Continuing Education in Action: Laurence Stinson Attends Legacy ATAA Course

At Stinson Law Group, continual learning isn’t just a value. It’s a commitment. Every member of our firm strives to stay at the forefront of the fields that matter most to our clients. For Laurence Stinson, that recently meant stepping away from the courtroom and into the cab of a tractor-trailer.

Laurence attended a hands-on tractor-trailer operator course hosted by Legacy International Trucking Academy in partnership with the Academy of Truck Accident Attorneys (ATAA). This intensive course gives participants first-hand experience behind the wheel of a commercial truck, something few lawyers ever get to do.

“I’ve always thought driving a truck was a hard job. But after trying to drive one myself, I respect that work more than ever.”
— Laurence Stinson

Learning by Doing: Inside the Legacy ATAA Course

The Legacy course is designed to help attorneys who represent clients in tractor-trailer crash cases gain a deeper understanding of what professional drivers face every day. Participants don’t just sit in a classroom—they climb into the driver’s seat, maneuver real rigs, and learn the complexities of operating an 80,000-pound vehicle on the road.

From understanding blind spots and braking distances to mastering turns and gear shifts, the training provides a realistic look at the immense responsibility truck drivers carry.

For Laurence, that perspective was invaluable.

“This course is unique. There’s not another program I know of that gives this kind of hands-on experience,” he said. “I’ve been excited to do this for months—and that’s not something most people say about continuing education.”

Why Hands-On Experience Matters in Tractor-Trailer Litigation

Laurence is one of the few attorneys in Montana who focus exclusively on tractor-trailer crash cases. That focus means every detail—from understanding a driver’s split-second decisions to recognizing how fatigue, load weight, or road conditions play into a crash—can shape how a case is built.

“It’ll probably help me most in depositions,” Laurence explained. “Understanding what that person is dealing with in the cab helps me ask better questions and tell a more complete story of what happened.”

Truck crash cases are rarely straightforward. They involve a complex web of federal and state regulations, maintenance records, driver training, and corporate oversight. Having real-world insight into what happens behind the wheel allows our team to communicate those realities more clearly to clients, juries, and opposing counsel alike.

Telling Both Sides of the Story

At the heart of every case Laurence handles is a story—one that deserves to be told with honesty, empathy, and precision.

“We tell our clients’ stories,” he said. “But to do that well, we also have to understand the story of the other side. This course helps us do that.”

By putting himself in the driver’s seat, Laurence gained not only technical knowledge but also a renewed appreciation for the human challenges that truck drivers face. Challenges that often play a critical role in understanding how and why a crash occurs.

Continuing to Learn, So We Can Better Serve Our Clients

The ATAA Legacy course represents one piece of a larger effort to continually deepen our understanding of tractor-trailer crash litigation. Each learning experience—whether in the field, in a classroom, or through collaboration with national experts—strengthens our ability to advocate for those affected by catastrophic trucking accidents in Montana and Wyoming.

For clients, that means working with a legal team that doesn’t just study the law, but studies the realities of the road.

We know what it takes to stand up for people whose lives have been impacted by serious truck crashes. Let’s talk about how we can help.

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