Frank R. Chapman

F.R. "Francois" Chapman is a partner in Chapman Valdez at Beech Street Law Office in Casper and Kelly, Wyoming, a primarily litigation practice firm emphasizing Plaintiffs' representation in bad faith insurance, personal injury, civil rights, employment law, and complex litigation.  Beech Street Law Office represents and consults with a number of medical and legal practices in Wyoming regarding professional licensing and practices.  They also provide criminal defense in State and Federal Courts across Wyoming.

Mr. Chapman received his Juris Doctorate from the University of Wyoming in 1976.  He worked as a special assistant in the criminal division for the Wyoming Attorney General, during and after law school.  He was appointed and served as the Laramie County Public Defender in 1977. 

In July 1978, Mr. Chapman was appointed Wyoming's first State Public Defender by Governor Ed Herschler.  He established offices and hired lawyers in all 23 Wyoming Counties, hired a new staff of 35, edited and published the Public Defender Systems Criminal Defense Form Manual, which is still in use by the Public Defenders, and tried seven murder cases around the State as Public Defender.  Mr. Chapman has been in private practice since November, 1980.

Mr. Chapman's legal practice specifically involves insurance bad faith, personal injury, emphasizing head, brain and spine injuries, wrongful death and birth defects, complex business and other litigation management, professional practice and licensing consulting, and a wide variety of criminal defense matters ranging from traffic court to capital homicide.

Mr. Chapman practices from his office in Casper and part time from his home office in Kelly, Wyoming.  His hobbies are reading, hunting and fishing.  He is a Wyoming native; married and has five children ranging in age from 9 to 34 years.  His daughter Anne is a former federal public defender from the eastern district of Virginia.

Education

     University of Wyoming, College of Law, Laramie, Wyoming 1976 J.D.

     University of Wyoming, Laramie, Wyoming 1973

     B.S. in Sociology

Bar Admissions

     Wyoming, 1976

     U.S. Court of Appeals 10th Circuit, 1976

     U.S. District Court District of Wyoming, 1976

Published Works

     Wyoming Public Defender Manual. 1978

Honors

     AV Designation Given By Martindale Hubbell Law Directory

Representative Cases

    Wells Fargo Bank Wyoming, N.A. v. Hodder 144 P.3d 401 Wyo.,2006

    Fox v. Tanner, 101 P3d 939 (Wyo 2004)
     Smith v. Northwest Financial Acceptance, Inc. 129 F.3d 1408

     C.A.10 (Wyo.),1997

    Oukrop v. Wasserburger, 755 P2d 233 (Wyo 1988)

    State v. Meenan as special prosecutor CR AC NO. 15959-V

Representative Clients

      Homax Oil Sales, Inc.

     Western Medical Associates

     Williams Electric and Instrumentation, Inc.

     Baillys Plumbing and Heating

     Plains Tire and Battery inc.

      Wyoming Cardiopulmonary Inc.

     Central Wyoming Senior Center

     HICO Steel Fab/Manu

     Central Wyoming Neurosurgery

     BOP Inc.

     B&B Tool

     State of Wyoming Attorney General as special prosecutor - 2003

     Town of Evansville, 1996-2004

     Injured persons throughout the State of Wyoming

     Persons charged with crimes; State and Federal

Litigation Percentage

     85% of Practice devoted to Litigation

Classes/Seminars Taught

     Various Subjects - Criminal and Civil Law, Wyoming Trial Lawyers Assn., 1984-   2006

Professional Associations and Memberships

     Wyoming State Representative, 1981-1982

    Wyoming State Bar Association

    Wyoming Trial Lawyers Association (board member)

    American Trial Lawyers Association

    National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers

Past Employment Positions

     Wyoming Public Defender, Director, 1978-1980

     Laramie County Public Defender, Director, 1976-1978

Pro Bono Activities

     Representing Various Individuals With Insurance Disputes, 1982-2002

Fraternities

     Sigma Chi

Areas of Practice

Affirmative Action -- Employer

Age Discrimination

Americans with Disabilities Act - Employee

Americans with Disabilities Act - Employer

Animal Bites - Plaintiff

Antitrust and Trade Regulations

Antitrust Law

Asbestos

Assault and Battery - Plaintiff

Aviation Accidents - Plaintiff

Bad Faith

Business and Commercial Law

Business Organizations

Business Successions

Cellular Communications

Chemicals and Cosmetics

Civil Rights

Closely Held Businesses

Commercial Leasing

Collections and Repossessions

Commercial Leasing

Communications and Media Law

Complex Litigation

Constitutional Law

Consumer Protection

Contracts

Criminal Fraud

DUI/DWI

Debtor/Creditor

Deceptive Trade Practices

Defamation & Privacy - Plaintiff

Dental Malpractice

Digital Communications

Directors' and Officers' Liability

Disability

Disability and Illness Discrimination

Dissolution

Divorce

Drug Violations

Eminent Domain

Employee Rights - Employee

Employee Rights - Employer

Employment Discrimination - Employee

Employment Discrimination - Employer

Employment Law - Employee

Employment Law - Employer

Ethics

Ethics and Professional Responsibility

Family Medial Leave Act (FMLA) - Employee

Federal

Federal Appellate Practice

Federal Claims Court

Federal Trial Practice

Felonies

Formation and Business Planning

Franchising

Freedom of Information

Freedom of Press

Freedom of Religion

Freedom of Speech

Gaming Law

Grand Jury Proceedings

Health and Health Care Law

Hospital Law

Insurance Law

Insurance Malpractice

Joint Ventures

Juvenile Crimes

Legal Malpractice

Limited Liability Companies

Litigation and Appeals

Lotteries

Machinery and Tools

Medical Malpractice

Medical Products and Devices

Mental Health

Mergers, Acquisitions, and Divestitures

Misdemeanor

Motor Vehicle

Motor Vehicle Accidents - Plaintiff

Motor Vehicle Defects

Multidistrict Litigation

Municipal Corporations

Municipal Employment - Employee

Municipal Employment - Employer

Municipal Liability

National Origin Discrimination

Non-profit and Tax-exempt Organizations

Other Professionals Malpractice

Pari-mutuels Betting

Parole and Probation

Partnerships

Personal Injury - Plaintiff

Pharmaceutical Products

Police Misconduct

Premises Liability - Plaintiff

Prenuptial Agreements

Print Media

Prisoners' Rights

Products Liability Law

Professional Malpractice Law

Professional Responsibility

Property and Casualty

Property Damage - Plaintiff

RICO Act

Race Discrimination

Radio

Railroad Accidents - Plaintiff

Recreational Products

Religious Discrimination

Search and Seizure Protections

Sex Discrimination

Sex Offenses

Sexual Harassment - Employee

Sexual Harassment - Employer

Shareholders' Rights

Slip and Fall - Plaintiff

State Appellate Practice

State Government

State Trial Practice

State, Local and Municipal Law

Television and Film

Tobacco

Toxic Torts

Trade Associations

Trade Regulations

Traffic Violations

Transactions

Unfair Competition

Uniform Commercial Code

Victims' Rights

Voting Rights

Wage and Hour Laws - Employee

Wage and Hour Laws - Employer

Warranties

Whistleblower - Employee

Whistleblower - Employer

White Collar Crimes

Wrongful Death - Plaintiff

Wrongful Termination - Employee

Wrongful Termination - Employer

                                                        DISCLAIMER

The Wyoming State Bar does not certify any lawyer as a specialist or expert.  Anyone considering a lawyer should independently investigate the lawyer's credentials and ability, and not rely upon advertisements or self proclaimed expertise.