About
Geoffrey Nels Fieger is the driving force who built Fieger Law into a powerful and respected personal injury firm. Truly a champion for justice, he is one of the most successful trial lawyers in America and has won more million-dollar verdicts and settlements than any other attorney in the country.
Firm Founding
Fieger Law’s storied history began with Geoffrey’s father, Bernard Fieger, who launched Fieger & Lee in Detroit in 1950. Notably, it was Michigan’s second interracial law firm. In 1964, Bernie and future State Senator Roger Craig moved the firm to a red brick house on 10 Mile Road in Southfield, Michigan. This original home still stands today and remains the cornerstone of the law firm, which now spans the entire block.
Rise To Prominence
It was Geoffrey’s destiny to fight fiercely for the rights of others, embodying the passion of his parents. Bernie Fieger was a strong advocate for labor rights and marched with the Freedom Riders in Mississippi, while his mother, June, became the first female organizer for the Michigan Federation of Teachers.
After acting and playing football at the University of Michigan (B.A., 1974; M.A., 1976), Geoffrey earned his law degree from the Detroit College of Law (J.D., 1979) and joined his father’s firm. He won $1 million in his first case in 1979, marking the beginning of a legendary career that would establish him as the most sought-after trial lawyer in the nation.
Geoffrey In the media
Geoffrey’s multifaceted relationship with the media began with his legal representation of assisted-suicide advocate Dr. Jack Kevorkian, a partnership that spanned 20 years (1990–2011). This high-profile case, along with his 1998 run for Governor of Michigan, drew the attention of producers at major news networks. He frequently appeared on programs across CNN, Fox, MSNBC, and other channels, offering expert commentary on legal issues and cases. He also starred in the Fox series Power of Attorney.
Among his well-known cases are the defense of Dr. Kevorkian, who became infamous as “Dr. Death”; the “Jenny Jones Show” trial, which resulted in a $25 million verdict against Jones and Warner Brothers; and the defense of Nathaniel Abraham, the youngest person ever tried for murder as an adult in Michigan.
Opposing attorneys have characterized Geoffrey as extremely well-prepared, charismatic, and intimidating—a lawyer they would hire if they ever needed representation themselves.
All We Do Is Win
In 2007, the Bush administration targeted Fieger and his firm in an attempt to shut it down. Represented by the legendary Gerry Spence in his final trial, Geoffrey won his own court battle against the Gonzales/Rove/Bush Justice Department and the Federal Election Commission, being acquitted on all counts of alleged illegal campaign donations.
Ironically, the Federal government’s witch hunt inspired the launch of Fieger Law’s first television campaign. In 2007, determined to protect the firm’s reputation, Geoffrey spearheaded the “If You Don’t Stand for Something” ad campaign, solidifying the future of the Fieger Law brand. The campaign brought the firm wider exposure, enabling its team of attorneys to help even more people achieve justice.
Geoffrey’s Legacy
Today, Fieger Law is synonymous with winning cases across the nation. The firm’s legacy has been solidified by Geoffrey’s immense success and the dedication of its entire team of attorneys. Notable advertising campaigns, such as “18 of the Best,” “Who’s Going to Stand Up for You,” “Not Afraid to Win,” “America’s Best Trial Lawyers,” “In My America,” and “All We Do Is Win,” have highlighted the firm’s accomplishments and reinforced its reputation. Geoffrey continues to advise and provide counsel to his staff of attorneys, ensuring all cases are handled The Fieger Way, with a track record for winning.
Those closest to Geoffrey describe him as a caring and intensely loyal friend. Beyond his legal career, his passions include art, architecture, exercise, music, and spending time with his family. Raised in Oak Park, Michigan, alongside two siblings, Geoffrey shares a creative legacy. His late brother Doug was the lead singer of the 1980s pop band The Knack, known for the hit song My Sharona, and his sister Beth is a writer based in Los Angeles. Geoffrey has been married to his wife, Keenie, for over 30 years. Together, they have two sons and a daughter.
In His Own Words
In an article, Being a Trial Lawyer (2017), Geoffrey reflects:
I am approaching forty years in Court. I have never had another job after college. I have never worked for anyone but myself. I have never worked for a paycheck. I have never been paid for anything other than when I won. I am a hunter, a trial warrior.
I have tried countless cases. I have won some of the largest civil verdicts. I have defended some of the most notorious criminal cases. Forty years has provided me with more “practice” in the law than anything else I have ever done.
I lead a lonely existence. Trial lawyers are routinely reviled and underestimated in our society. Yet, without us, the structure of our society would fail. No one understands that we are the bulwark against all those forces in society who would destroy our hard fought and hard-won freedoms. We are not ever going to be held up as examples or recognized for the true value of our sacrifice.
My work never gets boring. Every case is new. The canvas upon which I paint each case is unique.
Few things give me the adrenaline rush of preparing for trial. Looking for facts that have not been revealed. Finding the story of a case. Every case at trial must have a story.
Eventually, the story of a case becomes a parable about Trust and Betrayal. The victim trusts the villain – whoever that is. The villain betrays the hero’s trust. The story always starts with the villain, like every good story. Without first understanding the bad, there is no context in which to understand why the good must prevail, and why the villain must be vanquished.
A real trial lawyer is a storyteller.
Trials are contests. They are heavyweight championship fights. The Judges are the referees. The real Judges are the jury. With those 6, or 8, or 12 men and women, a real trial lawyer, first, and most importantly, establishes credibility and trust.
Invariably, the jurors pick sides. They do it quickly. Unconsciously.
As with virtually everyone else in our society, Jurors also yearn to be led. Led to the truth. Led to justice. Led to enlightenment. Whatever. People instinctively look for someone to lead them. Who will that be?
The two opposing lawyers walk into Court and are immediately sized up by the Jury. Some bring tons of dazzling electronics, a parade of support staff, in an obvious attempt to impress, frighten, or intimidate their opponents. Others bring only themselves, and the power of their story (and their own character).
Thus begins the ancient struggle to lead. Who will the Jury follow? What team will they join? The contest is to establish trust and credibility. The Voir Dire provides the only real theater for the establishment of trust and credibility. It’s all about the human desire to join a team, a tribe. Whose tribe will it be? Mine? Or theirs?
