Chelsea is a valued member of the Bogaards Law team.
Chelsea Lewis is an associate attorney at Bogaards Law, specializing in personal injury, landlord/tenant, and employment law. She has been with the firm since March 2018, when she started as a law clerk. Chelsea’s extensive experience as a paralegal prior to and during law school makes her uniquely qualified to take on the difficulties of litigating complex cases in a variety of jurisdictions.
Chelsea graduated from U.C. Hastings College of the Law with an emphasis on civil litigation. She was on the award-winning UC Hastings Trial Team, where she gained meaningful courtroom experience. Before attending law school, Chelsea attended U.C. Santa Barbara and graduated with honors in 2013.
After moving to San Francisco seven years ago, Chelsea considers the Bay Area home. She enjoys exploring new restaurants with friends, tending to her jungle of plants, and hanging out at home with her partner and their cat.
Chelsea’s strength as an attorney draws from the meaningful relationships she builds with her clients. She is hard-working and compassionate: two qualities that resonate both with clients as well as with claims representatives and opposing counsel. Chelsea enjoys working through difficult case questions with her coworkers and coming up with creative solutions to impossible problems.
Almost 40 years of professional excellence
The Hastings Community Justice Clinic represented a plaintiff in an employment case that Ms. Bogaards successfully mediated in
April 2022. Professor Goishi stated about her experience with Ms. Bogaards:
“We (plaintiff and his representatives) greatly appreciated Ms. Bogaards’ optimism and enthusiasm for the mediation process. This set a very positive tone and framing for the mediation itself. We also appreciated that she was a great listener, and welcomed hearing background information and emotional content that is present in most disputes, but that is often glossed over or ignored. She also did a great job of reality-checking, gently telling us about the potential weaknesses in our case. Finally, we thought it was great that she reminded us that a successful mediation will be one where both parties are unhappy. This was a great reminder of the nature of compromise. She also reiterated the upside of settling, as opposed to taking our chances with proceeding with the litigation — helpful to remind the parties about the risks of proceeding.”
My mediation appointment with Ms. Bogaards was more than interesting as it was conducted exclusively by phone due to the health crisis. Despite this, it went smoothly and productively. The case settled within the allotted time frame due largely in part to Ms. Bogaards persistence but also her vast experience in personal injury work. It was obvious her defense and plaintiff’s background gave her credibility with both parties. All in all, it was all a very positive experience for a first-time use. She was prepared and knew the flash points needed to get this settled. It took time but it was due to the parties obstinance, which she dealt with professionally and civilly. I’ve known Ms. Bogaards over the years from having litigated with her in her role as a defense attorney. I thought this case was perfect for a Mediator with a defense background that also does plaintiff’s work, as she does. I was very impressed with her grasp of value as regards a plaintiff’s case. She was spot on regarding the values and issues. I would not hesitate to use her again and recommend her as a Mediator to all plaintiff’s attorneys who view her strictly as a former defense attorney. She is way more than that; very efficient, there was no wasted time.
Debra Bogaards is one of the most thorough, skilled and aggressive litigators in the Bay Area. She protects her clients and their interests like a mama bear to her cubs. I speak both as a client for whom Ms. Bogaards achieved an incredible result, and as a colleague who has worked beside Ms. Bogaards and has seen her diligence and thought process. Here skillset and tremendous presence and command, regardless of the forum, makes for a most fierce litigator. Ms. Bogaards is always my first recommendation to clients and friends seeking to protect their legal rights relating to personal injuries.