Amanda Francis on Women in Law

Women in law featured in attorney publication Trial Talk

Trial Talk, a publication of the Colorado Trial Lawyers Association, profiled four local women in law. The story features our own Amanda Francis.

Francis, along with attorney Lorraine Parker and law students Elizabeth Othmer and Rachel Kennedy, shared their thoughts on practicing law and their experiences as trial lawyers.

The two law students recently tried and won their first trial, while Francis and Parker both have years of trial law experience.

Choosing Trial Law

Francis told the magazine about her reasons for choosing personal injury law, saying:

“It’s especially rewarding to hold people accountable who abuse their power. In Colorado, while we have some absurd caps on damages, we have some great bad faith laws that afford us the opportunity to have a greater impact when insurance companies do the wrong thing.”

Challenges Women Attorneys Face

All the women also discussed some of the challenges women attorneys face. Francis shared her perspective:

“I’ve been repeatedly mistaken for the court reporter. Judges have asked me if I’m a lawyer, despite the fact I was sitting at counsel table wearing a suit. A mediator once told my client when negotiation stalled not to worry about trial, because ‘the guys at Amanda’s firm are great.’ There’s nothing objectively negative about any of these experiences aside from my own insecurities translating them as confirmation that I am not respected as a formidable advocate. As I get older, I realize this is in my head.

I now can better shrug it off, realizing I don’t have to make any of this mean anything about me or my skills. Others can simply be mistaken. Let them be wrong about you. I’ve learned there’s nothing but upside to being underestimated.”

“As one of the ‘guys in Amanda’s firm,’ I have to roll my eyes at that mediator,” said Keith Fuicelli. “Amanda is one of the most intelligent and dogged people I have ever met. All of our attorneys on staff know their stuff, and they all hold the client’s best interest at heart. What’s more, Amanda recently tried a case that resulted in a >$7 million verdict for one of our clients. That speaks for itself.”

Read the full story here (PDF).

To learn more about Amanda Francis and the rest of Fuicelli & Lee’s talented and experienced team of attorneys, view our staff profiles. If you have been injured in an accident, contact us for a free case consultation.