When Christopher L. Jackson went to work in 2018 as a clerk for the Hon. K. Wolcott Henderson, he had no idea then just how transformative that experience would be, especially as a young black attorney fresh out of Rutgers Law School.

“I always think and say that I got extremely lucky. It was amazing from the very first day,” Chris said, reflecting on his time with the esteemed jurist who now serves on New Jersey’s Appellate Division. “She was a fairly new judge, but she had been in practice for a while at a small, prominent firm with other prominent black attorneys and they all ended up becoming judges. She taught me not only how to write better but also taught me the soft skills — how much dedication and diligence it takes to succeed. That prepared me, and it has shaped my career. So, every chance I get, I try to give guidance and mentorship to attorneys newer than myself,” particularly young attorneys of color and those from underrepresented populations.

“I know ‘Imposter Syndrome’ is hard to fight sometimes, but you’ve got to believe in yourself. You have to be your biggest fan,” said Chris. “If you passed the bar and you’re in this profession, you can do this job. You are smart enough. You got here for a reason. You belong here.”

Now an attorney in Goldberg Segalla’s Transportation and Product Liability practice groups, Chris has no doubt those two areas of law are exactly where he belongs.

Looking for “something different” upon joining the firm, Chris said he quickly realized the cases handled by the product liability and transportation teams represented the very kind of challenges he was eager to tackle.

“The cases are very interesting, and they are different from case-to-case. Part of that is because of the clients you represent, who all do different things. I find it very challenging, which I appreciate, especially intellectually. I couldn’t imagine being in a job that didn’t challenge me. That would be very boring and mundane.”

Yet, while Chris is inspired by the challenge his work presents, his motivation is generated largely from the passion he holds for the legal profession itself.

“Being an attorney means that I’m supposed to be a problem solver. If somebody comes to me with an issue, I’m supposed to be the person that’s there to resolve that issue for them. That’s why they pay us. I have to do my diligence, do my research and come back with an informed opinion that molds to the personal and professional goals for their company,” said Chris. “I worked really hard, and for a long time, to be in this position. I think I’d be doing myself and the legal community a disservice to not be motivated.

“I try to be a role model to younger people and aspiring attorneys,” he added. “A lot of people see an attorney, especially a black attorney, and look up to us for what they want to be or what they want their children to be. I take that responsibility seriously.”

Chris also takes seriously the “personal approach” he brings to working with clients.

“It’s my job to understand their challenges and goals. Building trust in an attorney-client relationship is like almost any other relationship: you’ve got to be reliable and communicate. You need to talk to your clients at every stage of litigation. I think you build a relationship by being honest, showing you’re diligent in your work and being consistent,” said Chris. “Our firm itself is full of very intelligent, very capable attorneys. They know what the client wants. They know the client’s history. They know the client’s industry standard. And I think that’s why they hire us.”

Chris’s commitment to service is not limited only to his clients. He is also committed to serving the legal profession and his community. Chris is a New Jersey delegate to the American Bar Association House of Delegates and chair-elect for the New Jersey State Bar Association, a position which he will assume in May. He is co-chair of the Young Lawyers Division for the Mercer County Bar Association, as well as the outgoing secretary to the Rutgers Law Camden Alumni Association and a past chair of the Young Lawyers Division for the Alumni Association in Camden. He is also a member of the Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital, Hamilton Young Professionals Group.

“This is a social profession, and I think one thing I do best is network with other people. I think that’s probably my favorite part of this job. I’m not a big fan of just putting something on my resume and not being actively involved. So, if I’m involved in it, or if my name is attached to it, I try my best to be an active member, be in leadership and help the group move forward.”

One such group that Chris has worked very hard to move forward is the New Jersey Supreme Court Committee for Diversity, Inclusion and Community Engagement.

“The current state of black and African American attorneys is in a constant state of improvement,” he said. “Since I’ve been an attorney, I have seen an increase in programs to assist diverse candidates. One of the biggest problems is that partnership in a lot of firms does not reflect the population of black people in the country. There are very few black and minority partners in a lot of law firms, or in leadership in general.

“But I think, especially in New Jersey, there has been a push to address this. I’m optimistic,” Chris said. “The very first step in addressing the issue is acknowledging it.”