Andy Gaona

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Andy focuses his practice on election and public law. He advises candidates, political action committees, political party organizations, nonprofits, and government entities on issues of campaign finance, ballot access, election mechanics, and election-related litigation. In addition, Andy works closely with groups that sponsor ballot measures at both the state and local level, from the drafting of ballot language to defending and prosecuting pre- and post-election challenges (and everything in between). He’s worked on many statewide ballot measures, including the Arizona Abortion Access Act (Prop. 139 – 2024), the Smart and Safe Arizona Act (Prop. 207 – 2020), Save Our Schools (Prop. 305 – 2018), and the Arizona Education Finance Amendment (Prop. 123 – 2015). Andy has also worked on local ballot measures all over the state, from Kingman to Tucson.

Andy’s expertise has placed him at the center of high-profile litigation for years. He represented then-Secretary of State Katie Hobbs in post-election litigation after the 2020 and 2022 general elections. He continues to represent now-Governor Hobbs in litigation matters in both the trial and appellate courts. He’s also worked with (and litigated on behalf of) many state agencies and local governments over the years on election, tort, administrative, water, and energy issues.

In addition, Andy’s practice – which also includes complex commercial litigation – has given him the opportunity to argue multiple times in the Arizona Supreme Court, the Arizona Court of Appeals, and the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. And he’s litigated scores of other appeals and special actions in Arizona’s appellate courts that didn’t result in oral arguments. Andy has been recognized by Chambers, Best Lawyers©, and Southwest Super Lawyers for his work in commercial litigation, business litigation, and appeals.

Representative Matters

  • Represented clients in all aspects of business, commercial, and civil rights disputes in Arizona trial courts, arbitrations, and administrative proceedings through inception, discovery, and dispositive motions.
  • Co-counsel to the Arizona Secretary of State in 11 lawsuits relating to the 2020 General Election, and lead counsel in 5 lawsuits defending the results and integrity of the 2022 General Election.
  • Representation of political action committees and candidates in election-related litigation, including ballot measure challenges to initiatives and referenda (g., Arizona Right to Life v. Fontes, No. CV-24-0180 AP/EL (2024); Molera v. Hobbs, 250 Ariz. 13 (2020); James v. Hobbs, CV-20-0226-AP/EL (2020); Perea v. Reagan, CV-18-0036-AP/EL (2018); Maricopa Citizens Protecting Taxpayers v. Price, 244 Ariz. 330 (App. 2017)).
  • Prepared briefs and conducted oral argument on behalf of the ACLU of Arizona in a key public records case ( C.L. Union of Arizona v. Arizona Dep’t of Child Safety, 251 Ariz. 458 (2021)).
  • Represented a nonprofit watchdog in extensive public records proceedings – involving multiple trips to the Arizona Court of Appeals and Arizona Supreme Court – related to the Arizona Senate’s audit of the 2020 General Election results in Maricopa County.
  • Counsel for prominent petition signature-gathering firm in successful defense of a defamation claim brought by a competitor based on social media activity (Sign Here Petitions LLC v. Chavez, 243 Ariz. 99 (App. 2017)).
  • Counsel for amici curiae in support of the constitutionality of the hospital assessment that funds the expansion of Arizona’s AHCCCS program, which was upheld by the Arizona Supreme Court (Biggs v. Betlach, 243 Ariz. 256 (2017)).
  • Prepared briefs and conducted oral arguments on behalf of individuals subject to orders of removal in the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, resulting in reversals in both cases (Mercado v. Lynch, 668 F. App’x 272 (9th Cir. 2016); Carrillo-Jaime v. Holder, 533 F. App’x 760 (9th Cir. 2013)).
  • Counsel for Members of Commission on Appellate Court Appointments in original special action in which the Supreme Court invalidated a state statute that altered the judicial nomination system (Dobson v. State ex rel. Comm’n on Appellate Court Nominations, 309 P.3d 1289 (2013)).
  • Represented major healthcare systems in Arizona and elsewhere in civil rights disputes with patients arising under the Americans with Disabilities Act, Rehabilitation Act, Affordable Care Act, and the Arizonans with Disabilities Act.

Awards & Recognitions

  • Arizona Capitol Times: 2025 Power 50 List
  • Arizona Capitol Times: 2025 Best Capitol/Political Lawyer
  • Chambers USA: Litigation: Appellate (2025)
  • The Best Lawyers in America© Appellate Practice (2020 – present); Commercial Litigation (2023 – present)
  • Southwest Super Lawyers Rising Stars: Business Litigation (2014 – present)
  • PHOENIX Magazine: Top Lawyers (2024, 2025)
  • Arizona Capitol Times: 2024 Leader of the Year (Public Policy)
  • Arizona Capitol Times: 2023 Leader of the Year (Public Service)
  • Arizona Capitol Times: 2022 Leader of the Year (Legal)
  • Phoenix Business Journal: 40 Under 40 (2022)

Publications & Speeches

  • Comment, “Ruling lets Cochise County throw out local election result over mail-ballot mistake, ”Votebeat (May 29, 2025)
  • Commentator, “Is Chandler’s mayor allowed to serve in that office? This attorney breaks down the legal issues,” KJZZ Phoenix (May 29, 2025)
  • Panelist, “Election Law in the Era of Hyperpartisanship,” International Municipal Lawyers Association Annual Conference (Sept. 26, 2024)
  • Comment, “Experts expect Arizona to again be a battleground over election results in 2024,” Axios Phoenix (Sept. 16, 2024)
  • Comment, “Amid fears of a November crisis, states have legal mechanisms to ensure votes get certified,” Votebeat (Aug. 22, 2024)
  • Commentator, “Arizona Supreme Court hears arguments over state’s 2 conflicting abortion laws,” Fox 10 (Dec. 11, 2023)
  • Commentator, “Arizona coalition launches effort to get abortion rights on the ballot” Washington Post (Aug. 8, 2023)
  • Commentator, “Phoenix Business Journal 40 Under 40 2022: Andy Gaona,” Phoenix Business Journal (Aug. 4, 2022)
  • Co-Presenter (with Paul F. Eckstein and Deryck Lavelle), Selected Issues in Election Law, Municipal Law Section of the State Bar of Arizona (2022).
  • Presenter, “Election Law,” Arizona Paralegal Association Annual Legal Conference (2022)
  • Co-Presenter (with the Hon. Randy Warner and Kory Langhofer), “The Role of the Judiciary in Elections” and “Arizona Constitutional Interpretation,” Arizona Judicial Conference (Summer 2022).
  • Co-Presenter (with the Hon. Sam Thumma, Hon. Patricia Starr, and Professor Paul Bender), “Arizona Constitutional Interpretation,” Arizona Judicial Conference (Summer 2022)
  • Co-Presenter (with Justice Clint Bolick and Kory Langhofer), “Arizona State Court Practice: Insight from Practitioners and the Bench,” Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law at Arizona State University (2022).
  • Co-Presenter (with Nancy Davidson, Hayleigh Crawford, and Kevin Heade), “Good Friends: Effective Amicus Curiae,” State Bar of Arizona Appellate Section (2023)
  • Guest Lecturer, Public Interest Litigation (Professors Kathy Brody & Jon Riches), Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law at Arizona State University (2023).
  • Co-Presenter (with Christina Estes-Werther), Elections Update, Arizona Public Practice Seminar (2023)
  • Presenter, Arizona Election Law Seminar, State Bar of Arizona (2020, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025)
  • Co-author (with Jill Chasson), “Weed and the Workplace,” Arizona Attorney (Mar. 2021)
  • Guest Lecturer, “Advanced Legal Writing and Election Law,” Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law, Arizona State University (2014)
  • Co-Presenter (with Hon. Rebecca White Berch, Hon. Clint Bolick, Lisa Hauser, Prof. Paul Bender, David Abney, Timothy Hogan, Jared Sutton, and Megan Scanlon), “The Arizona Supreme Court and the Arizona Constitution: The First Hundred Years,” (Feb. 14, 2012).
  • Co-author (with Paul Eckstein and Jerica Peters), “What Didn’t Make It Into the Arizona Constitution,” 44 Ariz. St. L.J. 513 (2012)
  • Comment, “Privity No More: Implied Warranty Rights of Subsequent Purchasers of Commercial Property in Arizona,” 41 Ariz. St. L.J. 877 (2009)

Clerkships

  • Hon. Andrew D. Hurwitz, Arizona Supreme Court, 2010 – 2011

Activities & Memberships

  • President, Board of Directors, Arizona Center for Law in the Public Interest (2019 – 2021)
  • Board Member, Arizona Center for Law in the Public Interest (2014 – present)
  • Member, Los Abogados Hispanic Bar Association (2011-2015; 2023-present)
  • Member, Hispanic National Bar Association (2023-present)
  • Member, Arizona Women Lawyers Association (2025-present)
  • Member, Appellate Section, State Bar of Arizona
  • Member, Arizona Supreme Court Judicial Performance Review Task Force (2023)

Education & Admissions

  • D., Arizona State University Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law, 2010; summa cum laude
  • A., Political Science & Spanish Literature, University of Arizona, 2006; magna cum laude
  • Admitted in Arizona, 2011
  • Admitted to the U.S Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, 2012
  • Admitted to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit, 2020
  • Admitted to the U.S. Supreme Court, 2021

Gaona, Andrew
D. Andrew Gaona
Rated by Super Lawyers


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D. Andrew Gaona
Rated by Super Lawyers


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Phoenix Magazine Top Lawyer 2024