Professional Associations & Memberships

• State Bar of Arizona, Labor & Employment Section, Member; CLE Committee Program Chair, 1994-1995, 2000-2001
• Arizona Black Bar Association, Member
• Professional Liability Attorney Network, Member
• Defense Research Institute, Member
• Maricopa County Bar Association, Member
• Sandra Day O’Connor Inn of Court, Member, 1996-2000, 2003-Present
• Claims and Litigation Management (CLM), Member

Civic & Community Associations

• Girl Scouts Arizona Cactus Pine Council, Board of Directors, 2009-Present; Executive Committee Member, 2013-Present; Secretary 2017-Present
• Morris Institute for Justice, Member, 2015-present; Treasurer, 2017-Present
• Greater Phoenix Black Chamber of Commerce, Board of Directors, 2011-2013
• Community Legal Services, Board of Directors, 1999-2000, 2004-2012; Treasurer, 2005-2006; Vice-President, 2006-2007; President, 2007-2008
• Arizona Town Hall, Board of Directors, 2006-2012; Panel Chair, 2004, 2006-2012, 2017
• Tucson Black Chamber of Commerce, Former Banking/Finance Committee Chair
• Phoenix Art Commission, Former Member; General Operating Support Panelist, 1999
• Actors Theater of Phoenix, Board of Directors, 1996-2000; Fund Development Committee Chair, 1996-1999
• Black Board of Directors Project, Member, 1996; Alumnus, 1997-Present
• Big Brothers/Big Sisters of Tucson, Human Resources Committee Chair; Former Board Member
• Epilepsy Foundation of Arizona, Former Board Member

Professional Recognition & Awards

• Top 20 Most Influential Minority Business Leaders in Arizona, Az Business Magazine, 2020
• Top 100 Lawyers in Arizona, Az Business Magazine, 2018
• Best Lawyers in America®, “Lawyer of the Year” for Education Law – Phoenix, 2015, 2017, 2020 and 2024
• Best Lawyers in America®, Education Law, Employment Law – Management, Litigation – Labor and Employment, 2007-2024
• Phoenix Magazine Top Lawyers, Labor & Employment, 2022
• Girl Scouts Arizona Cactus-Pine Council, Thanks Badge, 2017
• Black Board of Directors Project, Outstanding Alumnus, 1999
• AV® Preeminent™ Rated on Martindale Hubbell

Presentations & Publications

• “OSHA Issues Vaccine Mandate for Large Employers,” JSH Law Alert, Co-Author, November 2021
• “Where Are We Now?: Employment Law in the Midst or Aftermath of the COVID-19 Pandemic,” PRIMA Institute, October 2021
• “Current and Emerging Issues in School Employment Law,” ASBA 45th Annual Law Conference, September 2021
• “Workplace Discrimination, Harassment and Bullying: A New Legal Landscape,” Phoenix Union High School District, July 2021
• “Same as the Old Boss: Employer Policies and Practices after Marijuana Legalization in Arizona,” Arizona Counties Insurance Pool (ACIP) Webinar, March 2021
• “Human Resources and Employment Issues,” Co-Presenter, Arizona Counties Insurance Pool (ACIP) Webinar, September 2020
• “New Developments in Title IX,” Co-Presenter, Arizona Schools Risk Retention Trust Webinar, August 2020
• “Employment Law Ramifications in the Age of COVID-19,” Co-Presenter, AZ Public Risk Management Association (PRIMA) Webinar Series, August 2020
• “U.S. Supreme Court Holds That Title Vll of the Civil Rights Act Prohibits Employment Discrimination on the Basis of Homosexuality and Transgender Status,” Law Alert, June 2020
• “Guide for Arizona Employers: Employee Leave Requirements Under FFCRA,” Law Alert, April 2020
• “Transgender Students: The Changing Legal Landscape,” Co-Presenter, ASRRT Community College Risk Management Summit, November 2017
• “Attorney Explains the Legal Definition of Sexual Harassment,” Interviewee, Arizona Horizon, November 2017
• “Keeping Up with Appearances: Trends in Appearance-Based Discrimination,” Co-Presenter, 12th Annual Public Practice Legal Seminar/HR Summit, May 2017
• “Transgender Students: Legal Development and Best Practices,” Co-Presenter, 3rd Annual Trust Community College Risk Management Summit, November 2016
• “Transgender Students and Transgender Employees: Legal Development and Best Practices,” Presenter, Phoenix Union High School District’s Administrators’ Academy, July 2016
• “Pregnancy Discrimination and Religious Discrimination: The New Landscape,” Co-Presenter, Arizona Counties Insurance Pool 19th Annual Public Practice Legal Seminar, May 2016
• “Pregnancy Discrimination and Religious Discrimination: The New Landscape,” Co-Presenter, Arizona Paralegal Association (APA) Annual Legal Seminar, May 2016
• “Pregnancy Discrimination and Religious Discrimination: The New Landscape,” Co-Presenter, Current Issues in Governmental Liability Seminar, November 2015
• “Government Employees and The Freedom to Tweet, Post, Like and Share,” Co-Presenter, Arizona Counties Insurance Pool’s Eighteenth Annual Public Practice Legal Seminar, May 2015
• “Emerging Trends: An Overview Of New Case Law And Developments,” Presenter, JSH Annual Seminar: It’s All Fun and Games Until Someone Gets Hurt, November 2014
• “Government Employees and The Freedom To Tweet, Post, Like, And Share?,” Presenter, JSH Annual Seminar: Current Issues in Governmental Liability, November 2014
• “Medical Marijuana in Arizona,” Presenter, Arizona Counties Insurance Pool HR Summit, June 2014
• “Drug Testing and the Medical Marijuana Act: Public Employer Responsibilities,” Presenter, Arizona Counties Insurance Pool, Public Practice Legal Seminar, May 2014
• “Social Media and the First Amendment,” Presenter, ASPAA, January 2014
• “Rapid Fire Drill: AZ Case Law Updates,” Presenter, JSH Seminar, October 2013
• “Employment Issues That Should Keep You Up At Night” JSH Webinar, May 2013
• “EPLI Headline Grabbing Exposures: Wage and Hour/Workplace Bullying,” Presenter, EPLI Southwest Chapter Workshop, May 2013
• “Medical Marijuana: Employment Considerations for Public Employers,” Presenter, Arizona School Personnel Administrators Association, November 2012
• “Responding to Medical Marijuana in the Workplace,” Co-Presenter, JSH Current Issues in Government Liability Seminar, November 2012
• “Analyzing the Changing Winds in Employment Law: Workplace Bullying, Retaliation Expansion, and More,” Co-Presenter, JSH Current Issues in Government Liability Seminar, November 2012
• “Documenting Employee Performance,” Presenter, City of Flagstaff, January 2012
• “Preventing Workplace Harassment,” Presenter, City of Flagstaff, August 2010
• “Preventing Workplace Harassment,” Presenter, Total Transit, July 2009
• “Avoiding Workplace Harassment Claims,” Presenter, McCandless of Arizona, February 2009
• “So You Have Been Sued?: Email, Public Records and Litigation Holds in a K-12 Environment,” Presenter, AZ School Boards Association’s Annual School Law Conference, September 2008
• “Staying Relevant: Civil Rights in 2008, Learning from the Past, Addressing Today’s Concerns, Staying Prepared for Future Challenges,” Presenter, Arizona State Bar Convention, 2008
• “Establishing Policies to Minimize Workplace Violence,” Presenter, AZ PRIMA Chapter Meeting, 2003
• “Employees and Deposition Pitfalls,” Presenter, PRIMA Western Regional Conference, 2002
• “Responding to BOMEX Complaints,” Presenter, Pima County Medical Society, 2001
• “New Developments in the ADA and FMLA,” Presenter, Society of Human Resources Managers Law Conference, 2001
• “A New Legal Landscape for Employee Handbooks?” Presenter, Jennings, Strouss & Salmon Client Symposium, 1999
• “Constructive Discharge: Arizona’s New Legislation,” Presenter, Jennings, Strouss & Salmon Client Symposium, 1997
• “Sexual Harassment,” Presenter, Paradise Valley School District; Alhambra School District; Isaac School District; 1997
• “Employment Torts,” Presenter, Arizona Association of Defense Counsel, 1996
• “Arizona Employment Law,” Presenter, Valley Educational Institute, 1996
• “Stress and Mental Disorder: New Responsibilities for Employers Under the ADA,” Presenter, Council on Education in Management’s 11th Annual Personnel Law Update, 1996
• “Avoiding Claims of Sexual Harassment,” Presenter, Arizona Association of Homes for the Aging Annual Convention; Phoenix Elementary School District, 1995
• “Employers Must Proceed Carefully in Employment Actions Involving Disabilities,” Co-Author, ANAgrams (publication of the Arizona Newspapers Association), 1994