Email Chelsea | 602-381-5460
Chelsea Sage Gaberdiel draws on extensive civil litigation experience to help educational and corporate institutions navigate sensitive disputes, core operational issues, and compliance demands. She advises academic and business leaders on employment matters, constitutional questions, anti-discrimination laws, data privacy, student affairs, research regulations, and other complex governance matters. At the intersection of litigation, investigations, and policy work, Chelsea offers clients a broad and well-rounded perspective to strengthen both risk analysis and strategic planning.
Chelsea previously served as Associate General Counsel at Arizona State University and spent several years as a partner at a large Phoenix firm. Throughout her career, she’s advised K–12 and higher education systems as well as large and small corporations in compliance and dispute resolution, data governance, employment issues, and internal investigations. Her focused institutional background now informs an efficient approach to resolving highly nuanced challenges – especially when organizational reputations are on the line.
Deeply committed to teaching and community service, Chelsea has served as an adjunct professor at the Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law at Arizona State University. She also regularly volunteers her time by teaching yoga and providing translation services in public schools and community organizations.
Representative Matters
- Advising public universities and their leadership on federal and state constitutional issues, including civil rights, anti-discrimination statutes, due process, privacy, and related regulatory compliance.
- Litigating education, commercial, and employment disputes in state and federal courts for educational institutions, businesses, and other organizations.
- Representing universities in administrative hearings and subsequent judicial review involving student discipline, academic integrity, employment disputes, and other campus matters.
- Conducting and overseeing internal investigations for higher education institutions, including matters involving student and employee conduct, research compliance, and allegations of discrimination or harassment.
- Drafting, reviewing, and negotiating policies, contracts, and partnership agreements with affiliated private and nonprofit entities, including data sharing, intellectual property, and research collaborations.
- Counseling national networks of public charter schools on student affairs, public records and transparency obligations, data privacy, employment issues, and school policy development and implementation.
- Managing litigation and administrative proceedings for K–12 schools involving special education, employment, and other education law issues.
- Maintaining a robust pro bono practice, including wrongful conviction work and serving as guardian ad litem for predominantly Spanish-speaking families caring for vulnerable youth.
Publications & Presentations
- Speaker, “Artificial Intelligence and the Employment Lifecycle: Emerging Challenges for Higher Education,” National Association of College and University Attorneys Fall 2025 Employment Law Workshop (November 2025).
- Author, “How Strong Stands the Federal Tort Claims Act Wall? The Effect of the Good Samaritan and Negligence Per Se Doctrines on Governmental Tort Liability,” Arizona State Law Journal (2007).
- Co-author, “Justice O’Connor’s Race and Gender Jurisprudence,” Arizona State Law Journal (2007).
Activities & Memberships
- Member, National Association of College and University Attorneys; Legal Resource Library Committee, Virtual Programming Committee.
- Trail Steward, City of Phoenix Parks and Recreation.
- Translator and Cross-Country Coach, Washington Elementary School District
Clerkship & Internships
- Hon. William C. Canby Jr., U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, 2008 – 2009.
Education & Admissions
- J.D., Arizona State University Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law, 2008; summa cum laude; Order of the Coif; 2008 Outstanding Graduate Award; Pedrick Scholar for Academic Excellence; Senior Articles Editor, Arizona State Law Journal.
- B.A., Economics and Spanish, University of Arizona, 2004; summa cum laude; Provost Scholar; Dean’s List with Highest Distinction
- Admitted in Arizona
- Admitted in Massachusetts and Texas (inactive).