About Francis

Francis’ practice includes corporate, securities and transactional matters, including public and private offerings, mergers and acquisitions, international transactions, corporate governance, and securities law disclosure and compliance. He has represented publicly and privately held companies, as well as board committees, in a range of industries.

As a member of the Mergers and Acquisitions Committee of the American Bar Association’s Business Law Section, Fran was active on the task force that authored the ABA’s model tender offer agreement for the acquisition of a public company. He is currently an officer and director of the Colorado chapter of the National Association of Corporate Directors (NACD) and is a NACD Certified Director.

Before joining Cooley, Fran was a partner with a Denver-based AmLaw 200 firm and also practiced in New York City.

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Admissions and credentials

  • Colorado
  • New York

Education

  • Harvard Law School
    JD, cum laude, 1977
  • Harvard Business School
    MBA, 1977
  • Weber State University
    BS, magna cum laude, 1973

Rankings and accolades

Chambers USA: Corporate/M&A – Colorado (2003 – 2025)

Best Lawyers in America: Corporate Law, Mergers & Acquisitions Law, and Securities/Capital Markets Law

The Legal 500 US: M&A Powerlist (2024)

Memberships and affiliations

  • American Bar Association (ABA)