Bar Number: 16759
Amanda DuBois is the founder and managing partner of DuBois Levias Law Group, a woman-owned family law firm in Washington. Formerly a labor and delivery nurse, she also writes the Camille Delaney mystery series. Her third novel, Unshackled, will be published in February 2025.
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What is the most interesting case you have handled in your career so far and why?
One of the most memorable cases I took to trial was when I represented a man being sued for a committed intimate relationship by a former partner. They had lived together as a couple for a few years in the early 80s. Years after their romantic relationship had ended, the former partner showed up at my client’s home with AIDS. My client, a compassionate, generous person, had responded to the AIDS crisis by inviting AIDS patients who had been abandoned by their families into his home to care for them in their final months. My client took his former partner in as a friend and cared for him as well. (They never resumed their romantic relationship.) To both of their great surprise, the antiviral meds worked and the former partner, now friend, gained his health back. The two friends spent the next few decades living in my client’s home; the former partner lived in the basement apartment. They traveled and socialized together. Eventually, after a disagreement, my client’s former partner filed a lawsuit claiming they had a committed intimate relationship spanning 25 years, seeking half of my client’s assets—which totaled in the millions!
It was a fascinating and emotionally complex case, not only because of the legal issues around committed intimate relationships, but also the history and social consequences of the AIDs epidemic. Adding to the unpredictability of litigation, we were assigned to a brand-new judge overseeing his first-ever trial. He made it very clear that he’d need lots of educating on the legal issues in the case. Thankfully, he saw things our way and found in my client’s favor, but it sure felt touch and go all throughout that trial.
What is an example of something you’ve done to make the legal field more accessible to legal professionals from marginalized backgrounds?
I’ve worked to create a “second-chance” culture within my firm by hiring people impacted by the criminal legal system. We’ve had paralegals, legal assistants, and a law clerk who were formerly incarcerated. We also have staff whose loved ones are or have been incarcerated. Being called a “second-chance employer” is actually a misnomer because for many justice-involved people, this is their first chance at creating a career for themselves.
How would you be earning a living if you weren’t a lawyer?
I’d most likely pursue a career in storytelling, either as a writer (which I’m fortunate to already be!) or as a TV/ film producer. It’s powerful to reach people by tapping into their emotions in order to convey stories of injustice and human resilience.
LIGHTNING ROUND
If you had to give a 10-minute presentation on one topic other than the law, what would it be and why?
The impact on society of incarcerating mothers. Between 1980 and 2022, the number of incarcerated women in the U.S. skyrocketed by over 585 percent, with many needing treatment for trauma and/or addiction. A mother’s incarceration frequently results in children losing stable parental care, fueling a cycle of trauma.
How do you unwind or recharge after a difficult day?
My morning workout routine is sacred to me. I’ve been working out with the same trainers every morning at the same time for over 20 years. During COVID-19, we went to FaceTime workouts and never looked back. I am convinced that exercise is the best way to recharge and stay strong and healthy.
What is one thing your colleagues may not know about you?
Many of my colleagues in the legal world might not know that I write legal thrillers about the inequities in the legal system. I bring my experience as a nurse and as a lawyer to write medical-legal stories that focus on the justice system.
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