A veteran civil litigator of diverse experience and expertise.
Fran Spinelli is an expert litigator with years of experience in a wide variety of litigation contexts. Among her clients have been some of the largest corporations in the country, smaller companies, and individuals. She has represented companies in defending major products-liability litigation in Georgia and other states, in multi-party cases and involving thousands of plaintiffs and claims, for personal injury and wrongful death. Fran assists those companies in managing all aspects of litigation, including litigation strategy (in individual cases and in global strategies); extensive discovery and motions practice; internal corporate investigation; recruitment, development, and use of experts and defenses; settlement strategies and negotiations; and trial preparation in state and federal courts. She has had principal responsibility for the administration and defense of asbestos lawsuits for several Fortune 500 companies.
Fran also represents plaintiffs, in a variety of business and personal-injury cases, including psychiatric and medical malpractice and litigation involving securities matters, commercial disputes, and worker’s compensation.
After obtaining her undergraduate degree in Biology from Kean College (now Kean University), she received certification in medical technology from the American Society of Clinical Pathology. Before law school, Fran worked as a medical technologist in a variety of healthcare settings, including a large clinical laboratory, hospitals, and a basic science research facility. She co-authored several scientific publications during that period.
In addition to Georgia, Fran is admitted to practice in Pennsylvania, Texas, and Mississippi. She has handled cases for clients in each of those, and other, jurisdictions. Previously, Fran worked as an in-house attorney at a major corporation, and in private practice with several nationally prominent law firms. Along with litigation and trials, Fran has represented clients extensively in mediations and other alternative dispute resolution mechanisms. She has participated in scores of such proceedings.
Fran has fought “on both sides”—with and for corporations, and also against corporations; representing both defendants and plaintiffs. She understands how litigation “works” from both perspectives. From her broad experience, Fran is uniquely situated to assist businesses and individuals in numerous litigation contexts.
Fran received her Juris Doctor degree from the Dickinson School of Law (now PennState Dickinson) in Carlisle, Pennsylvania. During law school, she was a member of the trial and appellate moot court boards and competed on trial and appellate moot court teams. She was chosen as the “Best Advocate” in the Allegheny County Trial Lawyers Association Trial Moot Court competition for 1989. At Dickinson she was selected for membership in the Order of Barristers.
After law school, Fran practiced in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania with a medium-sized commercial litigation firm. Thereafter she served as in-house counsel in the toxic tort section of the Westinghouse Electric Corporation law department. At Westinghouse Fran practiced in the areas of environmental insurance coverage litigation and toxic-tort products liability litigation. She participated in the administration of litigation and the management of local and regional counsel in toxic-tort and products-liability matters in multiple states and regions. She also practiced with Jenkens & Gilchrist in Dallas, Texas in the products liability area. In Atlanta she practiced with Evert Weathersby Houff, one of the most respected products-liability and toxic-tort firms in the country.
Fran also represents plaintiffs, in a variety of business and personal-injury cases, including psychiatric and medical malpractice and litigation involving securities matters, commercial disputes, and worker’s compensation.
After obtaining her undergraduate degree in Biology from Kean College (now Kean University), she received certification in medical technology from the American Society of Clinical Pathology. Before law school, Fran worked as a medical technologist in a variety of healthcare settings, including a large clinical laboratory, hospitals, and a basic science research facility. She co-authored several scientific publications during that period.
In addition to Georgia, Fran is admitted to practice in Pennsylvania, Texas, and Mississippi. She has handled cases for clients in each of those, and other, jurisdictions. Previously, Fran worked as an in-house attorney at a major corporation, and in private practice with several nationally prominent law firms. Along with litigation and trials, Fran has represented clients extensively in mediations and other alternative dispute resolution mechanisms. She has participated in scores of such proceedings.
Fran has fought “on both sides”—with and for corporations, and also against corporations; representing both defendants and plaintiffs. She understands how litigation “works” from both perspectives. From her broad experience, Fran is uniquely situated to assist businesses and individuals in numerous litigation contexts.
Fran received her Juris Doctor degree from the Dickinson School of Law (now PennState Dickinson) in Carlisle, Pennsylvania. During law school, she was a member of the trial and appellate moot court boards and competed on trial and appellate moot court teams. She was chosen as the “Best Advocate” in the Allegheny County Trial Lawyers Association Trial Moot Court competition for 1989. At Dickinson she was selected for membership in the Order of Barristers.
After law school, Fran practiced in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania with a medium-sized commercial litigation firm. Thereafter she served as in-house counsel in the toxic tort section of the Westinghouse Electric Corporation law department. At Westinghouse Fran practiced in the areas of environmental insurance coverage litigation and toxic-tort products liability litigation. She participated in the administration of litigation and the management of local and regional counsel in toxic-tort and products-liability matters in multiple states and regions. She also practiced with Jenkens & Gilchrist in Dallas, Texas in the products liability area. In Atlanta she practiced with Evert Weathersby Houff, one of the most respected products-liability and toxic-tort firms in the country.
1100 Peachtree Street, Suite 200, Atlanta, GA 30309