Q&A with Amanda Pfeil Hood
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Q&A
Q&A with Amanda Pfeil Hood
An attorney with Ogborn Mihm LLP in Denver, Colo., Amanda Pfeil Hood primarily works with clients who have sustained traumatic brain or orthopedic injuries. An alumna of University of Tulsa College of Law, Hood also has significant experience in sports injury cases arising from an athlete’s premature return to play following a concussion.
Before becoming an attorney, what was your first job?
In high school, I debated becoming a lawyer or a doctor, so one summer I worked for a lawyer part-time and as a part-time pharmacy tech at the military hospital up in Alaska to help me make my decision. After that, I decided I wanted to be a doctor – lo and behold, lawyer won out in the end.
What motivated you to pursue a legal career?
From a young age my dad always told me I should be a lawyer because I could argue anything and win most of the time. Then after I decided being a doctor was not for me, I discovered personal injury litigation, where I can use my interest in medicine to help injured people in a different way.
Who was your chief mentor and how did he or she influence your career?
After my clerkship at the Colorado Court of Appeals, I began working for Steven Shapiro. He has raised me up from a young green attorney. He was vital in my growth as a lawyer in thinking through issues and how to be the best advocate and in my growth as a person in showing me how best to help and care for your clients.
Amanda and her husband Jason with their son Rhys while camping in Crested Butte, Colo.
What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever received?
I have received many pieces of good advice over the years, but the one that really resonates with me is – “You have to just be you and find your way to do it.” When I was a young attorney, I would try and mimic those more experienced around me and it did not come across as genuine. When I received this advice, it was in the middle of a deposition, and it really changed the course of the deposition for the better and helped me gain confidence in myself.
What is one thing you would like to learn to do?
I love the ocean and marine life so I would love to learn to scuba dive.
What is your proudest career achievement?
It is hard to pick just one achievement to be proud of. I handle a wide array of catastrophic injury cases and when we are fortunate enough to have enough in insurance coverage to make a real difference in my client’s lives forever, that really warms my heart. Outside of case work, next year, a book will be published and available in electronic format on Lexis® called “Personal Injury in Colorado” by LexisNexus, Matthew Bender, where I am a co-editor and author. It has been a huge undertaking and one that I am very proud of.
What other career path might you have chosen?
Dermatologist (hello Dr. Pimple Popper) or marine biologist.
The beauty of Florence, Italy served as the backdrop to a photo of Amanda and Jason.
What do you do to give back to your community?
A lot of the work that I do is serving people that have suffered a traumatic brain injury. I serve on the Board of Directors for the Colorado Brain Injury Alliance and am currently the Chair of the Board. I also serve on the Board of Directors for Mindsource: Brain Injury Network.
Can you share a positive referral experience within Primerus?
I have been fortunate enough to have been able to co-counsel with other members of Primerus in return to play concussion cases in other states.
What is your most treasured material possession?
Probably my wedding ring, as a symbol of my love and family.
Amanda Pfeil Hood
What is your happiest childhood memory?
I grew up in the Air Force and lived on the bases until I was in high school. The air bases were always safe and so my siblings and friends and I in the summers would ride our bikes all over the base, to the library, or to the pool, or the parks, or to watch the jets take off from the flight line. So, summers of “freedom” in general would have to be some of my happiest childhood memories.
What is your favorite movie and book?
Movie: Depends on the genre so it is hard to pick just one. But the movie I have probably watched the most of is “Dirty Dancing.”
Book: Jane Austen for classics, Harry Potter series for fun.
What is the most awe-inspiring place you have visited?
I really love Florence, Italy.
Amanda and her son Rhys feeding the giraffes at the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo in Colorado Springs, Colo.
What are your favorite leisure time pursuits?
Spending time with my husband and toddler, reading books, traveling, going to aquariums/zoos.
What is your favorite famous or inspirational quote?
“Think like a queen. A queen is not afraid to fail. Failure is another steppingstone to greatness.” - Oprah Winfrey
Who is on your guest list for the ideal dinner party?
My family and friends plus some comic relief, like Jim Gaffigan or Amy Schumer.
What are the top three items on your bucket list?
Scuba Dive with sharks. Travel to Africa for the Big 5. Milk a cow.
