They’ve Got Next: The 40 Under 40 - Rami Fakhouri of Goldman Ismail

Rami Fakhouri

Age: 40

Law Firm: Goldman Ismail Tomaselli Brennan & Baum

Practice Area: Products Liability

Title: Partner

Location: Chicago

Law school: Northwestern Pritzker School of Law

Please describe two of your most substantial, recent wins in practice.

Two memorable wins came last year in back-to-back jury trials defending GSK against allegations that its heartburn medication Zantac causes cancer. These trials took place in Cook County, Illinois, one of the most plaintiff-friendly jurisdictions. Plaintiffs hand-selected these cases from 500+ others in a consolidated litigation for which I also served as GSK’s co-lead coordinating counsel.

The first, Valadez, was the very first Zantac trial anywhere. So everything we did was new—from arguments I handled on preemption and motions in limine, to my trial examinations of plaintiffs’ laboratory testing experts and our surgical oncologist. In the second trial, Joiner, our client GSK stood alone with no co-defendant. I therefore handled more arguments and more witnesses, including a challenging cross of an elderly cancer survivor.

Three guiding principles stand out as essential to these two defense verdicts. First, I kept our trial themes front-and-center, including with demonstratives during my cross-exams on the first day of the Valadez trial. Second, I prioritized working closely with our Valadez co-defendant to ensure alignment on case themes. Third, I always strove to preserve credibility with the judge and jury, including by taking a gentle and sympathetic approach in crossing the Joiner plaintiff.

What is the most important lesson you learned as a first-year attorney and how does it inform your practice today?

My most important lesson came first through my clerkship with Judge Matthew Kennelly, and later from my colleague, mentor, and current partner Joe Tomaselli. The lesson has taken many forms, but its essence is “slow down.” That’s not to say efficiency isn’t important in my work—in fact, it’s critical, especially at a firm like Goldman Ismail that operates outside the hourly fee model. But I’ve learned that success comes when efficiency is tempered with deliberation.

In our profession, so many approach their roles in a reactive manner—answer that email immediately; don’t let opposing counsel have the last word; finish the to-do list ASAP. Against that backdrop, an attorney stands out when they think carefully before acting.

Clients recognize when a lawyer takes time to process other perspectives before recommending a plan. Colleagues appreciate when a bit of extra reflection leads to an insight that saves time and effort on a complex project. Courts take note when an attorney listens carefully, reflects, and responds to the question asked rather than simply waiting for their turn to speak. A heated exchange with opposing counsel becomes productive when one lawyer takes a pause that reduces the temperature.

In ways large and small, the lesson to slow down has helped me build credibility, manage teams successfully, and navigate difficult and complex situations effectively.

How do you define success in your practice?

Success to me means exemplifying a principle our firm was built on: collective success is individual success. This means genuinely caring for and uplifting those around me, celebrating their wins, and delivering outstanding results for clients as a true team player.

This is how my career started: When I joined Goldman Ismail, my mentors (and eventual partners) empowered me to bring in a pro bono prisoner case that had seemingly little chance of success. With their encouragement, I pushed my limits and turned a summary judgment loss into a rare en banc rehearing and reversal. That in turn led my colleagues to advocate for me to handle appeals and stand up at trial for our Fortune 500 clients.

Today, one of my greatest professional joys is paying forward this firm ethos. I’ve served as a formal mentor to several associates, meeting quarterly to prioritize their goals and offer guidance. I’ve supervised associates in taking on challenging first oral arguments, mediations, and witness exams.

I think of co-counsel beyond Goldman Ismail as an extension of our own firm and make a point to credit their successes. And I work to build ladders of opportunity through Northwestern Law’s Mentorship Program and the Leadership Council on Legal Diversity’s Law School Mentoring Program. Through these efforts and others, I’ve found a great deal of personal success and fulfillment.

What are you most proud of as a lawyer?

My proudest achievement is leading a team that secured asylum in the United States for a deserving young Honduran woman.

Our client grew up poor, struggling to obtain an education and support her family after her father became disabled. As a teenager, she was targeted by a member of a notorious gang who forced her into a “relationship” and then enslaved her as part of a sex trafficking operation. The gang member threatened her and her family with death if she did not submit. This torment ended only when she made a risky escape and traveled, alone, across central America to the Texas border.

Our team spent several years on this client’s case building a thorough record, drafting briefs and expert affidavits, and preparing our client to testify in September 2022. I found special pride in guiding our associate in building rapport with the client and presenting our expert as her first live witness.

When the judge granted our client asylum, she broke down in tears and told us we had saved her life. That experience and seeing our client on track to obtain United States citizenship and resuming her education, reminds me nearly every day of the awesome power we have as lawyers. It inspires me to do my best work and stay focused on the end goal even (indeed, especially) in difficult circumstances.

Who is your greatest mentor in the law and what have they taught you?

Joe Tomaselli taught me foundational lessons described above, and Tarek Ismail is the foremost model of a successful trial lawyer, leader, and father—my three greatest priorities. But my greatest mentor is Shayna Cook. She was my formal mentor as an associate, but I’ve absorbed my most important lessons as her partner. Three stand out.

First, Shayna taught me to plan. Primarily this means anticipating how opposing counsel or the court will respond and always acting with end goals in mind. Shayna also helped me understand how careful planning distills complex issues to their essence and avoid distractions.

Second, Shayna taught me to remember the audience. She exemplifies this as a trial lawyer, building empathy and connecting with jurors in critical ways that enable victory even amidst the most daunting fact patterns. Watching Shayna remain composed and credible at side bars with judges while opposing counsel performs theatrics has taught me more about effective advocacy than any book or article.

Third, Shayna taught me to prioritize myself. She leads our firm’s wellness efforts, speaks regularly on the topic, and models finding time to exercise, sleep, and eat well when work reaches a fever pace. As a dad to three young boys, finding this balance has become more critical to my success with each passing year. I have Shayna to thank for each of these lessons.

Please tell us your two favorite songs on your summer music playlist.

The first song I have on repeat is “Althea (Live at Folsom Field).” Dead & Company is one of my favorites this summer, whether as a barbecue playlist or while decompressing on the train home. The other is the “Imperial March” from Star Wars, but only because my kids keep making me play it for their dance parties at home!

Rami Fakhouri of Goldman Ismail with his wife, Dale, and their three boys on vacation in Mexico.

Photo Illustration: Jonathan Hurtarte/ Bloomberg Law; Photo courtesy of Rami Fakhouri