Frances Kim-Chriscoe is part of the corporate group in Atlanta. She primarily focuses her commercial real estate practice in representing commercial real estate lenders, including life insurance companies, regional and national banks, national CMBS lenders, and other fixed-income lenders. In 2024, she was named as a “20 Under 40” recipient by the CRE Financial Council. A member of the High Potentials Program class of 2025, Frances received her JD from the University of Georgia's School of Law.

Why did you select your practice area?

It's not a glamorous story, but I started out knowing only that I did not want to be a litigator. That left me with an open slot in real estate, which I admittedly did not love for the first six months or so—but the more I came to understand it and the better I got at it, the more I came to enjoy it. Now, I really appreciate how my knowledge of real estate finance provides a new perspective on how I see and understand the world.

What qualities do you admire most about your peers in the legal profession? 

Most of us have excellent senses of humor, in my opinion. It makes working with each other very enjoyable.

What is one piece of advice you would give to individuals who want to get into the legal field? 

It's easy for students and young associates to get discouraged when things don't go as planned. From the outside looking in, legal careers can appear linear and rigid with little room for flexibility or failure. My advice to individuals who are looking to get into or advance in the legal field is to remember there is no singular path to success.  Setbacks and failures—doing poorly in a key class, having trouble nailing down a summer internship, bombing a job interview, or even making a critical error at work—are all part of the process, and they don't dictate or determine where you will end up next. The key is to keep putting one foot in front of the other.

What do you believe sets the HPP apart in terms of professional development? 

HPP's sponsor-mentorship program stands out to me as a unique and highly attractive aspect of the program. Outside of HPP, I doubt I would have had the opportunity to spend so much one-on-one time with so many talented and seasoned partners around the firm. Getting their insight on the path to equity partnership, learning more about each of their unique stories, and hearing their advice on what steps to take next has changed my perspective on my own career in a way I never would have imagined.

How do you maintain work-life balance? 

I don't! (Just kidding.) I'm sure I won't shock anyone by saying work-life balance is difficult, but outside of normal work hours, it helps to know when something at work really requires my attention and when I can unplug. When I was more junior, I had a hard time relaxing even after I'd shut down for the night or on the weekends, or even on vacation, and I regretted wasting my free time worrying. Now, I have a better barometer for when I actually need to dedicate some more of my time to a work-related task, and that helps me really compartmentalize and enjoy my free time.