Francisco is the son of Peruvian immigrants, which has strongly shaped who he is as a person today. Through his parents, he learned the value of hard work and overcoming adversity despite all odds. His life experience is what drives his passion for all his clients. Francisco carefully selects his cases so that he can learn his client’s life story and later convey that story at trial.
Francisco was the first in his family to obtain higher education in the United States. He earned his B.A. from UC Berkeley. Following his undergraduate studies, he worked at the State Capitol for over a year before entering law school. While working at the Capitol, he was able to gain valuable firsthand knowledge of the State legislature’s formation of public policy. Francisco graduated from California Western School of Law and earned his J.D. with a concentration in Business Law. During law school, he was the Editor-in-Chief of Law Review and interned for the Department of Business Oversight of California. His law review article secured his induction into the National Order of Scribes for “Outstanding Legal Writing.”
Prior to forming Jimenez Loayza, APC, Francisco was a defense (management-side) attorney. He worked at Higgs Fletcher & Mack which is the oldest law firm (as well as one of the largest firms) in San Diego. Francisco was a part of Higgs’ Employment Law practice whereby he represented many employers from “mom-and-pop” businesses to Fortune 500 companies. Prior to Higgs, he worked in a boutique law firm where he also represented many businesses in employment disputes and provided counseling on compliance issues. As such, he is sophisticated in all facets of employment law including but not limited to wage and hour issues, misclassification, sexual harassment, discrimination, retaliation, wrongful termination, class actions, and representative actions. As a defense attorney, Francisco gained a track record of litigating and resolving disputes according to the needs of any particular client. He also gained the trust and admiration of clients for being “proactive” and “business-oriented,” with his representation described as “above and beyond.” Now, Francisco brings a similar approach to representing his employees.
Ultimately, Francisco decided to leave the defense bar because of the serious need for plaintiff-side San Diego employment attorneys focused on taking cases to trial. He has a passion for helping others succeed and genuinely believes “a rising tide lifts all boats.” Accordingly, he believes that taking cases to trial ensures that workers are treated with respect, valued for their labor, and are properly compensated. Too often cases settle without punishing wrongdoers to deter similar situations. An aggressive approach to litigation is needed to improve the livelihoods of others and eliminate structural (implicit or express) inequities. For these reasons, Francisco now proudly represents employees of all backgrounds to ensure justice is received.
In 2023, Francisco was selected as “Rising Star” in employment litigation by Super Lawyers. This distinction is based on a peer review process and is awarded to only the top 2.5% of attorneys in the State of California for those under the age 40.
Apart from the practice of law, Francisco is a serious sports junkie and foodie. If you mention baseball, fútbol (soccer), tennis, chess, or any restaurant (hole in the wall or fine dining), you can bet it will not be a short conversation. Finally, Francisco volunteers for various legal organizations and spends significant time advancing good causes for the betterment of the legal and general community.
Awards and Accolades:
- Super Lawyers® Rising Star (2023)
- Outstanding Legal Writing (National Order of Scribes – 2016)
- The Diane Ethics Award (Cal Western School of Law)
- The Public Service Honors Society Award (Cal Western School of Law)
- The Cal Alumni Association Leadership Award (University of California, Berkeley)
Organizations:
- Louis M. Welsh American Inn of Court
- San Diego La Raza Lawyers Association
- San Diego La Raza Lawyers Association Scholarship Fund
- San Diego La Raza Lawyers Association Public Benefit Fund