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Professor Fran Watson, ’80, Clinical Professor of Law and Founding Director of the Wrongful Conviction Clinic at IU McKinney, has been named to the Indianapolis Business Journal’s Women of Influence list (subscription required) of honorees for 2021. Professor Watson was joined in the honor by Angela Freeman, ’12, and Amie Martens, ’07.

In her role as director of the clinic, Professor Watson supervises certified legal intern law students who represent indigent clients seeking relief from wrongful convictions in state post-conviction and/or federal habeas corpus proceedings. Her work has inspired countless students to pursue careers in public interest law. In addition to her work within the clinic, Professor Watson has had tremendous success as a lawyer, winning freedom from prison for the wrongfully convicted.

Professor Watson is highly regarded for her teaching at Indiana University. She teaches criminal law-related courses, a course in professional responsibility (legal ethics) and  advises the trial practice competition team.  In recognition of her work, she has received the Teaching Excellence Award, and is a two-time recipient of the Trustees’ Teaching Award. She is equally appreciated by her colleagues on the IU McKinney faculty, who honored her with their Inspiration Award, and the Faculty Leadership Award. She received IU McKinney’s Outstanding Alumna of the Year honor and was an honoree at the Equal Justice Works Public Interest Recognition Dinner.  In addition, she received the Inspirational Woman Award from the IUPUI Office for Women. Professor Watson also has been recognized for her work by legal and science groups outside the university. She received the Indiana State Bar Women in the Law Recognition, the Michael McDaniel Indiana Public Defender Commission Spirit of Justice Award, the Justice Award from the Justice through Science organization, and was named a Distinguished Barrister through Indiana Lawyer’s Leadership in Law honors program.

Freeman is a member of Barnes & Thornburg’s Intellectual Property Department and Life Sciences practice group, where she is instrumental in procuring IP rights in the U.S. and worldwide for client inventions. She is the first Black president of the not-for-profit Women & Hi Tech.

Prior to her legal career, Freeman worked as a biologist at global pharmaceutical company, Eli Lilly & Co. In 2007, she received the Lilly Chairman's Ovation Award for Global Leadership in Diversity. She hosts a podcast, the Freedom Forum with Angela B. Freeman, focused on diversity and inclusion that was launched by IBJ in summer 2021.

Martens is owner, president and CEO of Laura Kopetsky Tri-Ax Inc. Martens took over the business from her mother, Laura Kopetsky, following her sudden death in 2019. Kopetsky founded the business in 1980, and Martens had worked there during her high school and college years.

Martens received a degree in human development and family studies from IU and came to law school at IU McKinney. She practiced family law and criminal justice for 12 years while also occasionally working for her mother’s business as well. She decided to manage the business after her mother’s passing, and has led it to its most successful years since.