How Loyd Bourgeois Turned His Passion for Advocacy into a Lifeline for Clients in Need
The following is a guest post by Loyd Bourgeois.
Loyd J. Bourgeois is a personal injury and disability attorney with offices in Luling and Metairie,
Louisiana. Known for his compassionate and down-to-earth approach, Loyd offers guidance and
support to clients during their most challenging times handling cases ranging from car accidents
to disability claims. With deep roots in the community, Loyd’s commitment to helping others is
unwavering. Loyd’s first taste of legal advocacy was inspired by his experience navigating the
disability claims process for his cousin battling brain cancer. Learn more about Loyd at
https://www.ljblegal.com.
I started out as an engineer, graduating from LSU with an engineering degree. I loved the problem-solving aspect of it, but something was missing. It wasn’t until I was working in environmental engineering, constantly interacting with lawyers, that I realized where my true passion lay. Those lawyers seemed to be handling all the exciting, impactful work, and I thought, “Maybe I should be doing that.”
So, I took the leap and enrolled at Tulane University Law School. I graduated in 2005, just days before my first son was born and months before Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans. Talk about a baptism by fire!
I got a job at a firm primarily working on insurance defense. I gained great experience and made a decent living to help provide for my young family, but did not at all feel passionate about what I was doing.
A Life-Changing Moment
Then I got a phone call out of the blue one day. I did not know then what a profound impact it would have on the rest of my life. My cousin had been battling brain cancer, and the insurance company was now claiming she could return to work. But due to the devastating effects of the disease and treatments, she could not even remember my name throughout a full conversation. I knew nothing about disability law, but I knew this was wrong.
I dove headfirst into learning everything I could about disability law. I even started a blog to document what I was learning. To my surprise, people from all over the country started reaching out for help. I was ultimately successful in regaining benefits for my cousin. Benefits that made a huge impact on the financial stability of her young family in the final years of her life. Helping her navigate the complex world of disability claims opened my eyes to the real impact I could have as a lawyer. It made me angry to see how difficult the system could be for people already facing tremendous challenges.
That experience lit a fire in me—a desire to help others who were going through similar struggles.
Taking the Leap
In 2010, with my wife pregnant with our third child, I decided to take the biggest risk of my career—starting my own firm. It wasn’t just a career move; it was a personal decision shaped by my desire to make a real difference in people’s lives and to practice law on my own terms. I read everything I could find, which at that time wasn’t too much. But I did come across Solo by Choice by Carolyn Elefant. The book laid out the practical steps to starting a solo practice, but more importantly, it validated my wild idea.
The early days were tough, no doubt about it. I had to learn how to run a business, market my services, and continue to grow as a lawyer. But I was determined to create a practice that reflected my values and gave me the freedom to help people in a way that felt true to who I am.
Building a Practice and a Life
I’ve always determined to be the involved father I didn’t have. I structured my practice so I could be there for my kids’ activities, coach their sports teams, and be an active part of our community. It’s not uncommon for me to run into kids (now young adults) who I coached through the years at the grocery store or a high school football game. That’s the part of small-town practice that I love—being a real part of the community I serve.
The firm stayed small during the early years allowing me to be present for kids’ activities while still feeling I was making a strong impact on the lives of my clients. In the last few years, as the kids have gotten older, I made the strategic decision to begin focusing more on growth.
Today, my small firm has grown to a team of eight, and we handle primarily personal injury and disability cases. My engineering background still influences how I approach law. I believe in “figuring it out,” tackling each case and each business challenge like a problem to be solved. I’ve also embraced technology to help run our practice more efficiently and improve our client experience.
Starting my own firm allowed me to be the kind of attorney I always wanted to be—someone clients can trust to be in their corner, offering not just legal representation, but guidance and compassion during some of the toughest times in their lives.
Every step of growing this firm has come with its own set of challenges, but that’s what keeps it exciting. I’m constantly learning, reading business and personal development books, joining masterminds and coaching groups, always looking for ways to improve our practice and better serve our clients.
Looking back, I’m grateful for the winding path that led me here. It’s shaped my perspective and fueled my passion for helping others. Whether it’s a personal injury case or a disability claim, my goal remains the same: to provide more than just legal representation, but to be a trusted advisor and advocate for those who need it most.