Amanda Francis

I attribute my success to a combination of resilience and ownership. Early in my career, I was often underestimated, whether due to my age, gender, or other assumptions about my role—for example, I can’t even count how many times opposing counsel assumed I was an assistant or secretary. Rather than letting that discourage me, I used it as motivation to consistently exceed expectations and prove my capabilities through the quality of my work.

I’ve also been willing to step into ambiguity and take ownership before I felt fully ready. That mindset has allowed me to grow quickly, build trust, and operate at a more strategic level early in my career.

Don’t wait to be told you’re ready. No one will advocate for you better than yourself. The most impactful opportunities in my career came when I stepped in slightly before I felt fully prepared and learned in real time. That mindset tends to accelerate both self-confidence and growth.

Be intentional about advocating for yourself early. It’s easy to wait your turn or second-guess your perspective, especially in male-dominated environments, but your voice is often exactly what’s needed.

Imposter syndrome is real, and most people experience it at some point, but it shouldn’t dictate your decisions. Focus on becoming excellent at your craft and let your work anchor your confidence. And pay attention to who consistently supports you versus who makes you question yourself. That distinction matters more than you think.

The pace of infrastructure and AI growth is creating both opportunity and pressure. There’s a unique chance to help shape new legal and regulatory frameworks around energy, water, and sustainability at scale.

At the same time, the speed of development requires legal teams to be highly adaptive, balancing regulatory uncertainty, public scrutiny, and long-term resource constraints in real time. The opportunity lies in building systems that are not only legally compliant, but also resilient and responsible.