Bruce D. Skaug - From Boise Lawyer To Skaug Law Firm's Founder

Your Injury is Personal to Me

profile-img

Bruce D. Skaug

A native of southern Idaho, Bruce Skaug’s ancestors homesteaded near Lizard Butte in Canyon County. Bruce’s parents later migrated to Jerome County where Bruce grew up and eventually graduated from Jerome High School. He went on to attend the University of Idaho and graduated in 1988 from the University of Idaho College of Law.

Bruce began his law career in Boise as a trial attorney for the Ada County Prosecutor’s Office where he served faithfully for 3 years. However, the young Boise lawyer wanted to do more to serve the “underdogs” of Idaho.

So in 1992, Bruce relocated to Nampa to focus on personal injury, wrongful death, and workers’ compensation litigation, and over the next 30 years he and his law firm have helped thousands of Idahoans win millions of dollars for their injuries and losses.

During the past 3 decades, Bruce has also served the Nampa community in various other capacities including Nampa City Councilman and now as a legislator in the State House of Representatives.

Bruce remains a member of the Idaho Trial Lawyers Association and the American Association for Justice

From Being a Boise Lawyer to Fighting for the Underdog Here in Nampa, Idaho!

by Bruce D. Skaug, Managing Attorney

I’ve always loved a good underdog story.

When I first decided to study law, I intended to become a great Boise lawyer who fought for the underdog. I wanted to fight for the people who found themselves in lawsuits they had little chance of winning. I wanted to be someone who could bring the long-shots justice and closure.

Fresh out of law school I took a job as a prosecuting attorney for Ada County. The work was enjoyable, but it wasn’t everything I had hoped it would be. I could make sure the bad guy ended up behind bars, where he wouldn’t hurt my clients any longer, but I couldn’t be a part of repairing the damage done. If they had been in a car accident, I couldn’t help them seek compensation for pain and suffering and hospital bills.

It seemed like some of my clients were left picking up the pieces of a shattered life, and there was nothing I could do about it.

One day, one of the judges I often worked with gave me some advice I will never forget. He put his arm around my shoulders and told me earnestly, “Get out of this job. Otherwise, one day you’ll become a judge like me, and I hate my job.”

He saw some potential in me to succeed outside of my role at the Ada County Courthouse, and it was all I needed to hear. Soon after, I took a job with a personal injury and workers’ comp firm. It seemed like the perfect transition into a job where I could make sure every underdog had their day and won the compensation they needed.

Six months into my new job, the attorney I worked for closed up shop and took most of his clients with him. I was left alone, with not nearly enough clients to maintain the practice by myself. I almost called it quits and thought seriously about trying to get another job at the Ada County Courthouse. I was in an underdog story of my own, and it seemed there was not much chance of winning.

Its been decades now since leaving a Boise law firm to situate myself here in Nampa serving the underdogs.

By the grace of God, and with the encouragement of friends and family, I stuck with the firm and made it work. Today, Skaug Law is the largest workers’ comp law firm in Idaho, and I have the help of some 20 staff members to keep things running smoothly. We have been able to help thousands of injury victims win full compensation.

Not bad for a kid from Jerome that started out as a Boise lawyer!

We’ve seen our fair share of success, but we haven’t grown complacent. We work hard to defend the underdogs of Idaho and fight against the prejudices that might prevent our clients from getting the compensation and justice they need. It can be difficult to overcome biases held by juries and defendants, but we’ve seen time and time again how a genuine desire for everyone to be represented equally before the law can win the day.

We hope for many more years of helping the long-shots of Idaho win the maximum for their injuries and find peace again.

Public Service

Bruce has been proudly serving as Idaho State Legislator since December 2020.

Bruce served on the Nampa City Council from 2014 to 2020 when he chose not to run for re-election.

He served as Council President for four of his six years on the City Council.  Nampa was rated as the nation’s Best Run City by Wallethub for three of the years of Bruce’s tenure.

Bruce has served on the board of directors for non-profit charitable organizations including the Salvation Army, Hands of Hope, Nampa Lions Club, The Joseph Project, The Canyon County Historical Society, College Church of the Nazarene, The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary Foundation Board, Nampa Babe Ruth, Lifeline Pregnancy Care Center, Nampa Christian Schools Foundation Board and the Nampa Public Library.

In November 2020, Bruce was elected as an Idaho State Representative.

Below, Lion Bruce Skaug (center) receives the Senior Master Key from Lions International for sponsoring 25 new members. Lions Clubs International is the world’s largest service club organization dedicated to bettering the quality of life for the handicapped, the poor, the sick and the aged.

Family

  • Bruce and Debbie Skaug have been married for over 30 years.
  • They have six children and four grandchildren.

Bar Admission

  • Idaho, 1988; Montana, 1995; Oregon, 2002; U.S. District Court District of Idaho, 1988; U.S. Court of Appeals 9th Circuit

Education

  • University of Idaho College of Law, Moscow, Idaho, J.D.
  • University of Idaho, Moscow, Idaho, B.S., Political Science Major; College of Southern Idaho
  • Twin Falls, Idaho, A.A., Social Science Major

Honors & Awards

  • Nampa Lions Club – Melvin Jones Fellowship Award for outstanding humanitarian service; Martindale-Hubbell Client Distinction Award 2015 Lifetime Achievement, America’s Top 100 Attorneys

Professional Associations and Memberships

  • Idaho Trial Lawyers Association
  • American Association for Justice
  • Idaho, Oregon, & Montana Bar Associations
  • Nampa Lions Club, President (1996-1997)
  • District Patriotism Chair
  • Salvation Army Advisory Board (Former Vice President)
  • Nampa Babe Ruth, Inc., Vice Chair, Secretary of the Board
  • Joseph Project, Inc. (China), Board Member, Nampa Library Board, Trustee (2006 – 2008)
  • Life Member, National Rifle Association
  • Canyon Co. Historical Society, Former Board Member
  • Hands of Hope, Inc., Former Board Member
  • The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, Foundation Board Member
  • College Church of the Nazarene, Former Board Member
  • The National Crime Victim Bar Association
  • Christian Legal Society
  • Ronald Reagan Foundation

Representative Clients and Plantiffs From

Claimants, physicians, State and Local elected officials, a U.S. Congress member and claimants from many U.S. States; nearly every state in Mexico; Puerto Rico, Brazil, China, Columbia, El Salvador, England, Finland, Guatemala, Romania, Sweden, Taiwan, Portugal and Yugoslavia.

Accredited by the Better Business BureauMember - Idaho Trial Lawyers AssociationAmerican Association Of JusticeBJA_badge_revised_50Top 10 Workers Compensation Law FirmExpertise - Best personal injury attorneys in NampaNTL top 100 member seal - IconMember, Idaho Hispanic Chamber of Commerce