Total Credits: 4.25 CLE, 4.25 Ethics
*** Registration has reached capacity. To be placed on the waiting list please contact Sulema Bucio at Sulema.Bucio@staff.azbar.org ***
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).
Laura Conover, Pima County Attorney, has a unique perspective on Southern Arizona’s criminal justice system. She was first elected as the Pima County Attorney in 2020 and re-elected to a second term last year. As the third woman to hold the Office, second defense attorney, and first victims’ rights attorney, she has assembled a diverse senior leadership team to continue revolutionizing operations.
Reform, transparency, and accountability are Laura’s core objectives. She continues to educate the legislature on cash bail, has put an end to capital punishment in the County, responsibly diverts cases of substance use disorder and mental illness to treatment, and keeps children out of the adult system. She is fortifying units in Conviction & Sentencing Integrity and Fraud & Consumer Protection to safeguard against unethical and exploitative behaviors. Her team built the only adult restorative justice program in the State and invented a victim text notification system to better serve victim's rights. Her first in the nation agreements to specially deputize tribal O'odham and Yaqui prosecutors have improved access to justice.
Laura was raised in Tucson and earned her undergraduate and law degrees from the University of Arizona and is proud to serve the community she calls home.
Sally Schneider Duncan is a retired Maricopa County Superior Court of Arizona Judge. After 18 years of resolving disputes on the civil, family, and criminal benches, she transferred her skills to a platform where she could help litigants reach mutually satisfying conclusions to costly and distracting litigation. At Convergent ADR, she serves as a mediator, arbitrator, discovery dispute master, and litigation strategist.
Her “been around the block” experience in all areas of civil litigation equips her to find solutions where others may not. She understands every corner of the courtroom both as a private practice litigator, public defender, and trial judge with dozens of trials. Before her appointment to the bench, Sally worked as an Assistant Federal Public Defender and was in private practice for 15 years–first at one of Phoenix’s oldest and most respected firms and later as a partner at two international law firms–where she handled complex commercial cases including contract, environmental, construction, professional discipline, regulatory compliance, insurance, real estate, employment, corporate compliance, trade secrets, and general business litigation.
She regularly serves as a guest lecturer and Adjunct Trial Practice Faculty at the Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law, where she was invited to speak on Professional Responsibility and serve as a faculty member teaching Trial Practice Skills. She has also served as a judge presiding over mock trials.
Sally earned her B.A., with honors, summa cum laude, and her J.D. from the University of Arizona. She was admitted in Federal District Court and the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, where she argued a case and learned that listening before you speak is the surest way to the surest way to find the best answer.
Alfred “Ray” English attended Wentworth Military Junior College and was recognized as a Distinguished Military Graduate, receiving a commission in the U.S. Army Reserve. Ray received his Bachelor of Science from The Ohio State University and Juris Doctor from Howard University School of Law, where he graduated cum laude. Ray has over 30 years of leadership training and legal experience. He has a longstanding commitment to improving Diversity Equity and Inclusion in the legal profession. He currently serves on the Arizona Judicial Council's Commission on Diversity, Equality and Justice in the Judiciary, and speaks nationwide, conducting training on issues such as implicit bias, anti-racism, and inclusion.
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.
Honorable Peter Hochuli received his undergraduate degree in Sociology with an emphasis in Juvenile Corrections from Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, Arizona, in 1977. He earned his Juris Doctor degree from the University Of Arizona College Of Law, in 1980. He has practiced law in Tucson, Arizona since 1981. He was in private practice with an emphasis in Juvenile delinquency defense and dependency matters as well as family law/domestic relations cases. In 1996, he joined the Pima County Attorney’s Office, Juvenile Division, and was promoted to supervisor in April, 2003. During that time he represented the Pima County Attorney during the implementation of the Juvenile Detentions Alternatives Initiative.
He was a founding member of the Juvenile Law Section of the Arizona State Bar and was Section Chair from June 1999 to June 2000. Over the course of his career he has participated in a number of state and local juvenile committees, collaborations, and faculty for legal education.
Peter W. Hochuli was appointed to the Pima County Bench as a Court Commissioner/Judge Pro Tempore of the Superior Court, Juvenile Division effective March 17, 2008. In October 2013, he was rotated to the Pima County Probate/Adult Mental Health bench, where he served for 27 months. December 11, 2015, he was appointed by Governor Doug Ducey, to the Pima County Superior Court Bench, Division 13, and is currently serving on the Juvenile Bench.
He has been married for almost 46 years and has four beautiful children and four exceptional grandchildren.
Honorable Amy Kalman 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 more than 200 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. He conducts workplace investigations into a wide variety of employment issues.
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, 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, 2023, 2024 and 2025 Southwest “Super Lawyer” in Civil Litigation 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 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 works with lawyers and law firms in all legal ethics law and risk management aspects. 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 ethical rules surrounding the legal profession, he played a key role in determining whether violations had actually taken place. As a Practice Management Advisor and Attorney, he provided guidance and resources to lawyers on best practices for managing their practices ethically and efficiently.
Before joining the State Bar of Arizona, he had served as Chief Compliance Office and General Counsel at EZ-Messenger, a legal support services provider located in 15 states. In his role, Mr. Potter led the quality and compliance team, oversaw compliance and security programs, and negotiated contracts and service agreements.
Charles S. Price is General Counsel of HBI International. He has over 40 years’ experience as 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, as well as co-teaching the State Bar Professionalism course on numerous occasions. 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 has been listed in “Southwest Superlawyers,” “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.”
Joel Brooks Robbins
Robbins Curtin Millea & Showalter, LLC
301 E. Bethany Home Rd., Suite B-100
Phoenix, Arizona 85012
(602) 400-4400
Joel@RCMSLaw.com
BACKGROUND
Partner in the law firm of Robbins Curtin Millea & Showalter, LLC. (One of the preeminent law firms in the country (Bar Register of Preeminent Lawyers) - Martindale Hubbell.))
Member and 2017 President of the Phoenix chapter of the American Board of Trial Advocates, member of the American Association of Justice, Arizona Association of Justice (aka Arizona Trial Lawyers 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). One of the best lawyers in Arizona and the Southwest, according to Superlawyers 2007-2025. Selected as one of the top 50 lawyers in Arizona for 2017, 2018, 2021 – 2024.
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.
Practice Emphasis
Robbins' practice is primarily in plaintiffs' personal injury cases in construction, automobiles, negligence, and civil rights. Robbins has been responsible for multiple million-dollar verdicts and settlements on behalf of his clients.
Appellate Law Accomplishments
In AA Mechanical vs. Superior Court (Vree), the Arizona Court of Appeals declared an unfair statute that required expert affidavits unconstitutional; in Hayes v. Continental Ins. Co., the Court of Appeals found that prohibiting injured workers from suing their worker's compensation insurance companies for bad faith was unconstitutional. In Bachus v. State, the Court of Appeals found that individuals injured by the government statute are not required to provide an exhaustive statement of damages to preserve their claims.
Trial Accomplishments
Robbins' other significant cases include litigating Flanders vs. Arpaio, which established She1iff Joseph Arpaio's knowing disregard of the unreasonably dangerous condition of the Maricopa County tent city. Other important cases were Klatt v. Maricopa County, Walker v. Maricopa County, James Saville vs. Arpaio, Daniel and Donna Saban vs. Arpaio, Richard Post vs. Arpaio, Damon Dreckmeier vs. Arpaio, Nick Tarr vs. Arpaio, and Eric Johnson vs. Arpaio.
Academic Background
Robbins graduated from the University of Arizona Law School in 1986 and was a member of the Moot Court Board. He graduated from the U of A with a business economics degree (cum laude) in 1983 and received the Pat Shelly Memorial Award for service to the University of Arizona.
An Arizona lawyer vigorously seeking compensation for those seriously injured due to the fault of others and guarding the rights of individuals against governmental abuse.
Peter C. Rosales is an experienced and accomplished attorney with 35 years of criminal defense, and now, personal injury law experience. He has represented clients in a variety of matters ranging in complexity from criminal speeding/misdemeanor DUI to Capital Murder cases. He has also served as the Mohave County Legal Defender, a Judicial Hearing Officer on the City of Tempe Municipal Court bench as well as a Trial Group Supervisor for the Maricopa County Public Defender’s Office. He has authored legal practice guides and seminar materials for other practicing attorneys, including the well-received “Trial Matters” and “The Myth of the Dog: Trying the Impossible Case”. Through the years he also has been dedicated to the practice of continuing legal education and has taught at numerous legal seminars sponsored by such organizations as the Mohave County Bar Association, the Arizona Public Defender’s Association, the Arizona State Bar, and the Maricopa County Public Defender’s Office. In addition, he has lectured on the American trial process to prosecuting attorneys from Mexico at a Conference of the Western Attorneys General. He is a graduate of Arizona State University, the Loyola Law School, the National Criminal Defense College’s Trial Practice Institute, and the National Institute for Trial Advocacy’s Program for the Teaching of Advocacy Skills. He is currently a Supervising Attorney for the Arizona office of the Sweet James Accident Attorneys in Phoenix.
David Rosenbaum. 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 asset protection planning, business partnership disputes and probate litigation. Additionally, Isaac is active in several non-profits including being the former Chair of the Tucson Jewish Community Center, on the governance Committee of Literacy Connects and 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 ten 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 and licensed to practice in Nevada. 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 Judge currently serving on the Family bench in Pima County. Judge Wade was recently appointed by Governor Hobbs, and served as a Commissioner in Superior Court prior to his appointment. Judge Wade was previously 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. Judge Wade also worked on criminal justice legislation at the Arizona state legislature both through AACJ and as a public defender. 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.
Kristin M. Wrobel is a Partner in the Phoenix office of Manning Kass. She is a member of the Insurance Coverage / Bad Faith team.
Ms. Wrobel is a seasoned trial attorney with over a decade of experience advocating for clients. She began her legal career as a felony trial attorney with the Maricopa County Public Defender’s Office, where she honed her courtroom skills over nearly ten years. During this time, she served as lead trial counsel in numerous complex matters. For the last half of her career as a public defender, Ms. Wrobel focused almost exclusively on death penalty litigation, navigating the intricacies of these high-stakes cases. Ms. Wrobel has worked on environmental and consumer fraud cases, litigated Section 1983 civil rights claims, and represented plaintiffs in personal injury litigation. This experience has provided her with invaluable expertise in complex legal strategy, evidence presentation, and appellate procedure, which she now leverages to defend and advise clients in a variety of complex litigation matters.
Ms. Wrobel is admitted to the State Bar of Arizona, the United States District Court for the District of Arizona, and the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit.
Memberships
— Regional Co-Chair, Mentoring Program, American Bar Association Judicial Internship Opportunity Program
Education
— Arizona State University, Juris Doctor
— Arizona State University, Bachelor of Arts in Sociology