Frances is a member of the General Liability, Business Solutions, Employment & Labor, Elder Care, Product Liability and Transportation Law Practice Groups. Her practice focuses primarily on civil litigation in the areas of premises liability, commercial litigation, elder abuse, and products liability. She is an experienced litigator with a diverse background. Prior to joining Haight Brown & Bonesteel, Frances defended clients in professional liability, habitability, insurance coverage dispute, construction defect, and catastrophic injury matters. She is thoroughly familiar with all aspects of a case from inception to conclusion, including discovery, law and motion, taking and defending depositions, negotiating settlements at mediation, and preparing for and/or second-chairing trials.
Over the years, Frances has served as a risk management consultant and advisor to clients who wish to avoid litigation. She successfully negotiated a settlement in an action seeking $9 million in damages with conceded liability. She has also served as a liaison ensuring open and efficient communication amongst parties.
Before becoming a lawyer, Frances worked for a major manufacturer and marketer of foods and condiments as a continuous improvement engineer where she focused on driving productivity and improving supply chain management. She approaches all of her cases with this technical background in mind, aspiring to reach efficient and beneficial results for her clients.
Published Decisions
Cole v. Patricia A. Meyer & Associates, APC, et al. (2012) 206 Cal.App.4th 1095
Community Involvement
She has coached mock trials at the collegiate, law school, and high school levels and continues to serve as a volunteer judge for regional and state competitions.