State Bar of Arizona Course on Professionalism (Virtual Course)- 08/12/25

Sandra Mary Bensley Related Seminars and Products

Pima County Superior Court

Honorable Sandra Bensley is presently assigned to the probate bench at Pima County Superior Court and became presiding probate judge on January 1, 2025. Prior to being appointed as a judge in 2024, Judge Bensley was a shareholder at Waterfall Economidis where she practiced in the area of trust and estate law, with a concentration in probate litigation. Before joining Waterfall Economidis, Judge Bensley was an assistant public defender with Pima County.

Sheena Singh Chiang Related Seminars and Products

Sheena Chiang is the Principal Attorney and Owner of the Law Office of Sheena Chiang, a criminal defense practice centered exclusively on capital trial and capital post conviction relief work. She also serves as a Judge Pro Tempore for the City of Tempe Municipal Court. She is a former Chair of the Board of Directors of Planned Parenthood Arizona and has devoted a substantial portion of her legal career to pro bono reproductive rights work and advocacy. She is a graduate of the University of Arizona James E. Rogers College of Law and was honored as the “Outstanding Woman Law Graduate” for the class of 2007. She is also the recipient of the "Rising Star" award from the Arizona Public Defender's Association, the Learned Hand Emerging Leadership award, as well as the "40 Under 40" award from the Phoenix Business Journal. Sheena has served on several State Bar of Arizona committees, frequently mentors law students, and teaches continuing legal education.

Ann B Ching Related Seminars and Products

Sandra Day O'Connor College of Law, Arizona State University

is a Clinical Professor of Law at Arizona State University Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law. Prior to this appointment, Professor Ching served as Ethics Counsel for the State Bar of Arizona (2016-2019) and Assistant Professor of Law at Pepperdine University (2013-2015). Professor Ching began her legal career in the U.S. Army Judge Advocate General’s Corps (2001-2012), where she achieved the rank of Major and was awarded the Bronze Star Medal for her service in Iraq. Outside of teaching, Professor Ching serves on the Arizona Supreme Court Ethics Advisory Committee, the State Bar of Arizona Ethics Advisory Group, and as a judge pro tempore for the East Valley Regional Veterans Court. Professor Ching frequently speaks and writes about ethics, legal writing, and appellate practice. Her book Contemporary Appellate Advocacy (Carolina Academic Press) was published in 2025. Professor Ching is a graduate of the University of Arizona (B.A.), the University of North Carolina (J.D.), the Judge Advocate General’s School of the Army (LL.M.), and Pepperdine University (M.B.A.).

Jena Rae Decker-Xu Related Seminars and Products

is a Senior Associate in Fragomen’s Phoenix office, where she oversees one of the office’s largest multi-client teams. Her team is responsible for handling immigration matters from initial work authorization to naturalization for both corporate clients and individuals alike. She manages the immigration program for clients in the technology, health care, chemical and education industries, which range in size from small startups to Fortune 500 companies. Jena has vast experience in nonimmigrant visas (H-1B, L-1A, L-1B, TN, J-1, B1/B2 visa cases, B1 in lieu of H3 applications, B2 Domestic Employee applications), PERM, Adjustment of Status and Naturalization. Jena is active in the State Bar of Arizona, currently serving a term on the Board of Governors and remains a member of the Immigration Section and Young Lawyers Division (for which she previously served as President/Chair). She is also a member of the Arizona Asian American Bar Association. In addition, as a member of the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA) and Chair of the Pro Bono Committee, Jena is a pro bono advocate on a national scale. She previously assisted the Florence Immigrant and Refugee Rights Project with Special Immigrant Juvenile, Adjustment of Status cases and Board of Immigration Appeals, and collaborated with Promise Arizona and the New Americans Campaign to coordinate and provide legal counsel at citizenship workshops. Jena speaks English, French and Mandarin.

Suzanne L Diaz Related Seminars and Products

Attorney

Diaz Law Offices PLLC

Suzanne Diaz is an attorney at Diaz Law Offices, PLLC. Ms. Diaz enjoys helping clients with estate planning, wills, trusts, probate, and guardianship matters. Ms. Diaz is an experienced trial attorney, including contested probate trials. She also is passionate about serving her community, having served for 2 years as President of the Arizona Minority Bar Association and currently serving as President of the Southern Arizona Chapter of the Arizona Women Lawyers Association, while also serving on the boards of directors for the Arizona Women Lawyers Association and the Law College Association for the James E. Rogers University of Arizona College of Law. She previously served eight years on the board of directors for the Girl Scouts of Southern Arizona.

Jon David Eliason Related Seminars and Products

Bureau Chief

Maricopa County Attorney's Office

Jon Eliason is currently the Homicide Bureau Chief for the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office. In this capacity, he supervises nearly all homicide cases in Maricopa County. Previously, Jon was a Division Chief, supervising all child crimes, sex crimes, and domestic violence cases, and led the County’s efforts to test all un-tested rape kits and saw that each case was investigated.

Jon is a career prosecutor, successfully conducting numerous jury trials. In his previous role as the Mesa City Prosecutor, he implemented many successful protocols for the prosecution of domestic violence and DUI cases. He believes that the most important thing a prosecutor can do is seek to be ethical in all aspects of prosecution and to work to improve the quality of life for the community.

Jon has received numerous awards and commendations for his work, and has been recognized by the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Maricopa County Attorney’s Office, the Governor’s Office of Highway Safety, and numerous cities throughout Arizona for his work and dedication as a prosecutor. He sits on the Governor’s Commission to Prevent Violence Against Women, the Arizona Forensic Academy, and is a board member of the Arizona Foundation for Women. He is a frequent lecturer at schools, police departments, and legal conferences, and has taught for the Arizona Prosecuting Attorneys’ Advisory Council, the National District Attorney’s Association, and the Association of Prosecuting Attorneys.

Jon received a BS from Brigham Young University and his JD from Temple Law School.

Tracy S Essig Related Seminars and Products

Managing Member

Essig Law

Tracy Essig is the Managing Member of his Firm, ESSIG LAW (aka Law Offices Tracy S. Essig P.L.C.). He has owned his Firm from 2004 - present. Practice areas include: Bankruptcy; Creditor-Debtor Rights; Tax in the areas involving Bankruptcy, Collections, and Asset Protection; Representation and Advisor regarding impact of bankruptcy on tax debt, Tax Settlements, and Offers in Compromise with State, Federal and Municipalities on personal income, corporate income, transaction privilege (sales), and withholding tax; Representation before various State Boards; Commercial Litigation; Property Tax; Eminent Domain; Construction Law; Real Estate Litigation; Business Formation; Contracts; Wills; Trusts; and Mediation. Representation includes private individuals, businesses, receivers, and governmental agencies, including municipalities. Tracy was admitted to the Arizona Bar in 1988, and U.S. District Court, District of Arizona and Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. Education: University of Arizona (B.A. - Degrees in Economics & Political Science; J.D. Magna Cum Laude, 1988). He served as Legal Intern to the Judiciary Committee & Patents, Trademarks and Copyrights Sub-Committee for Senator Dennis DeConcini; is a member of Phi Alpha Delta. Tracy is Certified English as a Second Language Instructor and is Certified Mediator/Arbitrator. Tracy was with Arizona Attorney General's Office from 1992 - 2003 as Chief Counsel, Bankruptcy, & Collection Enforcement Section, a nationally recognized program that handled the collection of debts owed to the State of Arizona. He was instrumental in the design and testing phase of the Bankruptcy Electronic Filing Program which Arizona was one of the initial pilot programs. He created and had oversight of one of the largest and most profitable bankruptcy and state court collection programs in the country.

Mike Jette Related Seminars and Products

Mike Jette

Mike Jette has been a prosecutor for approximately 18 years who has worked as a Deputy County Attorney in Santa Cruz County, as an Assistant Attorney General in Tucson, and currently as an Assistant U.S. Attorney in Tucson. Mr. Jette also has an MBA from Thunderbird and a Masters in International Security from the University of Arizona. He has just finished a 2-year detail overseas for DOJ working in both Pakistan and the Philippines where he taught prosecutors and judges on rule of law initiatives with a focus on anti-money laundering and counterterrorism finance investigations.

Daniel S Jurkowitz Related Seminars and Products

Pima County Attorney's Office

Daniel S. Jurkowitz is the Assistant Chief Civil Deputy in the Pima County Attorney’s Office Civil Division and serves on the State Bar of Arizona's Professionalism Advisory Council. He also currently serves as a Superior Court Judge Pro Tempore, on the faculty of The National Judicial College, is a past president of the Pima County Bar Association and the Pima County Bar Foundation, and is a recipient of the State Bar of Arizona's Outstanding In-House Counsel of the Year award. Previously, he served as Chair of the State Bar of Arizona's Professionalism Committee, an Administrative Law Judge for the Arizona Department of Transportation, a Justice of the Peace Pro Tempore, a Town Magistrate Pro Tempore, and a Hearing Officer, Settlement Officer, and Attorney Discipline Hearing Panel Member for the Arizona Supreme Court. He began his career as a prosecutor with the Pima County Attorney’s Office Criminal Division and is a graduate of the University of Arizona College of Law.

Jessica Jean-Marie Kokal Related Seminars and Products

Broening Oberg Woods & Wilson PC

Jessica Kokal is a partner with Broening Oberg Woods & Wilson. Jessica moved to the Valley from the Detroit metropolitan area to attend Barrett, the Honors College at Arizona State University as a National Merit scholar recruit. She remained at Arizona State University to attend law school at the Sandra Day O'Connor College of Law while also working full-time at a small Phoenix firm. After joining the firm of Broening, Oberg, Woods & Wilson as an associate in 2016, Jessica was invited to become a partner in 2018.

During her career, Jessica has defended over 30 arbitrations both in what are now known as Tier 1 cases in the state of Arizona and in the AAA forum, taken and defended hundreds of depositions, participated in dozens of administrative hearings and settlement conferences, and defended multiple trials, before both juries and the presiding disciplinary judge and disciplinary hearing panel, to verdict. She currently focuses her practice in the areas of general liability defense, insurance bad faith with a focus in workers’ compensation bad faith, and professional malpractice and lawyer disciplinary proceedings.

In addition to maintaining her practice, Jessica oversees the firm’s mentorship program and chairs the firm’s marketing and recruitment committees. Between 2017 and 2019, she also directed the Phoenix Ladder Down program, designed to help women lawyers extend the “ladder down” to other women lawyers. She currently leads the firm’s mentorship program.

Laine Page McDonald Related Seminars and Products

was appointed by Governor Hobbs to the Superior Court in Pima County in March of 2025 and took the bench in April 2025. She is presently assigned to the family law bench. Prior to being appointed to the Superior Court bench, Judge McDonald served as the Town Magistrate for the Town of Marana from 2015 to 2025. Prior to her appointment as Town Magistrate, she worked in the Marana Legal Department for nine years, serving as the Town Prosecutor and doing civil work for the Town of Marana. Judge McDonald is a 2003 graduate of the University of Arizona and a 2006 graduate of the University of Arizona Rogers College of Law. Judge McDonald serves on the Arizona Supreme Court Task Force on Public Communication and Commission on Victims in the Courts. She is also a member of the Arizona Supreme Court’s Commission on Access to Justice Rules Workgroup. Previously, Judge McDonald served as co-chair of the statewide Limited Jurisdiction New Judge Orientation and a member of the Arizona Supreme Court's Limited Jurisdiction Courts Committee. Judge McDonald is a frequent presenter for both the Arizona Judicial College and the State Bar of Arizona.

Elena S Nethers Related Seminars and Products

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

State Bar of Arizona

Elena Nethers served as Director of Diversity and Inclusion for the State Bar of Arizona until her retirement in late 2023. Elena started her legal career practicing regulatory and corporate law for a large insurance provider. A St. Louis native and alumna of Washington University in St. Louis School of Law, Elena remains connected to the legal community through her work with Arizona Lawyers for Equal Justice.

Daniel R Ortega Jr Related Seminars and Products

Owner

Ortega Law Firm PC

Daniel Ortega, Jr. is a graduate of Arizona State University, B.A. Political Science and Arizona State University College of Law. He is licensed to practice law in Arizona since 1977 and practices in the area of plaintiff’s personal injury, concentrating on serious personal injury and wrongful death cases. His skills as a lawyer have garnered him a listing in The National Trial Lawyers Top 100 Lawyers as well as listings in Arizona’s Finest Lawyers and Southwest Super Lawyers. He speaks at continuing legal education seminars, where his presentations focus on litigation; personal injury and wrongful death cases; trucking accident cases, representing Spanish-speaking clients; ethics; trial practice and Federal Court practice. He has served on the Disciplinary Commission of the Arizona Supreme Court, Maricopa County Commission on Trial Court Appointments, Thurgood Marshall Inn of Court Master, Supreme Court Commission on Minorities in the Judiciary and the Board of Directors of the Arizona Trial Lawyers Association.

Sara Rose Presler Related Seminars and Products

Sara Presler, Attorney

Sara Presler is an attorney and strategic leader in the cannabis industry. Mohave Cannabis Co. is home base where Sara serves as General Counsel for this licensed operator engaged in cultivation, manufacturing, distribution, and retail operations. Sara is Chair of the Board of the Arizona Dispensaries Association, having previously served as its Compliance Chair working as an industry liaison with the Arizona Department of Health Services. Following three public service clerkships and low-income legal clinical experience, Sara’s career launched as a public defender and as an adjunct law instructor at Northern Arizona University and Coconino Community College. Then, Sara was twice elected Mayor of Flagstaff, Arizona and was the youngest person and first woman in that office. She’s since served as General Counsel for a global wind turbine company and CEO of a privately held medical company. Sara was selected as CEO of the Arizona Foundation for Women and guided the nonprofit to strategically partner with the Arizona Community Foundation. Sara's passions include serving on the Board of Arizona Autism United, volunteering as a Member of the Gilbert Public Schools Special Education Parent Advisory Council, and mentoring elementary students as their Girl Scout Troop Leader.

Denise M Quinterri Related Seminars and Products

The Law Office of Denise M Quinterri PLLC

Denise M. Quinterri focuses her practice on legal ethics and professional responsibility. She formerly served as Bar Counsel for the State Bar of Arizona. She now represents lawyers in State Bar proceedings ("Bar complaints") and applicants in the Character and Fitness process. She also provides expert opinion letters. Ms. Quinterri enjoys presenting at the occasional CLE seminar or conference and is an active member of the Association of Professional Responsibility Lawyers. She has been recognized in The Best Lawyers in America© for Ethics and Professional Responsibility and is rated AV® Preeminent™ by Martindale-Hubbell. Ms. Quinterri is highly experienced in lawyer discipline, having personally handled over 500 bar charges. She has represented over 250 applicants to the State Bar in the Character and Fitness process. She understands various aspects of the practice, having worked at a large law firm, a small to mid-size law firm, as a solo attorney, and for a non-profit, quasi-governmental organization.

Teri Marscovetra Rowe Related Seminars and Products

Attorney

Miller Weber Kory LLP

Teri Rowe graduated from the University of Arizona with degrees in Physics and Astronomy. She interned for NASA, taught elementary school science, and ultimately worked as a systems engineer at Raytheon in the area of missile design. Teri left the engineering field and attended law school at Arizona State University, during which time she served as an editor on Jurimetrics: The Journal of Law, Science, and Technology. Following graduation, she spent a decade working in a small firm where she handled primarily personal injury litigation, and also practiced in the areas of criminal defense, family law, and probate.

As a partner at Miller Kory Rowe, she has devoted the majority of her time to the firm’s nursing home litigation practice, where she represents the victims of nursing home abuse, neglect, and exploitation. She also continues to represent victims of medical malpractice and catastrophic injuries.

Teri also serves on the Arizona Supreme Court Attorney Discipline Committee and as a settlement conference officer for attorney discipline matters. She is a member of the American Association of Justice Nursing Home Litigation Group, as well as a Sustaining Member of the Arizona Association of Justice (AzAJ). She is the Secretary for AzAJ as well as an executive board member and serves on the AzAJ Seminar Committee where she chairs the annual Ethics Seminar.

Jeffrey Louis Sklar Related Seminars and Products

Hon. Jeffrey L. Sklar graduated graduated from the University of Arizona and the University of Southern California Gould School of Law. After graduating law school in 2007, he returned to Arizona to clerk for Justice Scott Bales of the Arizona Supreme Court. He then began work as an associate at the Los Angeles law firm of Irell & Manella.

Judge Sklar returned to Arizona in 2010 to work at the Tucson office of what was then known as Lewis & Roca, where he remained until 2021, when Gov. Doug Ducey appointed him to the Arizona Superior Court in Pima County. On the Superior Court, Judge Sklar served rotations on both the civil bench and family bench. In July 2022, he was appointed as presiding judge of the family bench. He remained as presiding family judge until December 2022, when Gov. Ducey appointed him to the Arizona Court of Appeals.

Judge Sklar lives in Tucson with his wife and three children.

Edwin Walter Slade III Related Seminars and Products

Administrative Counsel

Arizona Department of Environmental Quality

Edwin Slade is the Administrative Counsel (General Counsel) for the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality. He provides legal support to the Director's Office and Water, Air, and Waste programs, serves on the Agency's Executive Leadership Team, oversees the Agency compliance management process, and coordinates the Agency's work with the Attorney General's Office to resolve cases and provide legal advice. Prior to rejoining ADEQ in 2017, Edwin was an Arizona Assistant Attorney General in the Natural Resources Section, and a high school chemistry teacher with Teach For America. He attended law school at the University of Arizona, where he helped to start the environmental law certificate program. Edwin is originally from eastern Pennsylvania, and enjoys the Arizona outdoors with his family.

Geoffrey M T Sturr Related Seminars and Products

Osborn Maledon PA

Geoffrey Sturr is a member of Osborn Maledon, P.A. in Phoenix. He serves as the firm’s general counsel. He is admitted to practice in Arizona and California. His practice includes commercial litigation, legal malpractice cases, fee disputes, Bar admission and Bar discipline proceedings, and advising law firms and lawyers on professional responsibility and law practice management issues.

Mr. Sturr has been recognized by Best Lawyers in America from 2007-2025 in the categories of Bet-the-Company Litigation, Commercial Litigation, and Ethics and Professional Responsibility Law. He was named Phoenix Lawyer of the Year for Ethics and Professional Responsibility Law in 2021 and Phoenix Lawyer of the Year for Bet-the Company Litigation, in 2019. Mr. Sturr was named “Southwest Super Lawyer” by Law and Policy Magazine, in 2007 and from 2009-2024 Editions. In 2024, he was listed in Top 50 Arizona Super Lawyers.

A graduate of Haverford College and the UCLA School of Law, Mr. Sturr served as a law clerk for the Honorable Cynthia Holcomb Hall, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, before entering private practice.

Andrea Suzanne Tazioli Related Seminars and Products

Attorney

NCP Law, PLLC

Andrea Tazioli is an experienced litigator and trial attorney practicing in the areas of White Collar Crime/Criminal Defense, Commercial Litigation, Government and Internal Investigations. Andrea is skilled in all aspects of litigation, including law and motion practice, mediation, arbitration, trial, and appellate practice. Andrea has tried numerous cases (civil and criminal) in both state and federal court. Andrea regularly defends individuals and corporations charged with white collar and non-white collar criminal offenses in both Federal and State courts. Andrea's recent experience includes the defense of individuals and corporations charged with: Computer Tampering; Fraud; Telemarketing offenses; Drug Offenses; Aggravated Assault; Homicide; Domestic Violence Offenses; Vehicular Offenses (including DUIs); and property crimes. She also represents juveniles charged with misdemeanor and felony offenses. Andrea has also assisted individuals, health care companies, tribal entities, educational institutions and corporate entities with a variety of government and internal investigations conducted by state and federal agencies. Her recent experience encompasses allegations of financial fraud, health care fraud, SEC violations, environmental violations, immigration violations, violations of the Defense Production Act, and criminal misconduct.

In the commercial litigation context, Andrea represents business and corporations and their respective officers in numerous business disputes and assists in obtaining injunctive relief. Andrea also assists business and corporations with matters arising from criminal misconduct, including the defense of civil forfeiture matters.

Andrea has significant experience representing individuals and businesses who are victims of state and federal criminal offenses. Andrea is very involved in the Phoenix community. She currently serves on the Board of Directors for Make-A-Wish Arizona; and she also regularly assists the Volunteer Lawyer's Program with pro bono cases.

Nicholas J Wood Related Seminars and Products

Snell & Wilmer

Nick Wood is a strategic and trusted real estate, zoning, and land use attorney. Nick leverages years of experience to assist his clients, including developers, corporations, municipalities, government entities, and other individuals seeking to maximize the potential of their properties and navigate the complex landscape of zoning laws, entitlement processes, and tax structured real estate development. His work includes high profile developments spanning many industries and regions. Nick holds an LL.M. in Tax, which along with his expansive legal experience and practical knowledge uniquely positions him to understand the evolving nature of zoning laws and urban development trends so that he can proactively anticipate and address challenges.

Nick is a frequent presenter on trending real estate, zoning, and land use issues for clients, industry groups, and community organizations. He is also an adjunct professor of law at the Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law at Arizona State University. Nick’s work is widely recognized by leading legal publications such as Chambers USA: America’s Leading Lawyers for Business® for Real Estate: Zoning/Land Use as well as The Best Lawyers in America® for Real Estate Law and Real Estate Litigation. He maintains an AV Preeminent standing from Martindale-Hubbell®.

William J O'Neil Related Seminars and Products

Retired Judge William O'Neil is the former Presiding Disciplinary Judge for Arizona, where he served for eleven years. Prior to that position he served as a Superior Court Judge for twenty years and served as the Presiding Judge in Pinal County. His list of awards is long, including the Arizona Supreme Court Improving Trust and Confidence in the Court Award, the Mark Santana award for exceptional contributions to legal-related education and the Justice Michael D. Ryan Award for Judicial Excellence. Before his service on the bench, Judge O'Neil worked in private practice for 13 years. His one-person firm grew to be the largest firm in Pinal County. His practice was busy, rewarding and stressful. He understands the struggles to meet deadlines, the temptation of compromise and the danger of situational ethics. He is aware of the common frailty of being so busy, one doesn't take the time to properly process information and falters ethically. He also knows the keys to avoiding such lapses.

David N Horowitz Related Seminars and Products

Partner

Warner Angle Hallam Jackson & Formanek

David Horowitz has significant experience in all child-related issues, including step-parent adoption, grandparents' rights, parenting coordination, same-sex parenting, and guardianship/conservatorship. His practice also offers guidance with prenuptial and post-nuptial agreements, complex divorce (including business valuation and complex custody and child support issues), collaborative divorce, mediation, arbitration, and court-appointed special master services. He is also a respected mediator in family law disputes and serves as a judge pro tem for the Maricopa County Superior Court. David is a Certified Family Law Specialist (Arizona Board of Legal Specialization) and a Super Lawyers honoree. He is a Fellow of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers, serves on the Academy's board of governors, and chairs its Mediation Committee. He is the current chair of the State Bar of Arizona's Board of Legal Specialization Family Law Advisory Commission and an officer of the State Bar's Family Law Executive Council. David teaches Family Law and Legal Studies at Phoenix College and has been an adjunct faculty member at the Phoenix School of Law and Arizona Summit Law School. He has been practicing in Arizona for over 30 years. He received his B.S.B.A. in Business Economics (1987) from the University of Arizona Eller College of Management and his J.D. (1990) from the University of Arizona College of Law.

Michael Gordon Related Seminars and Products

Michael Thomas Maerowitz Related Seminars and Products

Associate

Snell & Wilmer LLP