Michelle is passionate about assisting others no matter what their background. She has worked many years to sharpen her skills and get the most effective rulings for her clients. Her energy and professionalism is unparalleled.

Michelle is dedicated to helping clients achieve positive outcomes under the toughest circumstances. Her legal career has spanned 10 years and she has achieved impressive victories on behalf of her clients, including in the areas of probate and probate litigation (dissolution, paternity, custody, child support, and parenting time) and civil litigation among others. Her passion stems from her personal experience in assisting those close to her with challenges in these difficult and emotional areas of practice.

Michelle began her legal career in 2005 as an attorney for the national law firm Quarles & Brady, LLP. At Quarles & Brady, she represented large and small corporations in high-stakes complex civil litigation including business torts, fraud, breach of contract, and anti-trust. In 2008, Michelle moved to a small firm where she practiced estate and trust litigation in probate court including guardianship and conservatorship law. In 2010 she joined the Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law at Arizona State University where she currently oversees the College’s pro bono program, including 14 different programs that do outreach to the underserved populations of Maricopa County.

Over the years, Michelle has achieved impressive victories on behalf of her clients including success at trial, evidentiary hearings, mediation, arbitration, and appeals. Her experience includes practice in Arizona’s Superior Court, Federal Court, Arizona Court of Appeals, and the Ninth Circuit.

Education:
B.S. Kansas State University
J.D. University of Iowa, J.D.

Honors:
Antonia Miller Award for Advancement of Human Rights
Boyd Service Award with Highest Honors

State Bar and Court Admissions: 
Arizona

Federal Bar and Court Admissions:
District of Arizona
Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals

Professional Publications: 
Reporter, “Assisted Reproductive Technologies: A Model Statute,” Journal of Gender, Race and Justice, Fall 2005.

Associations and Memberships: 
State Bar of Arizona
Maricopa County Bar
Arizona Trial Lawyers Association

Board of Directors: 
Homeless Legal Assistance Project – 2010 – present
Volunteer Lawyers Program Advisory Committee – 2010 – present
Community Legal Services – 2010 – present

Past Volunteer Experience: 
Children’s Legal Center, Community Legal Services, Volunteer Lawyers Program, Salvation Army, Arizona Legal Volunteer, Wills for Heroes, Arizona, American Civil Liberties Union – Georgia, NARAL Pro-Choice Arizona, CASA – Court Appoint Special Advocate, Crisis Center, Manhattan, KS, Iowa Coalition Against Domestic Violence