• Staff Editor, Oklahoma City University Law Review, 1991

• Lead counsel for the State of Arizona in a lawsuit following a catastrophic accident involving a wrong way driver. An impaired wrong way driver drove over 30 miles the wrong way in I-17, ultimately colliding head on with a van. Tragically, three people in the van died and three were catastrophically injured. Plaintiffs sued for multiple millions of dollars alleging that the State, through the Arizona Department of Transportation and Department of Public Service, were negligent in connection with the accident. After significant discovery, the trial court granted the State summary judgment on all claims. The court of appeals affirmed the ruling, partially by a memorandum decision, but also publishing an opinion on the applicability of Arizona's qualified immunity statute to 9-1-1 dispatchers. See Harianto v. State of Arizona. See the published opinion here. 
• Represented the Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System and former Arizona Governor Brewer in defending the constitutionality of the 2014 Medicaid restoration legislation. A public interest law group and a group of legislators challenged the constitutionality of the law's hospital assessment, arguing that it was a tax that had not been passed by a required supermajority of the Legislature. We obtained summary judgment at the trial court level, which was affirmed in a unanimous published decision by the Arizona Court of Appeals. The Arizona Supreme Court granted review and affirmed. The Court held the hospital assessment was a "fee," not a "tax" and was legally enacted. The ruling had major implications for Arizona's Medicaid population, as well as the State's budget if the assessment had been declared invalid.
• Defended a national homebuilder in an action tried in Orange County, California. A group of owners alleged our client misrepresented the amount and calculation of homeowners' assessments and committed fraud, breach of contract and violated California unfair business practices statutes and essentially destroyed the value of their homes. We obtained a complete defense verdict on all claims following a 7 day trial.
• Represented State of Arizona in case brought by a public interest group alleging the proposed use of $50 million from a settlement in the federal mortgage fraud litigation was unconstitutional. The group sought an injunction against the use of the money as directed by state statute. The trial court granted a motion to dismiss the complaint. The public interest group appealed, however, the Arizona Court of Appeals affirmed the dismissal. The Supreme Court denied review and the decision became final.
• Represented a large solid waste company in a dispute over a success fee and royalty. The claimant in arbitration contended it had earned a large success fee and multi-million dollar royalty in connection with a landfill expansion. After a full evidentiary hearing, the arbitrator ruled that the claimant had not established entitlement to either the success fee or royalty and issued an award in favor or our client. The claimant moved the Arizona Superior Court to vacate the award. The court denied the motion to amend and confirmed the arbitration award in our clients favor.
• Obtained a verdict for a large solid waste company in a truck/pedestrian case involving traumatic leg amputation, brain injury and other serious injuries. Full defense verdict following a two week jury trial.
• Successfully represented solid waste company in multi-district class action antitrust cases stemming from purported allocation of territories, monopolization and conspiracy to monopolize.
• Tried complex commercial dispute for a large international cable manufacturer to defense verdict in federal district court. The claims against our client exceeded $12 million.
• Defended legal malpractice claim arising from an intersection design case to successful verdict. The plaintiff sustained massive injuries in the underlying case for which she sought damages against the firm, including spastic quadriplegia and brain damage. The jury determined plaintiffs damages were $26 million, but found for the defendants on liability.
• Successfully defended attorney and law firm who had been sued for fraud arising from a Peaton agreement. Unanimous jury verdict following only 45 minutes of deliberation.
• Obtained a defense verdict from a jury in a legal malpractice case arising out of a doctor's treatment that allegedly caused serious nerve injuries to the plaintiff. Unanimous defense verdict following a 5-1/2 week trial.
• Tried a serious injury truck accident case for a large solid waste company. Received defense verdict following a jury trial.
• Litigated a large injunction case for a large homebuilder. Successfully obtained a temporary and permanent injunction relating to a multi-million dollar letter of credit relating to a land bank transaction.
• Litigated a complicated breach of contract/Petroleum Marketing Practices Act case for a large oil company that related to the company's sale of a franchised station. Obtained summary judgment in federal district court on the franchisee's claims. Our client also received summary judgment on its six figure counterclaim for unpaid fuel and liquidated damages, as well as attorneys' fees.
• Represented a local company that designed and manufactured complex blast initiating equipment for the mining industry. The client had been sued for over $5 million for terminating a product supply agreement. Following discovery and two days before arbitration hearing commenced, the plaintiff agreed to a walk away settlement with our client.
• Represented a large solid waste company against a national landfill gas producer. The dispute involved a dispute over license fees and royalties from two landfills. Forced multi-million dollar settlement at mediation scheduled shortly before trial.
• Represented a large solid waste company against a landfill gas producer over rights to gas at one of the largest landfills in California. Forced extremely favorable settlement for our client.
• Represented a large wire and cable manufacturer being sued for over $1 million in commissions. The United States District Court for the Southern District of California granted summary judgment and dismissed plaintiff's claims.
• Represented an elderly couple who had been bilked out of millions of dollars by a financial planner who got the clients involved in a life insurance scheme. Forced the financial planner into a very favorable settlement for our clients.

Published Opinions:

• Harianto v. State of Arizona. See the published opinion here. 
• Allied Waste North America, Inc. v. Lewis, King, Krieg & Waldrop, P.C., et al, 93 F. Supp. 3d 835 (M.D. Tenn. 2015), addressing various issues in legal malpractice case, including statute of limitations and ability of defendant to use plaintiffs' failure to settle as defense to liability.
• Grosvenor Holdings, L.C. v. Figueroa, 222 Ariz. 588 (App. 2009), reversed trial court ruling that contractual clause requiring challenge to county action proceed under the Administrative Procedures Act was enforceable. The court of appeals held that parties cannot create superior court jurisdiction by contract.
• Wolfinger v. Cheche, et al, 206 Ariz. 504, 80 P.3d 783 (App. 2003), which addressed the standard for granting summary judgment in wrongful institution of civil proceedings cases.
• Bishop v. Pecanic, 193 Ariz. 524, 975 P.2d 114 (App. 1998), which dealt with offsets under the Uniform Contribution Among Tortfeasors Act.
• Biggs v. Betlach, Ariz. Rev. Stat. 36-2901.08(A), which dealt with the provision to fund the costs remaining after federal monies to expand coverage under AHCCCS, as provided for in H.B. 2010.

• Best Lawyers in America^®, Litigation - Real Estate, 2016-2021
• Best Lawyers in America^®, Commercial Litigation, 2014-2021
• Southwest Super Lawyers^®, Business Litigation, 2007-2021
• Best Lawyers in America^®, Personal Injury Litigation-Defendants, Personal Injury Litigation-Plaintiffs, 2011-2020
• AZ Business Leader 2020, AZ Business Magazine, 2020
• Top 100 Lawyers, AZ Business Magazine, 2019
• Benchmark Litigation, Local Litigation Star, 2012-2019
• Chambers USA, Leading Lawyers for Business, 2004-2007, 2012-2019
• Southwest Super Lawyers^®, Top 50 Lawyers in Arizona, 2018
• Injury Litigation-Plaintiffs, 2005-2016
• Judge Pro Tempore, Maricopa County Superior Court, 2007-Present
• Recipient, Medal of Valor, Oklahoma City Police Department, 1988
• Best Arizona Attorneys, Arizona Republic
• Arizona Top Lawyers, AZ Business Magazine
• AV^® Preeminent™ Peer Review Rated (the highest rating available), by Martindale-Hubbell

• Member, Maricopa County Bar Association
• Member, Trial Practice Section, American Bar Association
• Member, Trial Practice Section, State Bar of Arizona
• Member, Professional Liability Committee, Defense Research Institute
• Member, Council on Litigation Management
• Former Co-Chair, Commercial Litigation Committee, Council on Litigation Management
• Past President, University Club of Phoenix
• Former Member, Conflict Case Committee, State Bar of Arizona
• Former Member, Board of Directors, Arizona Association of Defense Counsel
• Former Member, Fee Arbitration Committee, State Bar of Arizona