Paulette Francois
W. Paulette Francois has a diverse background in both medicine and law, having worked as both an attorney representing clients in a wide range of medical malpractice cases and as a registered nurse in a variety of clinical settings from a large medical research center to public health and school nursing.
Before joining Kline and Specter in 2012, Francois, now a partner with the firm, was a nurse-attorney for six years with the Philadelphia law firm of Eisenberg, Rothweiler, Winkler, Eisenberg & Jeck, where she concentrated in plaintiff medical malpractice cases involving birth defects, maternal and fetal care, infectious diseases, internal medicine and cardiac, brain and spinal cord injuries.
She also worked on product liability cases, particularly pharmaceutical mass torts in Pennsylvania, New Jersey and California. Francois represented plaintiffs with Eisenberg, Rothweiler and before that as a legal nurse consultant with Reed Smith, a large legal defense firm which has offices in 23 cities worldwide.
Francois has been a practicing nurse for more than twenty years and has clinical experience in medical surgical nursing, oncology and psychiatric/mental health. She has worked in a variety of clinical settings from the University of Rochester Medical Center, in-patient psychiatric units, public health nursing to local school nursing and a family medical practice.
Before earning her law degree from Widener University School of Law, Francois served as a law clerk at O'Brien & Ryan, a law firm in Plymouth Meeting, Pa., and The Beasley Firm. She also held a judicial clerkship with the criminal division of the Philadelphia Common Pleas Court.
Francois is admitted to practice law in Pennsylvania and New Jersey.
Francois earned her bachelor's degree in psychology from Washington University and her bachelor's degree in nursing from Alfred University in New York where she graduated magna cum laude and was elected to Sigma Theta Tau Nursing Honor Society.
She is also a member of the American Association for Justice, the Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and New Jersey bar associations, the Philadelphia Trial Lawyers Association, American Association of Women, Phi Alpha Delta Law Fraternity and the American Association of Nurse Attorneys.
