Chapman Valdez
Frank R. Chapman
F.R. "Francois" Chapman is a partner in Chapman Valdez 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. Chapman Valdez 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
Best Lawyers in America Designation for the past 10 years
Who's Who in American Law
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
Brain and Head Injuries Seminars WTLA various years
Supervision of legal staff (ethics) 2002 Wyoming State Bar
Defending Drunk Drivers NBI various years
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
Please Call: 307 237 1983
Please Call: 307 237 1983