George Z. Twill is an associate in the Insurance Practice Group. He focuses his practice on insurance defense, automobile negligence, personal injury, premises liability and products liability. He also works on insurance coverage litigation. Prior to joining Tressler, George was a trial attorney at a New York defense firm. He has experience handling cases in all the NYC boroughs and surrounding counties, including trying several cases to verdict.
George received both his B.A. and M.A degrees from Fairleigh Dickinson University and his J.D. from Rutgers University School of Law. He currently works out of Tressler's New York and New Jersey Offices.
Where are you from?
I am a lifelong New Jersey resident, and proud of it.
What was your first job?
My first job was working in the bindery at my dad’s print shop. If you think legal research can be tedious, try stuffing envelopes all day.
Do you have any hobbies?
I was on the basketball team in college at Fairleigh Dickinson and still play on a men’s league team. I like to participate in other sports and outdoor activities like golfing, hiking and biking when I have the time.
What is on your bucket list?
I enjoy traveling and experiencing different cultures, so I would like to visit all seven continents. So far I have been to Europe and Asia, along with North America and I will be going to South America for my honeymoon this year.
George and his fiancé, Jackie, in Al Madam desert, U.A.E.
Why did you decide to become an attorney?
I did not initially plan on being an attorney when I was growing up or even in college. At some point, after college, I was at a crossroads on how to use my liberal arts degree. Based on my interest in reading and writing, I began working as a law clerk at a local small firm and decided from there to apply to law school.
What does a typical workday look like for you?
Before COVID-19, I spent a lot of time running around to various court appearances and depositions. Many appearances have now become virtual, so I spend a lot more time at my computer reviewing documents, researching, writing or participating in virtual meetings and conference calls.
Why did you choose your areas of practice?
When I came out of law school I was just looking for a job so I could start getting a steady paycheck and cut my teeth as a lawyer. I ended up at a firm doing insurance defense work, mainly defending personal Injury lawsuits arising from car accidents. Since then I have expanded my practice to work on many different types of civil defense cases as well as insurance coverage litigation.
What do you like most about Tressler?
My colleagues at Tressler are all so friendly and helpful. I think this firm strikes a good balance because it has a nationwide presence of a large firm, but still maintains the familiarity of a small firm on a day-to-day basis.
What are you most proud of, professionally and/or personally?
I think that the thing that makes me most proud as a professional is seeing the relief after getting a favorable result for my clients. Specifically, I achieved a defense verdict in a personal injury action in New York City, for my client who was a college student from Egypt and was studying to go to medical school. He was sued as a result of a minor car accident and the plaintiff refused to settle the action within the policy limits. After over a week of sitting through the trial, my client was so relieved and excited when the jury found it in his favor. He felt like a giant burden had been lifted off his shoulders, and he could get back to focusing on his career pursuits. A happy client makes what can be a very stressful job more rewarding.
On a personal note, I am excited about my upcoming wedding to my fiancé, Jackie, who I met in law school at Rutgers. Her support has been such an important part of my success from our time studying for final exams and the bar, to moving into our professional careers as attorneys. I would not have been able to make it through without her keeping me focused.
What was a personal dream of yours?
As a kid, my dream was always to play for the Yankees. Many people will say that I came up short in that regard, but I would argue that I did come close. My first ever court appearance after being admitted to the New York bar was at Bronx Supreme Court, which sits on a hill overlooking Yankee Stadium.
That morning I woke up and took the D Train uptown to the 161st Street/Yankee Stadium stop to start my career as an attorney. So, the way I look at it, I was only a block or two away from reaching my childhood dream. Plus, you can never have enough arms in the bullpen so I’m not ready to rule anything out...
George Twill can be reached at gtwill@tresslerllp.com. Learn more about our attorneys by visiting www.tresslerllp.com/attorneys.
