Ready to hear about a different type of law?

So far, we’ve spoken to many public defenders who have done work on the trial level, but today I talk to someone who can take you into the nuances of appellate law.

In this episode, I speak with Frances Brown: a former appellate public defender, former Chief Administrative Officer of the Colorado State Public Defender Office, and a current member of the Aurora Public Defender Commission.

Frances brings a wealth of knowledge with her about what really goes into appellate law and the unique types of arguments that can be made.

She is also a veteran of the legal industry, so she’ll take you through what she has seen around the growth of women in the legal profession. 

Lastly, Frances shares key insight into what goes into the policies and practices of the Public Defender Commissions. 

 

Key Topics and Takeaways:

 

• Frances’ career and how she got started. [0:36]
• How appellate representations are different from trial work. [18:38]
• The complexities of appeals. [27:41]
• Greatest policy victories in Colorado. [31:21]
• What Frances’ current role looks like. [45:24]
• How Frances has moved forward public defense in Aurora. [50:15]
• How Women’s rights have increased in the public defense system. [1:03:54]

 

Guest:

 

Frances Brown, Former Chief Administrative Officer of Colorado State Public Defender Office, Current Member of the Aurora Public Defender Commission

 

Resources:

 

Aurora Public Defender Office

 

Memorable Quotes:

 

“I love my job. And I always did. And I do feel very blessed for that.” (18:26, Frances)

 

“The main thing about appellate law is everything you do is based on the record.” (19:49, Frances)

 

“The biggest part of being a public defender is the ability to go to court.” (40:19, Frances)

 

“I felt very strongly for many, many years that the public defender system would benefit tremendously from having social workers.” (41:44, Frances)

 

“I am an expert in an area of law that nobody needs to be an expert in, which is conflict of interest in public defender offices.” (49:07, Frances)

 

Contact Hunter Parnell:

 

[email protected]

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