2023 Workers' Compensation Program- Day 3

Andrew Thomas Apodaca Related Seminars and Products

Goering Roberts Rubin Brogna Enos & Treadwell-Rubin PC

Andrew Apodaca is a proud Wildcat Alum and earned dual bachelor's degrees from the University of Arizona in 2009. He then returned home to New Mexico where he earned his Juris Doctorate from the University of New Mexico in 2012.

Andrew began his career as a prosecutor in Hobbs, New Mexico, and also worked as a prosecutor in Las Cruces, New Mexico. While in New Mexico Andrew briefly practiced in the civil realm, with a focus in the areas of workers compensation and personal injury, representing injured individuals. In 2018 Andrew moved back to Arizona with his wife Veronica, and Andrew joined the firm of Goering, Roberts, Rubin, Brogna, Enos, & Treadwell-Rubin, P.C. Andrew practices in the areas of Workers' Compensation defense, and insurance defense litigation, and also serves as general counsel to public safety retirement boards. When he is not at work Andrew enjoys quality time with his for year old son, and four month old daughter.

Joseph Lawrence Coughlin Related Seminars and Products

Associate Attorney

Snow, Carpio, & Weekley

Joe Coughlin is a native of San Diego, CA, who relocated to Arizona for his Undergrad at Northern Arizona University. Following a brief return to San Diego after NAU, Joe permanently relocated to Phoenix Arizona and started a career in Finance. Begin the son of a Lawyer, he always had a strong interest in the legal field. After a decade in Finance, he decided to attend night law school while still working full time. Graduating early, Joe immediately started working as a Workers Compensation Attorney representing injured workers.

Joe finally found his home joining the talented Attorneys and Staff of Snow, Carpio and Weekley. Thriving on the collaborative firm culture he looks forward to continuing the work of standing with the workers of Arizona.

When not at work, Joe enjoys trips to San Diego, camping, board games, and BBQ all with his wife Meggan, and two children, Rosie, and Parker.

Chief Justice Robert M Brutinel Related Seminars and Products

Justice

Arizona Supreme Court

Chief Justice Brutinel became Chief Justice on July 1, 2019. He was appointed to the Arizona Supreme Court in November of 2010 and was elected as Vice Chief Justice in January 2018. Prior to his appointment, Justice Brutinel served as the Presiding Judge of the Yavapai County Superior Court, where he presided over cases involving civil, criminal, juvenile, mental health, drug court, probate and domestic relations matters.

Justice Brutinel currently serves on the Board of Directors of the Conference of Chief Justices and has served on the Arizona Supreme Court Committee on Juvenile Courts, the Arizona Supreme Court Commission on Technology, the Arizona Commission on Judicial Conduct, the Supreme Court Arizona Judicial Council, the Arizona Character Education Commission, and the Governor’s Children’s Cabinet. Justice Brutinel is a past president of the Arizona Judges Association and the Yavapai County Bar Association and has served as an Advisory Board Member for the Arizona Department of Juvenile Corrections. In 2010 Justice Brutinel was chosen as the National Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) Judge of the Year.

Justice Brutinel graduated from Arizona State University with a B.S. in Economics in 1979. He received his law degree from the University of Arizona in 1982 and an LL.M. in Judicial Studies from Duke University in 2018. Justice Brutinel was admitted to practice law in Arizona in 1982. Prior to serving as a judge he practiced law in Prescott, Arizona, primarily in the areas of business and real estate, and Indian Law.

Denise M Blommel Related Seminars and Products

Denise M Blommel PLLC

Denise M. Blommel is an attorney in Scottsdale, Arizona. She is admitted to practice in the state and federal courts of Arizona and Nevada. Her practice centers on the employer-employee relationship.

Denise is a former Field Attorney with the National Labor Relations Board and a former Assistant Chief Counsel of the Industrial Commission of Arizona. She represents employers and employees in employment and labor matters.

Denise belongs to the State Bar of Arizona, State Bar of Nevada (inactive), the American Bar Association, and the Arizona Employment Lawyers Association. She is Past President of the State Bar of Arizona’s Senior Lawyers Division.

Denise was awarded the State Bar of Arizona’s Member of the Year for 1998-1999. She was also awarded the State Bar Employment & Labor Law Section Member of the Year in 2014. Denise is one of the authors of the State Bar’s Arizona Employment Law Handbook and a co-author of articles in the January 2022, January 2021, and December 2013 State Bar’s Arizona Attorney about the State Board of Education’s expanded jurisdiction, COVID-19 in the Workplace, and the Affordable Care Act; and two articles in the April 1994 and April 1998 Arizona Attorney about Workers' Compensation, the Americans with Disabilities Act and the Family Medical Leave Act. Denise served as Chair of the Employment & Labor Law and Co-Chair of the Workers’ Compensation Law Sections of the State Bar of Arizona.

Denise holds a Bachelor of Arts in Government and Economics, with Highest Distinction (Summa Cum Laude), Honors, Phi Beta Kappa and Phi Kappa Phi, from the University of Arizona. She serves on the Dean’s Advisory Board to the W.A. Franke Honors College at the University of Arizona. Her law degree is from Arizona State University. Denise and her Moot Court teammates placed second in the nation in the National Moot Court competition – team, brief, and speaker.

Denise is a frequent presenter for government, business, educational and community groups. She taught Human Resources Law for the ASU Master of Legal Studies Program in 2014 and 2015 and was active with the former ASU Law Group.

Denise has been a mediator with the U.S. Postal Service for 25 years. She and her husband, Don Doerres, are regular presenters of “Soft Skills for a Hard World,” a seminar to improve workplace communication and resolve conflict. Denise and Don belong to the University of Iowa Alumni Association and Denise is a life member of both the ASU and U of A Alumni Associations.

Denise served on the Board of Directors for 20 years for Girl Scouts – Arizona Cactus-Pine Council. The Girl Scouts awarded Denise the Thanks Badge in 2000; the Thanks Badge II in 2005, and the Impact Award in 2020, their highest volunteer honors. She currently serves as Chair of the Council’s Personnel Committee. Denise and Don live in Scottsdale and are active at St. Patrick Catholic Community.

Denise's website is at www.azlaborlaw.com. Her telephone number is 480-993-3939 and her mailing address is 6945 E. Sahuaro, Suite 125, Scottsdale, AZ 85254. Her email address is denise@azlaborlaw.com.

Laura Clymer Related Seminars and Products

Attorney

Clymer Legal PLLC

Laura Clymer is an attorney and owner at Clymer Legal PLLC. The Tucson, Arizona law firm counsels and represents people in Arizona workers’ compensation and Social Security Disability cases. Laura is certified by the State Bar of Arizona (SBA) as a workers’ compensation legal specialist. She is a member of the Workers’ Compensation Law Advisory Commission She also serves on the executive board of the Arizona Association of Lawyers for Injured Workers (AALIW), an organization that advocates for the rights of injured workers.
Laura, a native Arizonan, graduated from the Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law at Arizona State University in 2013. She was one of 11 in her graduating class of 210 students to receive a Dean’s Award for outstanding contributions and performance at the law school. She passed the Arizona bar exam in July 2013 and was licensed to practice law on December 11, 2013.
In addition to practicing full-time as an Arizona workers’ compensation lawyer and assisting clients in obtaining Social Security Disability benefits, Laura is a part-time, adjunct professor of law practice at the University of Arizona (UA), where she teaches a legal writing, analysis and research class to UA undergraduate law majors and MLS graduate students.
While in law school, Laura was co-editor-in-chief of the Law Journal for Social Justice; served on the executive board of OUTLaw, the gay-straight student alliance; and worked as a research assistant in the ASU Work-Life Policy Unit of the Civil Justice Clinic at the law school. She also completed legal externships for U.S. Magistrate Judge David K. Duncan, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and the Civil Division of the U.S. Attorney’s Office, and clerked one summer in Maricopa County Superior Court. She was the 2012 recipient of the R. Kelly Hocker Employment and Labor Law scholarship and a co-recipient of the Jonathan Paul Schubert Memorial scholarship in 2013.
Laura’s writing and research projects while in law school included: researching and contributing to chapter seven in “The Rights of the Accused under the Sixth Amendment” (Paul Marcus et al, American Bar Association, 2012); “Drone Journalism: What Happens When the ‘Intrepid Reporter’ Takes to the Skies?” (Privacy Law seminar paper, spring 2013); and exploring and evaluating “take-home asbestos” liability under Arizona law (Products Liability seminar, graduation paper, fall 2012).
Prior to law school, Laura was a journalist for 18 years. She was the city editor and online content editor for the award-winning Arizona Daily Sun newspaper in Flagstaff from 2001 until August 2010. Laura’s writing, interviewing, and investigative skills honed during her years as a journalist have proved invaluable in making the transition from a journalist to a lawyer.
Laura received her bachelor’s degree in history and communication, cum laude, in 1986 from DePauw University. While at DePauw, she played basketball and softball for the Tigers, wrote for the student newspaper and student yearbook, and was on the steering committee for DePauw’s Little 500 bicycle race.
Outside of work, Laura takes on an active role in her faith community, Casas Adobes Congregational, U.C.C. She is a member of the Rotary Club of Marana, where she served as club president from 2022 to 2024. She’s a loyal fan of UA athletics, and enjoys reading, movies, travel, and most of all, spending time with family and friends over a great meal.

Ruby Tate Related Seminars and Products

Ruby Tate is the Claims Manager of the Claims Division at the Industrial Commission of Arizona. She has over 20 years of workers’ compensation experience including positions as a medical only adjuster, time loss adjuster, claims supervisor, Special Fund Manager and Claims Division Manager, which includes extensive experience in training and process improvement. Over her time with the Commission, her focus is to improve all parties’ access and experience with the Arizona Workers Compensation system.

When Ruby isn’t working at the ICA, she is a supporter of the local art communities, a movie quoter and Vespa rider. Ruby is based in Phoenix, Arizona.

Prescott Resort & Conf. Center