence (2003, 2010, 2016, and 2020).

Mr. Plaxen also served as President of AAJ’s Council of Presidents, serving as liaison between state TLAs and AAJ. As President, Mr. Plaxen was able to see firsthand the needs of different state organizations; he will use this experience and knowledge to ensure that AAJ and its state associations are able to effectively promote and protect our civil justice system.

Mr. Plaxen has also served in leadership positions for the Maryland Association for Justice, including on its Board of Governors, as Chair of its Political Action Committee and Legislative Committee, and as its President. MAJ honored Mr. Plaxen as Maryland Trial Lawyer of the Year (2009), and he remains the only MAJ member to have ever been awarded the President’s Award twice.

Mr. Plaxen has also been recognized by Maryland Super Lawyers for 14 consecutive years, and is rated AV-Preeminent by Martindale-Hubbell. He was honored with the Distinguished Alumnus Award from the Nelson A. Rockefeller College of Public Affairs and Policy from the State University of New York at Albany in recognition of his pro bono efforts assisting the families of victims of the 9/11 terrorist attacks.

Please join us in congratulating Bruce Plaxen on his election as Parliamentarian for AAJ.