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Don has been a partner with the firm since 1987 and concentrates his practice on insurance coverage and bad faith, professional liability, products liability litigation and construction. He is admitted to practice in all state and federal courts in Arizona as well as the Ninth and Tenth Circuit Courts of Appeal, and the United States Supreme Court.
Don is the past President of the Arizona Association of Defense Counsel (AADC) and a past Chair of the USLAW Network.
He is the past chair of the Federation of Defense and Corporate Counsel's Professional Liability Committee and its Extra-Contractual Committee/Bad Faith. He is a member of the American Board of Trial Advocates (ABOTA), having tried in excess of 45 cases to verdict. He has published articles concerning professional liability, insurance coverage and bad faith, as well as trial practices and procedures. Don has spoken at seminars in California, Texas, Florida, Connecticut, Arizona and Canada regarding litigation related issues, as well as trial practices and procedures.
AREAS OF PRACTICE
Bad Faith and Extra-Contractual Liability
Construction Litigation
Insurance Coverage and Fraud
Legal Malpractice and Professional Liability
Wrongful Death and Personal Injury Defense
EDUCATION
Southwestern University, Los Angeles, California
J.D., 1982
Class Rank: Top 10%; Dean's Honor List 1979 to 1982; Who's Who Among American University Law Students
Invited on Law Review 1981
California Lutheran University, Thousand Oaks, California
B.A., Political Science, Cum Laude, 1979
All-American Javelin Thrower
BAR ADMISSIONS
Arizona, 1982
U.S. Court of Appeals 9th Circuit, 1988
U.S. Court of Appeals 10th Circuit
U.S. District Court District of Arizona, 1982
U.S. Supreme Court, 1988
PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATIONS & MEMBERSHIPS
Arizona Association of Defense Counsel (AADC) (President, 2004 to 2005; President-Elect, 2003 to 2004; Treasurer, 2002 to 2003; Director, 1987 to 2001)
Federation of Defense & Corporate Counsel (FDCC) (Chairman of the Professional Liability Committee, 2003 to 2006; Chair of Extra-Contractual Committee, 1996 to 1998)
American Board of Trial Advocates (ABOTA) - Associates Rank (1996 to present)
USLAW Network (Chair, 2005 to 2007; President-Elect, 2004 to 2005; Board of Directors, 2001 to 2004)
American Bar Association (Member, Tort and Insurance Practice Section; Litigation Section)
Defense Research Institute, Member, Trial Practice and Insurance Sections
Judge Pro Tem, Maricopa County Superior Court (1993 to 1997, 2005)
State Bar of Arizona, Continuing Legal Education Committee (1994 to 1997)
Special Assistant Attorney General (1984 to 1992)
CIVIC/COMMUNITY ASSOCIATIONS
Lobbyist Arizona State Legislature (2001 to present)
Maricopa County Stadium District Citizen's Advisory Committee (1996 to 1998)
Arizona Special Olympics Committee (1995 to 1998)
PRESENTATIONS & PUBLICATIONS
Moderator, "Punitive Damages in Product Liability Cases," USLAW Network 2008 Spring Conference, April 2008
Presenter, "Taking and Defending Depositions," Arizona Association of Defense Counsel's Litigation Basics for the Civil Associate Seminar, November 2007
Presenter, "The Insurance Triangle of Primary Excess Reinsurance, Understanding the Relationships," USLAW Network 2007 Spring Conference, March 2007
Presenter, "Arizona Bad Faith, Punitive Damages and Independent Counsel Issues" Mealey's California Bad Faith Conference, March 2007
Presenter, "Trial of a Bad Faith Case," CLE by the Sea, State Bar of Arizona, July 2006
Presenter, "Case Evaluation of Liability and Damages," Northwestern University Litigation Management College, June 2005
Presenter, "Construction Defects: Who is a Good Risk and Why?" Arizona Captive Insurance Association, May 2005
Presenter, "Discovery Limitations on Punitive Damages after Campbell v. State Farm," Federation of Defense and Corporate Counsel, March 2004
Presenter, "Evaluation and Trial of Cases," Instruction, FDCC Litigation Management College, 2003-2004
Presenter, "Defending Against Stipulated Judgments," Hartford, Connecticut, October 2003
Presenter, "The Tragedy of Bad Faith: More than Just Claims Issue," National Society of CPCU, November 20, 2002
Author, "Punitive Damage: An Analysis of States' Response to BMW v. Gore," FDCC Quarterly, Summer 2001
Presenter, "Punitive Damage: An Analysis of States' Response to BMW v. Gore," March 2001
Presenter, "Tips on Avoiding Legal Malpractice," July 2000
Author, "Attorney Malpractice in Claims Handling and Settlement Strategy: Avoiding the Road to Liability," FDCC Quarterly, Spring 1997
Author, "Bad Faith Disputes Between Primary and Excess Carriers: Theories of Equitable Subrogation/Direct Duty," FDCC Quarterly, Winter 1995. |
