Anderson Franco
2024 Forty Under 40 winner
by Gary Quackenbush, for North Bay Business Journal
Before becoming a personal injury attorney with a practice in Marin County, Franco Anderson grew up in Daly City as the son of Salvadoran immigrants. He attended UC Berkeley with a double major in rhetoric and ethnic studies and a minor in Chicano studies.
He continued his education and obtained a Juris Doctor degree at the UC Berkeley School of Law’s Boalt Hall while serving as editor-in-chief of the Berkeley Business Law Journal.
Anderson always knew he wanted to be a lawyer. He witnessed how the lack of access to legal services among family members and friends impeded their ability to receive fair representation. He envisioned himself bridging the gap between the legal world and the Spanish-speaking community.
“I’m fulfilling my childhood dream by practicing law representing individuals who have suffered injuries in catastrophic accidents, including work-related injuries, motor vehicle accidents and civil assaults. As a native Spanish speaker, I’m proud to use my language skills to effectively represent Spanish-speaking individuals,” he said.
Anderson believes that one of the greatest things about being under 40 is that leveraging technology comes naturally. He uses TikTok and YouTube to connect with his community and creates videos to simplify unfamiliar or intricate legal concepts.
“There is no replacement for experience. I still have a lot to learn in my chosen field and fortunately have a strong network of legal mentors and plenty of resources to help me hone my craft.”
His challenge involves the need to be adaptable and multifaceted.
“One minute I might be providing emotional client support, analyzing complex medical records or arguing a legal motion in court. This constant shift requires me to be a legal expert with medical comprehension and an empathetic counselor swiftly navigating between diverse roles.”
One of Anderson’s goals in 2024 is to expand outreach efforts via social media posts, workshops and community programs to empower individuals with knowledge about their legal rights and recourse.
“Regardless of citizenship status or financial means, individuals are entitled to seek justice within our legal system,” he noted.
Best advice: “A setback is a setup for a comeback. This powerful mantra emphasizes resilience, perseverance and the ability to bounce back stronger from challenges. Setbacks are not the end of the road, but rather opportunities for growth, learning — and ideally — triumph.”
Recognitions
2024 Forty Under 40