KJZZ Turns to Andy Gaona for Insight on Chandler Mayoral Eligibility Dispute

A complaint filed recently in Maricopa County Superior Court has sparked questions about whether Chandler Mayor Kevin Hartke was ever eligible to run for that office, citing language in the city’s charter that arguably could have prevented him from being elected. KJZZ Phoenix interviewed election law expert and Partner Andy Gaona to break down the legal complexities of the situation while detailing what this could mean for the City of Chandler. Andy explained that under Chandler’s charter, anyone who has served two consecutive terms — regardless of whether on the City Council or as Mayor — is ineligible to hold office again until a four-year break has passed. Despite this rule, Hartke ran for Mayor in 2018 after serving two terms on the Council. He went...

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Chambers USA Recognizes Coppersmith Brockelman in 2025 Legal Rankings

Chambers USA, the world’s leading legal data and analytics provider, has recognized 10 of our 21 lawyers in its 2025 legal guide. The firm also achieved a new national distinction in Privacy & Data Security: Healthcare, underscoring the team’s extensive expertise in this complex and rapidly developing sector of law. Among the individual honors is a first-time Arizona ranking for Andy Gaona in appellate litigation. Coppersmith Brockelman also earned repeat recognition in Arizona for three key practice areas: Labor & Employment, Litigation: General Commercial, and Healthcare. 2025 Chambers USA nationally recognized attorneys: Kristen Rosati, Privacy & Data Security: Healthcare Mel Soliz, Privacy & Data Security: Healthcare Attorneys recognized for their expertise in Arizona: Keith Beauchamp, Litigation: General Commercial Kent Brockelman, Labor & Employment Jill Chasson, Labor & Employment ...

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Coppersmith Brockelman Sponsors ACLPI Annual Fundraiser, Bolstering Organization’s Mission to Protect Arizonans’ Legal Rights

Demonstrating the firm’s ongoing commitment to advancing civil and legal rights across the state, Coppersmith Brockelman sponsored the Arizona Center for Law in the Public Interest’s (ACLPI) annual Spring Celebration. For more than 50 years, the nonprofit law firm has been dedicated to protecting the fundamental freedoms of Arizonans, focusing on cases that have far-reaching social, environmental, and public health implications. In addition to Coppersmith Brockelman’s financial support of ACLPI, the firm also often partners with ACLPI to represent clients on high-profile and high-impact litigation, furthering ACLPI’s mission. Held at the historic Desert Botanical Garden, the event is ACLPI’s largest fundraiser of the year, bringing together community leaders and supporters to celebrate the organization’s impact and vision for the future. This year’s event featured former Maricopa...

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Andy Gaona Provides Election Law Insight to Local Government Attorneys at National Conference

At the International Municipal Lawyers Association’s (IMLA) annual conference in Orlando, Andy Gaona recently contributed his election law expertise as part of a panel titled “Election Law in the Era of Hyperpartisanship.” Andy joined three other election law experts from around the nation to discuss the evolving legal landscape as the country gears up for the 2024 election. Drawing from firsthand experience representing the Arizona Secretary of State during both the 2020 and 2022 election cycles, Andy shared important lessons learned from those fiercely contested (and fiercely litigated) elections. He provided attendees with valuable insight into what he’s seen before, and what he expects for what lies ahead with another presidential election on the horizon. An experienced political, election, and constitutional law attorney, Andy has played a...

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Five Coppersmith Brockelman Attorneys Recognized as Top Lawyers by PHOENIX Magazine

Honored for their outstanding contributions across six practice areas, PHOENIX Magazine recognized five Coppersmith Brockelman attorneys on its 2024 Top Lawyers list – several of whom have been featured on the list for multiple years and others for the very first time.  Mel Soliz was honored for the third consecutive year, and Jill Chasson and Keith Beauchamp were recognized for the second time, both having been featured on the publication’s 2022 Top Lawyers list. And joining them for the first time this year are Malvika Sinha and Andy Gaona, with Andy receiving recognition in two categories.  The Coppersmith Brockelman attorneys recognized in the 2024 list are:  Andy Gaona: Appellate Law; Government & Administrative  Keith Beauchamp: Commercial Litigation   Malvika Sinha: Commercial Litigation  Mel Soliz: Health-Care Law  Jill Chasson:...

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Andy Gaona Recognized Among Arizona Capitol Times’ 2024 Leaders of the Year

For the third year in a row, the Arizona Capitol Times has recognized Andy Gaona as a “Leader of the Year” in public policy. This honor is awarded to individuals who have significantly contributed to Arizona’s growth and enhanced the quality of life for its residents. Andy is among the list of 36 Arizonans honored on this year’s prestigious list. As his nomination for this award highlighted, he spent the last two years working with major abortion rights groups in Arizona to enshrine abortion protections into the Arizona Constitution through the Arizona Abortion Access Act. This effort has been the subject of intense media attention of late after the Arizona Supreme Court released its opinion in Planned Parenthood v. Mayes, a case in which Andy represented...

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