The Internal Appellate Alert
In this article, originally published in the September 2020 edition of The Advocate, Stephen Adams and Trudy Fouser discuss, in a question and answer format,…
ReadTrudy Hanson Fouser
Partner
- Phone:
- 208.388.4082
- Fax:
- 208.803.0665
- Email:
- tfouser@hawleytroxell.com
Biography
Trudy Hanson Fouser is a Partner in Hawley Troxell’s Litigation and Healthcare practice groups in Boise. Trudy has been lead counsel for health care facilities, governmental entities, businesses and professionals in more than 65 medical malpractice, employment law, and personal injury civil jury trials.
Trudy is regionally and nationally recognized as an exceptional trial lawyer. She is consistently ranked as one of the top 100 lawyers in the Mountain States (Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, Utah, and Nevada) by Super Lawyers. Best Lawyers® named her the “Medical Malpractice Law – Defendants ‘Lawyer of the Year’” in Boise in 2021, and “Personal Injury Litigation – Defendants ‘Lawyer of the Year’” in Boise for five years (2015, 2019, 2022, 2024), and “Litigation – Insurance ‘Lawyer of the Year’” in Boise (2025).
Trudy’s superior trial skills have resulted in her being inducted into two prominent and invitation-only trial organizations – the American College of Trial Lawyers (ACTL) and the American Board of Trial Advocates (ABOTA). A lawyer must serve as lead counsel in at least 50 civil trials that are tried to jury verdict to become an Advocate of ABOTA.
Trudy is a committed leader in the legal community. She served as the Idaho State Bar president and 4th District Bar Commissioner and under her leadership she spearheaded the Lawyers Serve campaign, which highlighted Idaho lawyers and judges who enhanced their local communities through their non-profit commitments. She also served as the President of the Idaho Chapter of the Federal Bar Association (FBA) and on the Board of Directors for Idaho Women Lawyers (IWL).
Expertise
BAR ADMISSIONS
Idaho
United States District Court, District of Idaho
United States Bankruptcy Court, District of Idaho
PROFESSIONAL/COMMUNITY ASSOCIATIONS
American College of Trial Lawyers
Fellow, since 2004
Chair – Idaho State Committee, 2015-2016
American Board of Trial Advocates (ABOTA), Advocate, since 2012
Defense Research Institute (DRI), Member
Federal Bar Association
Member
President – Idaho Chapter, 2006-2008
Idaho State Bar
Member – Health; Litigation; Professionalism & Ethics Sections
President, February-July 2016
4th District Bar Commissioner, 2013-2016
United States District & Bankruptcy Court, District of Idaho, 9th
Circuit Lawyer Representative, 2011–2013
Idaho State Pro Bono Commission, Member, 2008–2012
Idaho Association of Defense Counsel (IADC), Member
Boise Philharmonic, Women’s Leadership Circle, 2017–2021
Idaho Women Lawyers (IWL), Board of Directors, 2019-2022
Federal Defender Services of Idaho, Board of Directors, 2014–2019
PUBLICATIONS & PRESENTATIONS
Presentation, ”The State of Civil Litigation in idaho,” Idaho District Judges’ Conference, May 2023
CLE Presenter, “Expert Disclosures: The Good, the Bad, & the Ugly,” Idaho State Bar annual meeting, July 2022
CLE Co-Presenter, “Lessons from the Masters,” Idaho State Bar annual meeting, July 2021
Co-Author, “The Internal Appellate Alert,” The Advocate, Vol.63, Issue 9, pg. 16-19, September 2020
CLE Presenter, “Holistic Trial Work: Viewing Your Case with an Eye Towards Appeal and Viewing Your Appeal with an Eye Toward Remand,” Idaho State Bar annual meeting, July 2020
Presentation, “Anatomy of a Medical Malpractice Case in Idaho,” University of Idaho College of Law Torts class, November 2019
EDUCATION
Law School:
University of Idaho College of Law, J.D.
Undergraduate:
Georgia State University, B.A. magna cum laude Journalism
English minor
Clerkship:
Law Clerk to the Late Honorable Chief Justice Charles R. Donaldson, Idaho Supreme Court
ACCOMPLISHMENTS
Idaho Association of Defense Counsel (IADC), Carl P. Burke Award of Excellence in Legal Defense, 2025
University of Idaho College of Law, Award of Legal Merit, 2023
Selected as a “Local Litigation Star” and “Labor & Employment Star” in Idaho by Benchmark Litigation
Ranked as one of the leading litigators in Idaho by Chambers USA
Named “Medical Malpractice Law – Defendants ‘Lawyer of the Year’” in Boise by Best Lawyers®, 2021
Named “Personal Injury Litigation – Defendants ‘Lawyer of the Year’” in Boise by Best Lawyers®, 2015, 2019, 2022 & 2024
Named “Litigation – Insurance ‘Lawyer of the Year’” in Boise by Best Lawyers®, 2025
Recognized by Best Lawyers® in the field of Personal Injury Litigation – Defendants (Boise), Litigation – Insurance (Boise), and Medical-Malpractice Law (Boise), since 2014
Mountain States Super Lawyers, Top 100 Lawyers, 2016-2017 and 2019-2025
Mountain States Super Lawyers, Top 50 Women Lawyers, 2008-2012 and 2014-2025
Martindale-Hubbell “AV” rating
Idaho State Bar, Distinguished Lawyer Award, 2022
Idaho State Bar, Professionalism Award, 2009
Idaho Business Review, Women of the Year Honoree, 2009
Idaho Women Lawyers, Kate Feltham Award Recipient, 2014
Federal Bar Association – Idaho Chapter, Exemplary Service Award Recipient, 2009
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