Skip to content

Attorney Profile

Frank-Verderame
Frank Awards
“They Are What You Eat,” by Frank Verderame – Living Safer Magazine
Frank Verderame
Frank Verderame is honored with the “National Service to Youth” award, and for his 25 years of service, by the Boys & Girls Clubs.

Frank Verderame

Partner

Location: Phoenix, Arizona
Phone: 602-266-2002
E-mail: E-mail Me

Best Lawyers - Lawyer Logo (2)

Toll Free: 888-657-3573
Fax: 602-266-6908

Partner Frank Verderame is a seasoned trial attorney, who has dedicated his life to helping victims of serious injuries. He is a Board Certified Specialist in Personal Injury and Wrongful Death Litigation, and has been an active part of legal communities and organizations since he started his practice, back in 1983. A lifelong motorcycle rider, Frank represents riders who have been hurt in crashes and collisions. He is also a licensed pilot (since 1989), and has handled some of the most complex aviation accident and plane crash cases in the state, including one which ended in a $10 million verdict for his clients after they were injured in a crash near the Grand Canyon.

He and partner Richard Plattner met in the 1980s, while fighting efforts by corporations and insurance companies to take away the Constitutional rights of Arizona citizens to get justice in our courts. After fighting and winning those battles together, they decided to start this law firm. Twenty-six years later, they are still fighting together to protect the rights of Arizona citizens.

In 2016, Frank was honored as Trial Lawyer of the Year by the Arizona Association of Justice. Frank is a former President of the Arizona Trial Lawyers Association, and has served on the Board of Governors for the American Association for Justice (formerly known as the Association of Trial Lawyers of America) for the past 20 years.  He lectures and conducts seminars at their conventions, and has done so for many years. Frank has also served as a Judge pro tem for the Maricopa County Superior Court and the Arizona Court of Appeals.

Frank has been on the Board of the Boys and Girls Clubs of Scottsdale and their Foundation for many years. He started doing volunteer work for the Club back in the 1980’s – everything from running events and fundraisers, to handling pro bono legal work for the organization. He even coached a kids’ basketball team there.

Frank is also an avid baseball fan, and coached little league baseball for many years He took his role as coach and mentor seriously enough to install a professional batting cage in his back yard, that he used to teach kids how to hit. As with his clients, so with his players: Frank always jumps in with both feet.

Frank is also a member of the Verde Vaqueros, an invitation-only group of men that rides horses, both for fun and for the community. They have an old cattle ranch in northern Arizona with bunkhouses, so that kids from various organizations can go with their groups to learn about an old Arizona way of life. Over the last 50 years, this esteemed group has raised more than a million dollars for Boys' and Girls' Clubs of Scottsdale.

Frank enjoys a good round of golf and “tickling the ivories,” though he admits he often doesn’t spend as much time as he’d like on either.

Frank Verderame
Frank Verderame is honored with the “National Service to Youth” award, and for his 25 years of service, by the Boys & Girls Clubs.
Frank Awards
“They Are What You Eat,” by Frank Verderame – Living Safer Magazine
Plattner Accomplishments in Law

Honors and Awards

  • Super Lawyers, 2024
  • Best Lawyers, 2007 – Present
    • “Lawyer of the Year,” Personal Injury Litigation ­– Plaintiffs, Phoenix, 2019
  • Elected to serve on the Board of Directors of the Melvin Belli Society
  • Lifetime Advocate for Civil Justice Award from the Arizona Association for Justice, 2016
  • “AV” Rated by Martindale-Hubbell
  • Arizona’s Finest Lawyers (azfinestlawyers.org), 2011 - Present
  • Wiedemann & Wysocki Award, American Association for Justice

Litigation Percentage

  • 100% of Practice Devoted to Litigation

Certified Legal Specialties

  • Certified Specialist in Injury and Wrongful Death, State Bar Arizona, Board of Legal Specialization

Bar Admissions

  • Arizona, 1982
  • U.S. District Court District of Arizona
  • U.S. Bankruptcy Court Arizona, 1982
  • U.S. Court of Appeals 9th Circuit, 1982

Education

  • University of Arizona College of Law, Tucson, Arizona
    • J.D. – 1982
    • Honors: Moot Court Best Brief Award, 1981
  • Claremont McKenna College, Claremont, California
    • B.A. (Cum Laude) – 1979
    • Honors: Literature, James Madison Society
    • Major: Political Science

Published Works

  • “Settling Personal Injury Claims in Arizona”, F. Verderame, L. Winthrop, W. Winslow and G. Wilt, February, 1987
  • “Rossell v. Volkswagen – A New Standard of Care for Products Liability Actions?”, Summation Magazine, Spring Ed, 1985
  • “La Guirisprudenza Italiana Sul Diritto Del Mare”, Arizona Journal of International and Comparative Law, Vol. 1., 1982

Representative Cases

Classes/Seminars

  • Lecturer “Reimbursement Rights Under the Clinton Healthcare Proposals”, Arizona Trial Lawyers Association, 1994
  • Lecturer, “Running the E.R.I.S.A. Blockade”, National College of Advocacy, 1991
  • Lecturer, “Liens – A Plague upon Us”, Arizona Trial Lawyers Association, 1989
  • Lecturer, “Limitations on Use of the Seatbelt Defense”, Arizona Trial Lawyers Association, March 25, 1988
  • Lecturer, “Punitive Damages in Bad Faith Actions – Dead or Alive?”, Western Trial Lawyers Association, June 11, 1987

Professional Associations and Memberships

  • Arizona Bar Association, Civil Practice and Procedure Committee, 1983 – 1991
  • Arizona Bar Association, 1985 – 1992
  • Arizona Association for Justice, Director
  • Arizona Association for Justice, President, 1992
  • Arizona Association for Justice, Secretary-Treasurer, 1991
  • Arizona Association for Justice, Seminar Director, 1990
  • Arizona Association for Justice, Legislative Director, 1985 – 1991
  • Arizona Association of Defense Counsel, Member
  • Arizona Trial Lawyers Association, Former President
  • American Association for Justice, Member
  • America Association for Justice, Insurance Section, First Chair, 1995 – 1996
  • America Association for Justice, Chairman, 1994 – 1995
  • America Association for Justice, Insurance Section, First Vice Chair, 1993 – 1994
  • America Association for Justice, Secretary/Treasurer, 1992 – 1993
  • America Association for Justice, Board of Governors, 1997 – 2017
  • American Board of Trial Advocates, Member
  • American Bar Association, Member
  • American Judicature Society, Member
  • American Arbitration Association, Panel of Arbitrators
  • Roscoe Pound Foundation, Member
  • Maricopa County Bar Association, Member
  • Trial Lawyers for Public Justice Association, Member
  • Sports Lawyers Association, Member

Languages

  • Italian
  • Spanish

Fraternities/Sororities

  • Phi Alpha Delta

 


"Warm, caring people that go the extra mile. They'll tell you exactly what the situation is and what to expect. I can't thank them enough for all of their help!"
- Andrea Sarich, 5.0 rating ★★★★★

See all ratings & reviews