Jul. 16, 2015
Robert J. Francavilla
See more on Robert J. FrancavillaCasey Gerry Schenk Francavilla Blatt & Penfield LLP | San Diego | Personal injury, premises liability and product liability
Francavilla traces his love of the law and desire to help others to his Italian Catholic upbringing, and to his father, who instilled the values of treating others with respect and dignity and helping the little guy. This led Francavilla to become the mediator and problem solver, both in his family and on the playground.
"I knew I wanted to do something meaningful, and helping make the life of someone who suffered a catastrophic accident better and restoring their dignity fit that desire " he said. He also knew from Day 1 that he wanted to be a plaintiffs personal injury lawyer to actualize his passion for helping others, giving them a voice and restoring their dignity. "I looked forward to the opportunity to take on defendants, no matter how big, how rich or how powerful that had wronged someone," he said. "Giving a voice to someone who could not speak for themselves was just the right thing to do." After law school, he took a job at a defense firm where he thought it would be easier to launch a career. Fortuitously, on one of his cases, he took the deposition of a client of David Casey Sr., a well-known plaintiffs attorney in San Diego. A month later, he called Casey's firm to inquire about openings and did not stop calling until they hired him. His persistence paid off and at this firm, he evolved from a junior associate to a senior associate to partner. "What I lacked in silver-tongued, oratorical skills, I made up for as a fighter," he said. "I love trying cases to juries and making sure justice is not a forgotten concept." One of his most rewarding cases was representing a man riding a motorcycle on Otay Mountain Truck Trail, when he was hit by a U.S. Border Patrol truck. His leg had to be amputated below the knee. "The government threw the whole kitchen sink at us," Francavilla said. He spent years working on the case and said he knew going to trial was the only way to get justice against such a powerful defendant He ended up recovering more than $5 million for his client. In another high profile trial, Francavilla represented a man who slipped and fell while playing pick-up basketball at a health club. The plaintiff claimed it happened because of a lack of proper inspection and maintenance. The defense blamed the plaintiff for his injuries, claiming it was nothing more than a sprained ankle. "Fortunately, the jury saw through the defense's tricks and returned a verdict of nearly $ 2 million," he said. - DEIRDRE NEWMANFor reprint rights or to order a copy of your photo:
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