TOP40UNDER40 — MEMBER SPOTLIGHT —
TOP40UNDER40 — MEMBER SPOTLIGHT —
AMANDA WRIGHT Osborne & Francis • Florida
What was the first job you had ? Publix . I applied the day I turned 15 . My older sister was working there and had been for about a year and a half , so it was an easy application process . It was fun to work shifts with her because we were both cashiers and it was not uncommon for customers to think we were twins , despite me being 2 ½ years younger .
I attribute my success to … my uncle , who is a two-time Pulitzer Prize winning political cartoonist and author ( although he would never admit or volunteer that information ). He is the smartest , funniest person I know and he has always told me “... now go change the world .” Secondly , the first civil attorney I ever worked for : Daniel Dill . He taught me the level of detail needed to work up a client ’ s claim to set it apart from the thousands of other claims that hit the desks of adjusters every day . He also gave me three pieces of advice I have never forgotten and still live and work by : 1 . Your name is your reputation : don ’ t let anything go out of the office that has your name on it without reviewing it first , 2 . Never stop working to improve your legal writing ; it is a dying art and attorneys who can write well stand out , and 3 . Be a sponge ; take every opportunity you can to observe more experienced attorneys and soak up the small things they do that make them effective ( or , in some cases , ineffective ). The small things matter and will set you apart .
What is your most notable verdict or settlement ? Personally , it will always be my first civil trial . A mentor and good friend of mine agreed to sit second chair
10 x The Trial Lawyer and she cheered me on the entire way and never let me get discouraged or lament . We won and celebrated in our conference room , but that ’ s not why it ’ s the most notable to me . Shortly after I left the firm we worked at together , she was diagnosed with cancer . Every time I called her to check in , she was so positive and encouraging , just like she was when we tried that case together . She passed away in 2022 , and I hold tightly onto my memories of being lucky enough to have stood beside her in a courtroom . She was an exceptional attorney , person , and friend .
What is your fantasy job ? I love being a trial lawyer . I loved fighting the good fight as a public defender and I love being a plaintiff ’ s attorney because I get to help people during some of the hardest days of their lives . I can ’ t say I have a “ fantasy job ,” although I would like to teach some day ; my undergrad and law school professors were hugely influential in my personal and professional life , and I would love the opportunity to be the same for a student .
What is your guilty pleasure ? I have two : attending Formula 1 races from the paddock clubs ( I ’ ve been to Austin , Montreal , and Las Vegas so far ) and Nike Air Max 90s . I ’ m too embarrassed to disclose how many pair I own !
What do you like to do in your time off ? Spend time with my 10-year-old son . I also love woodworking and interior design . I ’ ve recently attempted to combine the two by teaching my son how to use a miter saw , but I ’ m not sure
I ’ ve convinced him to join me on my next project yet .
What ’ s your favorite hobby ? Tackling projects I would have previously hired someone for . Since COVID , I ’ ve taught myself how to prep , measure , cut , and install trim and molding ( including crown !), skim coat walls , install traditional and prepasted wallpaper , reupholster items , and restore furniture . I love creating beautiful things ! It is most certainly my creative outlet .
What advice would you give a young attorney ? To the extent you can be flexible and intern or get experience from as many different types of law firms / lawyers as possible , don ’ t hesitate to do it . Law school graduates go straight into bar prep , then the waiting game , and then the race for a job before we must start paying our loans . Don ’ t pigeon-hole yourself . Know what area of the law you love so you don ’ t jump into a position solely because of a paycheck .
How do you relax ? Painting , swimming , yoga , and cold plunges .
What ’ s your most embarrassing moment in life ? In 2016 , a member of a venire told the entire courtroom ( and fellow venire members ) that he recognized me from a dating app . Needless to say , I have not been on one since .