Brian Stewart & Steven Jensen Taking up the Mantle of Parker + McConkie

Parker + McConkie has stood up to powerful adversaries to secure justice for its clients. The firm’s track record speaks for itself—having obtained the largest wrongful death judgment in Utah history and, in 2020, securing a record-breaking wrongful death settlement against The University of Utah for the tragic death of Lauren McCluskey. In 2023, the firm reached another landmark settlement with The University of Utah following the death of Zhifan Dong and, in that same year, achieved the largest personal injury settlement ever paid by Salt Lake County after the negligent death of an inmate.

Parker + McConkie has also set significant legal precedents. In 2018, the firm prevailed in an appeal against a nursing facility that claimed it was not liable after a nurse’s fatal error in administering narcotics went unreported. Earlier, in 2012, the firm won another pivotal appeal, requiring automobile insurers to provide clear and reasonable explanations of underinsured motorist benefits before obtaining waivers from their policyholders.

Frequently making headlines advocating for the families who have suffered unfathomable loss such as in the instances of Gabby Petito and Amanda Mayne in lawsuits against the City of Moab and Salt Lake City, respectively. In these cases, the firm went up against these agencies for failing to conduct proper lethality assessments, failures that could have prevented Gabby’s death at the hands of her fiancé and Amanda’s death at the hands of her ex-husband. With every case, the firm continues its relentless pursuit of justice, ensuring accountability and driving meaningful change.

“These are situations where people who are supposed to be able to protect, either don’t follow the law or don’t do their job the way they are supposed to,” Stewart explains. “For instance, there’s the case of a girl, about 20 years old who was pulled over for a broken taillight. They took her to jail in Salt Lake and she happened to have a small bag of meth in her bra. She was scared that it would be found so she swallowed the whole thing. They knew she had ingested something and over the next couple of hours she deteriorated until she was unconscious. Instead of calling for emergency help, they just left her on the floor of the cell until she died. She was treated as a criminal, not a real person. Her life somehow became worthless.

“That was one we felt strongly about,” he continues. “We worked toward a settlement with Salt Lake County which was the largest wrongful death settlement they had ever paid.”

Since purchasing Parker + McConkie, both Stewart and Jensen have focused on building on the foundation left by their predecessors. With a reputation for tenacity and diligence they are the first choice for some of the biggest and most well-known cases.

So, what sets this firm apart? According to Stewart it’s their complete commitment to each and every client and the reputation for following through to ensure the best results.