Total Credits: 4.25 CLE, 4.25 Ethics
This course explores professionalism principles and analyzes a series of professionalism hypotheticals pertinent to a lawyer's relationship with clients, judges, and other attorneys. The bulk of the seminar is presented in interactive breakout groups. New admittees to the State Bar of Arizona must complete this course within one year of being admitted to the Bar. Space is limited for each session.
In a profession that was designed to be adversarial in nature, it's only natural that conflicts with our colleagues, the judiciary and our clients may arise. How we resolve these conflicts reflects upon the profession as a whole. This course is designed to help restore civility and elevate the standards by which we treat all those with whom we come in contact.
The mandatory course, for all newly admitted Arizona members, satisfies the requirement under Rule 34(n), Ariz. R. Sup. Ct.
Important: Please make sure the email address we have on file for you is current. You will be emailed information about this course as we get closer to the course date. If you have not received information by March 10th, please check your spam folder or contact member services at Registrations@staff.azbar.org or 602-340-7231.
Steven L. Bossé is a partner with Bossé Rollman P.C. He is a 1979 graduate of the University of Arizona College of Law. He is a certified tax specialist, certified by the Arizona State Bar Legal Specialization Committee. His practice is concentrated in the creation of, and tax planning for, entities (including fringe benefits).
Honorable Michael J. Butler was appointed to the Pima County Superior Court in May 2013, and he has been assigned to the juvenile, criminal and civil benches. During his time on the criminal bench, Judge Butler spent three years as Pima County’s mental health judge, and he presided over all competency matters and the county’s Mental Health Court. Judge Butler now serves as Presiding Judge of the Pima County Juvenile Court. Before his appointment, Judge Butler practiced as a commercial litigator in Tucson for twenty years. He received his undergraduate and law degrees from the University of Arizona, and prior to his legal career he worked as a certified emergency paramedic.
Laura Conover has a unique perspective on Southern Arizona's criminal justice system. She was elected as the Pima County Attorney in 2020. As the third woman to hold the Office, second defense attorney, and first victims' rights attorney, she has assembled a diverse senior leadership team and plans to revolutionize operations.
Reform, transparency, and accountability are Laura's core objectives. She endeavors to reform cash bail, end all use of capital punishment, divert cases of substance use disorder and mental illness to treatment, and protect people with vulnerable immigration statuses. She is fortifying units in Conviction & Sentencing Integrity and Fraud & Consumer Protection to safeguard against unethical and exploitative behaviors. She is building the first adult restorative justice program in the state.
Sally Schneider Duncan
Convergent ADR
3033 N. Central Ave, Suite 500
Phoenix, Arizona 85012
602-391-5519
Work History
Mediator, Arbitrator, ConvergentADR (8/1/22-present); Maricopa County Superior Court Judge (June, 2004-July, 2022); Partner, Bryan Cave (2002-2004); Counsel, Bryan Cave (1999-2002); Partner, Anderson, Kill & Olick (1998-1999), Assistant Federal Public Defender (1991-1998), Associate, Lewis and Roca (1989-1991).
Profession
Mediator, Arbitrator, Discovery Dispute Master and Litigation Strategist.
Professional Licenses
Member, Arizona State Bar 1989-Present
Admitted, Federal District Court
Admitted, Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals
Professional Associations
State Bar of Arizona
Arizona Women Lawyers Association
Retired Member, Arizona Judges Association (Past President)
Education
Pomona College (1985-1986) (Freshman year)
University of Arizona (BA 1985, graduated with honors, summa cum laude, Phi Beta Kappa)
University of Arizona (JD 1989, Law Review)
Experience
Over 33 years of experience handling complex commercial cases including contract, environmental, construction disputes, professional discipline, regulatory compliance, insurance, real estate, employment, corporate compliance, trade secrets, and general business litigation. Served eighteen years as a state trial judge in the fourth busiest court system in the United States which required a focus on efficiency while providing a fair hearing for all parties. Conducted hundreds of trials including bench and jury trials with a docket that included complex commercial and business matters. Also presided over simple to complex tort and professional malpractice cases. Served on civil (twice), family, juvenile and criminal calendars. Appointed by the Governor through a competitive merit selection process and retained by voters in five election cycles. Conducted numerous successful settlement conferences when presiding on a civil calendar.
Alternative Dispute Resolution Experience
Conducted numerous successful civil settlement conferences while serving as a judge and sought out by colleges to conduct settlement conferences in cases assigned to them.
Publications And Speaking Engagements
Asked to speak routinely regarding Professional Responsibility and Trial Practice Skills; Adjunct Trial Practice Faculty, Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law teaching trial practice and assisting with mock trials and guest lecturer on Professional Responsibility.
CHIEF JUDGE DAVID BRUCE GASS grew up in central Pennsylvania but spent a year taking classes in Chihuahua, Mexico. He served as a law clerk to the Honorable Ruth V. McGregor before joining the Phoenix law firm of Lewis and Roca, LLP. He spent seven sessions working as Counsel at the Arizona House of Representatives, before going to the Arizona Attorney General’s Office.
In 2009, Judge Gass was appointed to the Superior Court in Maricopa County. He served on all four major assignments. He sat on the Arizona Bar Association’s Civil Jury Instruction Committee and served as President of the Arizona Judges’ Association. He and Judge Pamela Svoboda established the STRENGTH Court in Maricopa County. STRENGTH Court works with victims of sex trafficking who are in the juvenile justice system.
In 2019, Judge Gass was appointed to the Arizona Court of Appeals, Division One. He began serving as the Vice Chief Judge effective July 2021 and began his term as Chief Judge effective July 2023. He is a member of the Arizona Judicial Council and the Arizona Supreme Court Commission on Diversity, Equality, and Justice. He chaired the 2022 Child Support Guidelines Review Subcommittee.
Judge Gass was awarded the 2005 Arizona State University College of Law Alumni Association recognition for outstanding service, the 2014 Michael D. Ryan Award for Judicial Excellence from the State Bar of Arizona Public Lawyers Section, the 2018 Pete Dunn Above and Beyond Award as outstanding ambassador of the Judges in Arizona, and the 2018 Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law Judicial Officer of the Year. The State Bar of Arizona awarded him its 2020 Diversity and Inclusion Leadership Award. In 2021, the Arizona Supreme Court’s Committee on Judicial Education and Training awarded him the Excellence in Education Award.
Judge Gass is on the Arizona Town Hall Training Committee and has worked with Arizona Anytown Youth Leadership.
Judge Gass is a member of the LGBTQ+ community. He focuses and speaks on diversity and inclusion issues. He has been active in many related projects. Several are listed here. He developed a training module to unpack and demystify the judicial application process to encourage diversity in Arizona’s courts. He also developed an undergraduate internship program at the Arizona Court of Appeals, Division One to give diverse undergraduate students experience working in the courts and to encourage them to go to law school.
Most notable, Judge Gass felt strongly that Arizona should officially recognize the Fred Korematsu Day of Civil Liberties and the Constitution so that we never forget the wrongs done to persons of Japanese descent and their families. He spent five years making it a reality so we always remember our constitution and our civil liberties are fragile and require our constant attention.
And he saves stray dogs on the side.
graduated from Western Washington University and Duke University Law School. After graduating, she relocated to Phoenix and worked for the Maricopa County Public Defender's Office for eleven years in felony trials and for the last five years, in capital defense. She was a member of the Arizona Supreme Court's Criminal Rules Task Force and Fair Justice Task Force Subcommittee on Restoration of Rights and Set-Asides, and the State Bar's Criminal Practices and Procedures Committee. In June 2018, Amy was appointed a Commissioner of the Maricopa County Superior Court in the Probate/Mental Health division. She handled Title 36 matters at the Desert Vista Behavioral Hospital, as well as a Probate calendar involving a combination of wills, trusts and estates, as well as protective procedures for minors and incapacitated adults. Then she rotated to a specialty criminal calendar for nine months, handling competency proceedings and drug, DUI, and mental health probation calendars. In March 2023 she was appointed as Judge and moved to the family department. In her free time, she nerds out on science fiction, cooking shows, and obstacle races.
John Kelly is a partner with the law firm of Coppersmith Brockelman PLC in Phoenix. He has substantial experience representing profit and not-for-profit companies in a wide variety of legal and business matters, including commercial, employment, real estate and construction, health care, tort and insurance-related litigation. As a trial lawyer, John has tried over 100 cases to conclusion, including jury and bench trials, arbitration matters and administrative law proceedings. He currently serves as a Judge Pro Tem with the Maricopa County Superior Court and has been retained to serve as a private mediator on numerous occasions. He is a member of the International Academy of Dispute Resolution and is a trained Neutral (Mediations/Arbitrations) and Peer Review Officer with the American Health Lawyers Association. He has conducted numerous internal and external training sessions and Company seminars on issues such as loss prevention techniques, sexual harassment avoidance, professional conduct in the workplace, litigation preparation, workers’ compensation, business contract review and best employment practices.
Prior to joining Coppersmith Brockelman, John was the General Counsel of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Phoenix. In that capacity, John supervised the Human Resources, Benefits, Corporate Management and Parish Administration offices of the Diocese, advised the Bishop on numerous non-profit and corporate governance issues, and advised the Catholic Schools Superintendent on school personnel decisions, education-related policies and procedures, and student disciplinary processes. Prior to joining the Diocese of Phoenix, John was the Vice President and General Counsel and a member of the Executive Board of Directors of Leslie’s Poolmart, Inc., a nationwide retailer of swimming pool supplies. John directed all litigation for the Company and its 900+ stores, and also supervised the Legal, Real Estate, Construction and Facilities Management, Loss Prevention, Risk Management, Safety, Regulatory Affairs and Workers’ Compensation departments. Prior to joining Leslie’s, John was in private practice in Phoenix for 12 years, most recently as a partner in the law firm of Leonard, Collins & Kelly, where his practice concentrated on business, contract and employment litigation.
John holds a B.A. from Stanford University and a J.D. from Arizona State University, and is admitted to practice in Arizona and California, as well as before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, and the U.S. District Courts for the District of Arizona and the Southern, Northern, and Central Districts of California. He has been awarded the distinguished “AV Preeminent” peer review rating, Martindale-Hubbell (both judicial and peer endorsed), “Top Rated Lawyer in Labor & Employment” by American Lawyer Media and Martindale-Hubbell, and is a 2021, 2022 and 2023 “Super Lawyer” in Civil Litigation: Defense and a recipient of The Best Lawyers in America: Commercial Litigation. He was appointed to the Professionalism/Ethics Committee of the State of Arizona Trial Practice section and conducts annual seminars for the State Bar of Arizona on Professionalism.
Joel Nomkin has decades of experience in appellate practice and commercial litigation with Perkins Coie. He has served on the Firm’s Management Committee and chaired its Appeals, Issues, and Strategy practice group. He is a Fellow in the American Academy of Appellate Lawyers, a member of the American Law Institute, and previously served in the U.S. Department of Justice, both as a trial attorney in the Civil Rights Division and on the Appellate Staff of the Civil Division. In addition to his active appellate practice, Joel also litigates cases at the trial level on a spectrum of business and public law issues, and advises clients on risk management strategies.
John M. O’Neal is a commercial litigation partner with Quarles, and has been practicing since 1994. John also serves as Quarles’ general counsel.
Reid P. Potter serves as Counsel in the Phoenix office of Klinedinst PC. Mr. Potter works with lawyers and law firms in all aspects of legal ethics law and risk management.
Mr. Potter has over a decade of experience in compliance and legal roles, previously serving as Intake Bar Counsel at the State Bar of Arizona. In his role, he evaluated and investigated complaints against lawyers alleging violations of the Rules of Professional Conduct. With a deep knowledge of the legal profession's ethical rules, he provided a key role in determining whether violations had occurred. As a Practice Management Advisor and Attorney, he offered guidance and resources to lawyers on best practices for managing their practices ethically and efficiently.
Before joining the State Bar of Arizona, he served as Chief Compliance Officer and General Counsel at E Z Messenger, a legal support services provider. In this role, Mr. Potter led the quality and compliance team, oversaw compliance and security programs, and negotiated contracts and service agreements.
Charles S. Price is a civil litigator in the areas of intellectual property, contract, insurance, health care, and antitrust law. He has been a regular speaker and instructor in Continuing Legal Education seminars on civil procedure, trade secrets, antitrust, and life balance/wellness for attorneys. He is the author of Rewiring the White Collar Mind, a book that explains how to balance professional success with personal contentment and joy. He has taught negotiation to graduate business students at the W.P. Carey School of Business at Arizona State University, and to lawyers and nonlawyers across the country through the Latz Negotiation Institute. Mr. Price is listed in the current editions of “Best Lawyers in America” and “Who’s Who in American Law”. Mr. Price has been recognized by AZ Business Leaders magazine as one of the five most influential commercial litigators in Arizona. He was described in Gain the Edge, a book by negotiation authority Martin Latz, as a “master information-gatherer,” a “very effective negotiator,” and “one of the best lawyers I know.”
is Partner in the law firm of Robbins & Curtin, p.l.l.c. (One of the preeminent law firms in the country (Bar Register of Preeminent Lawyers™) - Martindale Hubbell.)) The firm has had one of the top ten verdicts in Arizona for four of the past five years.
Member and 2017 President of the Phoenix chapter of the American Board of Trial Advocates, member of American Association of Justice, Arizona Trial Lawyer's Association (Board Member, and 2017-2018 Trial Lawyer of the Year), Trial Lawyers for Public Justice, and National Police Accountability Project. Past President of Phoenix Trial Lawyers. Certified as a specialist in Personal Injury and Wrongful Death Litigation by the State Bar and has the highest possible rating by the nation's oldest lawyer rating organization (AV® "Peer Review Rated" by Martindale Hubbell). Twice rated as one of the best lawyers in Arizona and the Southwest according to Superlawyers. Selected as one of the top 50 lawyers in Arizona for 2017 and 2018.
Following law school, Robbins worked for the firm of Burch & Cracchiolo. After leaving the firm, he formed his own law practice and litigated numerous trials, becoming proficient at representing clients in personal injury cases. He was awarded the Kenneth D. Freeman Award for Excellence in Continuing Legal Education for the Maricopa County Bar Association and is the author of two articles for the Arizona Advocate: A.R.S. Section 12-2601: Making Arizona a Playground for Negligent Construction Professionals and The Arizona "Indivisible Injury" Rule in Multiple Collision Cases.
David Rosenbaum is with Osborn Maledon. Mr. Rosenbaum’s practice focuses on complex commercial litigation in state and federal courts. He has represented public companies and their officers and directors in numerous securities fraud class actions, represented Fortune 50 companies in a wide range of complex commercial litigation matters, including securities and intellectual property litigation, class action claims, as well as other large
commercial disputes.
David has served as President of the Federal Bar Association Phoenix Chapter and as Lawyer Representative to the Ninth Circuit Judicial Conference. He currently serves on the Arizona State Bar Board of Governors and the Board of Directors at the Arizona Foundation for Legal Services and Education. He has been recognized in America’s Leading Lawyers for Business by Chambers USA and has been named multiple times as Lawyer of the Year for Phoenix in Best Lawyers® and as a Top 100 Lawyer in Arizona by AZ Business Magazine.
David chaired the Arizona Supreme Court Business Court Advisory Committee, which led to the creation of Maricopa County’s Commercial Court. He co-chaired the Arizona Supreme Court Task Force on the Arizona Rules of Civil Procedure, which led to the full restyling of Arizona’s Rules in 2015.
Isaac Rothschild is a shareholder who practices in the Bankruptcy Section of Mesch Clark Rothschild. Since joining MCR in 2009, Isaac has been active in the firm’s bankruptcy section, co-counsel in some of the largest reorganization cases in Arizona, as well as representing Trustees, secured insurance companies, and local banks in Chapter 7 and Chapter 11 bankruptcy cases as well as collection actions. His practice also focuses on probate litigation and partnership disputes. Additionally, Isaac is active in several non-profits including past Chair of the Tucson Jewish Community Center, a member of the Governance Committee for Literacy Connects and was one of four founders of the Tucson Jazz Festival.
Devin Sreecharana. Devin’s practice includes all aspects of complex commercial litigation in state and federal courts. He is a Shareholder in his firm’s Commercial Litigation Practice Group, serves as his firm’s Ethics Counsel, and assists with his Firm’s attorney recruitment efforts. He has been recognized as a Super Lawyers Rising Star (Business Litigation) for nine consecutive years, as well as an American Bar Foundation Fellow. Devin has and continues to hold Board and executive positions in a number of community and legal service organizations and enjoys serving as a Judge Pro Tempore for the Maricopa County Superior Court.
Cameron Stanley is an Associate in Dickinson Wright’s Commercial and Business Litigation practice group and focuses her practice on civil litigation and municipal law. Her practice includes government contracts, statutory drafting and interpretation, and State constitutional law claims, with an emphasis on compliance with Arizona’s public record and open meeting laws. Prior to joining the firm, Ms. Stanley served as a Judicial Law Clerk to the Honorable James P. Beene at the Arizona Supreme Court.
Mikel supervises the Appeals Unit at the Maricopa County Public Defender's Office. A career-long public defender, Mikel's handled cases spanning from misdemeanor DUIs in local justice courts to capital cases before the Supreme Court of the United States. And he has a host of strong opinions on everything from legal writing and evidence rules to romance novels and Dungeons and Dragons.
Lauren Talkington is an attorney with Snell & Wilmer. Her practice is concentrated in private client services, specifically estate planning, probate, as well as estate and trust litigation. She has extensive experience in preparing estate planning documents to fit clients’ needs, including wills, revocable or irrevocable trusts, as well as incapacity planning documents such as financial and health care powers of attorney. Lauren also provides advice regarding income, gift, and estate tax issues with experience in preparing taxable estate tax returns and gift tax returns. She has widespread knowledge of fiduciary service matters, including matters of complex estate and trust administration. Lauren is a Certified Estate and Trust Law Specialist through the State Bar of Arizona. She received her Bachelors from Northern Arizona University (Business Economics and International Affairs) and her JD from the University of Arizona.
Honorable Nate Wade is a Commissioner on the Family bench in Pima County and has served in this capacity since July of 2023. He currently serves as a Commissioner Representative on the Court’s Judicial Executive Committee. Prior to his appointment, Nate was a Deputy Public Defender in Pinal County and Co-Chair of the Legislative and Policy Committee for Arizona Attorneys for Criminal Justice. He also spent 7 years with the Pima County PD as a felony trial attorney. Nate also worked on criminal justice legislation at the Arizona state legislature both through AACJ and as a public defender. Nate authored the changes to the Class 6 open statute and developed the new record sealing statute, both of which went into effect in 2022. He is a 2013 graduate of the University of Arizona James E. Rogers College of Law and currently serves as the Secretary for the Law College Association.