Maybe [the judges were on the edge of their seat] because they were riveted by my argument, or because they couldn’t see me. As long as I have their attention, I’m happy!


“I was the same person return-


ing to the same place, but it felt like I was thrown into an entirely different universe,” she says of her experience. “I started back with a light course load, because I had so many other things to learn that had nothing to do with aca- demics. Like, how was I going to take notes during a lecture with no dexterity? How long would it take me to get to class? How would I manage a team of home health aides to help me do what I couldn’t do for myself anymore?” With support from her family, who


relocated to California to help with her transition back to school, and lots of trial-and-error, DeBruicker soon cut her commute to class from an hour down to 20 minutes, learned to use a stylus to type, and was again keeping pace with her classmates. Her first turn as an advocate came


with her first midterm. “It was a history exam with nothing but essay questions. I asked the school’s disability resource office if they’d ask my professor if I could type the exam instead of writing in a blue book, which would have taken me endless extra hours. Tey said ‘Ask him yourself!’ Tat was the kick


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in the pants that I needed to start owning my new circumstances and advocating for myself.” DeBruicker


credits her success to her ability to find strength in what some may see as weakness. She says the skills she gained in solving the prob- lems presented by her loss of function are an asset for her as a lawyer. “It brings some-


thing extra to the table for the clients I work with,” she says. For example, her


need for a hired assis-


tant to help her with some of her basic personal needs, including getting out of bed, has sharpened her management, team building, and leadership skills. “I’m somebody’s boss from the


moment I wake up in the morning. I’ve hired people, and had to fire people. On a typical day I’ve prob- ably negotiated more things by the time I get to the office than most people do all day. Just about every experience I have is in some way ben- eficial to my practice. A lot of stuff from the day-to-day routine gives me a professional edge.” Even the sometimes unwelcome


stares of strangers can have their advantages. At least, she says, judges are likely to remember her. “I’ve had judges sitting at the edge


of their seats during my arguments,” she says. “Maybe it was because they were riveted by my argument, or because they couldn’t see me. As long as I have their attention, I’m happy!” During her 15 years with Duane


Morris, DeBruicker has compiled a significant body of work. She has represented plaintiffs and defendants, big corporations and individuals alike.


“It keeps you on your toes to be able to advocate for different kinds of clients,” she says. “And I like the variety.” One case she found quite satisfy-


ing was her successful advocacy for a French scientist, who developed a gelatin-free pill capsule for sale to those who prefer not to use animal products. “An American pharmaceutical


company was very interested in her invention,” she says. “Tey said, ‘we’ll license your technology and you can come work for us to help bring the product to market.’ So she closed her lab in France, bought a house in the U.S., and came to America. But when she showed up for her first day of work they told her things were not going to work out, that her technology was worthless, and to go back to France. Soon the company was selling gelatin- free capsules, and what started as an employment and licensing dispute turned into a full-blown case of patent infringement. It was a real David versus Goliath case, and walking our French client through the complex U.S. legal system was almost as chal- lenging as the legal issues.” She also has defended organiza-


tions from liability stemming from alleged criminal acts of their employ- ees. A recent major case involved notorious pediatrician Earl Bradley, who sexually abused hundreds of children in his offices in southern Delaware over the course of 15 years. DeBruicker’s job was to defend Beebe Medical Center, the hospital that hired Bradley when he initially moved to Delaware, against a class action by Bradley’s patients alleging the hos- pital negligently hired, credentialed, and supervised the man who has been called “the worst pedophile in American history.” Te hospital faced financial liabilities totaling more than $100 million that would have perma- nently closed the facility. DeBruicker was part of a multi-firm team that negotiated the case to a settlement. “Being able to navigate those


claims, provide resolution for Bradley’s victims, and keep the hospital going


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