People•Andrew M. Jacobs
Andrew M. Jacobs
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Andrew M. Jacobs

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People•Andrew M. Jacobs

Andrew Jacobs is a leader in Arizona appellate practice. He is the Chair of Snell & Wilmer’s appellate practice and a Fellow of the American Academy of Appellate Lawyers. He has argued forty civil appeals, was twice nominated to the Governor as a candidate for the Arizona Supreme Court, has been appointed by the Arizona Supreme Court to four different commissions or committees, has been a principal drafter of many of the Arizona Rules of Civil Procedure, and is a chapter author of the upcoming edition of the Arizona Appellate Handbook. Andrew’s appellate experience includes being counsel of record in a case accepted for review by the United States Supreme Court, arguing over a dozen times to the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, including en banc, and arguing eight times to the Nevada Supreme Court. Andrew has also argued to the Arizona Supreme Court, the Arizona Court of Appeals (both Divisions), the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals, the Utah Court of Appeals, and the Colorado Court of Appeals.

Andrew is concerned to actively serve the appellate courts. He was the chair of the Ninth Circuit's Lawyer Representatives in 2011-2012, served on the Ninth Circuit's Advisory Committee on Rules and Practice from 2008 through 2012, and has served as the lawyer-coordinator for the Ninth Circuit's pro bono program from 2007 to the present in the Districts of Arizona and Nevada after working with Chief Judge John Roll to found that program. Andrew has likewise been the lawyer-coordinator for the Arizona Court of Appeals’ pro bono program for Division Two since that program’s inception in 2014.  Through these different service roles, Andrew has placed over 200 pro bono cases with volunteer counsel.

Andrew was honored by the Arizona State Bar as Member of the Year in 2016 (along with two other peers simultaneously honored), has been Martindale-Hubbell AV-rated since 2007, a Super Lawyer since 2012, is AV-rated and a Super Lawyer in Appellate Law, has been recognized by other honorary groups, and has been recognized by Best Lawyers in America® for Appellate Law and also Commercial Litigation.  Andrew has also tried four cases to juries in Illinois and Arizona, a number of preliminary injunctions, arbitrations, and bench trials, for a total of twelve proceedings tried, almost all as first chair.

  • Harvard Law School (J.D., magna cum laude, 1992)
    • Research Assistant to Professor Laurence H. Tribe
  • University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign (B.A., History, cum laude, with highest distinction, 1989)

  • State Bar of Arizona
    • Civil Practice and Procedure Committee (2009-present)
      • Chair (2014-2018)
    • Appellate Practice Section, Trial Practice Section
  • The American Law Institute 
  • Litigation Counsel of America, Senior Fellow 
  • Commissions and Committees Constituted by the Arizona Supreme Court
    • Judicial Performance Review Commission (2009-2016)The American Law Institute Task Force on the Arizona Rules of Civil Procedure, Working Group 1 Chair (2014-2016)
    • Committee on Civil Justice Reform, Working Group 1 Chair (2015-2017)
  • Arizona Court of Appeals, Pro Bono Program, Lawyer-Coordinator, Division Two (2014-present)
  • Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals
    • Ninth Circuit Lawyer Representatives, Chair (2011-2012)
    • Conference Executive Committee (2009-2012)
    • Ninth Circuit Advisory Committee on the Rules of Practice (2008-2012)
    • Ninth Circuit Pro Bono Program, Lawyer Coordinator for the District of Arizona (2007-present)
    • Ninth Circuit Pro Bono Program, Lawyer Coordinator for the District of Nevada (2007-present)
  • Lawyer Representative to the District of Arizona (2006-2009)
    • District of Arizona, Chair (2008-2009) (including leading preparation for District Conference)
  • District of Arizona Pro Bono Program, Founder, Coordinator/Co-Coordinator (2007-2014)
  • American Bar Association
    • Commercial and Business Litigation Section, Class Action Subsection, Co‑Chair (2009‑2011)
    • Program Committee (2011-2013)
    • Litigation Section
    • Professional Responsibility Section
  • Pima County Bar Association
  • Maricopa County Bar Association
  • American Academy of Appellate Lawyers (2018)

Speaking Engagements

  • "Arizona Makes History: A Discussion of the Elimination of Peremptory Challenges," Presenter, Snell & Wilmer Virtual CLE Series (June 2, 2022)
  • "How TransUnion Could Change the Path to Class Action," Episode Co-Host, CalCurrent Podcast (July 8, 2021) 
  • "Procedural Innovations Arising from COVID-19 That Can Help You," Presenter, Snell & Wilmer Virtual CLE Series (June 8, 2021)
  • “Working With the Arizona Court of Appeals,” Appellate Case Update, Tempe  (November 30, 2018)
  • “The 2018 Revisions to the Arizona Rules of Civil Procedure:  What You Need to Know,” NALS of Phoenix (July 12, 2018)
  • “Not So Stranger Things:  Becoming Acquainted With Arizona’s New Civil Rules,” Arizona State Bar Convention, at Wild Horse Pass (June 27, 2018)
  • “Proportionality Takes Center Stage:  The 2018 Revisions to the Arizona Rules of Civil Procedure,” Solo and Small Firm Practice Section, Phoenix (June 15, 2018)
  • “Proportionality Takes Center Stage:  The 2018 Revisions to the Arizona Rules of Civil Procedure,” Arizona Women Lawyers Association, Phoenix (May 30, 2018)
  • “Proportionality Takes Center Stage:  The 2018 Revisions to the Arizona Rules of Civil Procedure,” Arizona Association of Defense Counsel (May 9, 2018)
  • 2018 Civil Practice and Procedure Symposium, Appellate Practice Seminar, Phoenix (April 30, 2018).
  • “Proportionality Takes Center Stage:  The 2018 Revisions to the Arizona Rules of Civil Procedure,” to the Sandra Day O’Connor Inn of Court, Phoenix (April 17, 2018)
  • Rules Update and Game Show, Coconino County Bar Association, Flagstaff (April 10, 2018)
  • “Proportionality Takes Center Stage:  The 2018 Revisions to the Arizona Rules of Civil Procedure,” Scottsdale Bar Association (March 13, 2018)
  • “Proportionality Takes Center Stage:  The 2018 Revisions to the Arizona Rules of Civil Procedure,” Yavapai County Bar Association (January 31, 2018)
  • “What You Need to Know About the 2018 Revisions to the Arizona Rules of Civil Procedure,” Maricopa County Association of Paralegals (January 24, 2018)
  • “Proportionality Takes Center Stage:  The 2018 Revisions to the Arizona Rules of Civil Procedure,” ASU Alumni Law Group, Phoenix (January 12, 2018)
  • "2018 Civil Justice Reforms – Case Management, ESI, and More,” Chair and Presenter, Arizona State Bar Midyear Rules CLE, Phoenix (January 7, 2018)
  • “Changing Times, Changing Rules:  Revisions to the Arizona Rules of Civil Procedure Taking Effect in 2018,” Pinal County Bar Association, in Florence (December 4, 2017)
  • "The Lively Art, Arguments That Mattered, and Perspectives on Dissent," Moderator & Panelist, CLE By the Sea (July 12, 2017)
  • "Better, Faster, Cheaper: Case Management Reforms Coming to a Court Near You," Moderator & Panelist, CLE By the Sea (July 11, 2017)
  • "Meet the New Rules: The Restyled Arizona Rules of Civil Procedure," Panelist, CLE By the Sea (July 10, 2017)
  • "A Time of Change: The 2017 ARCP Revisions, and Proposals for 2018," Chair and Presenter, Arizona State Bar Midyear Rules CLE (January 11, 2017)
  • "Are You Ready for the 2017 Arizona Rules Amendments," Presenter, Pima County Bar Association at The University of Arizona (December 9, 2016)
  • "A Call to Reform," Presenter, Arizona Judicial Council, Court Leadership Conference, Flagstaff, AZ (October 26, 2016)
  • "Innovations: Civil: Committee on Civil Justice Reform," Panelist, Arizona Judicial Conference, Tucson, AZ (June 22, 2016)
  • "Where We're Going, We Still Need Rules," Panelist, Arizona State Bar Convention (June 15, 2016)
  • "Catch the Wave: Sea Changes in the Federal and Arizona Rules of Civil Procedure," Chair and Presenter, Arizona State Bar Midyear Rules CLE (February 12, 2016)
  • "Civil Litigation Rules Update," Panelist, Arizona State Bar Convention (June 24, 2015)
  • "The Rules They Are A-Changin' (Again)," Chair and Presenter, Arizona State Bar Midyear Rules CLE (January 22, 2015)
  • "Conversation with Justice Anthony Kennedy," Ninth Circuit Judicial Conference (August 16, 2012)
  • "Bench-Bar Civil Session Concerning the Selective Enforcement of Rules and E-Discovery," Leader, Ninth Circuit Judicial Conference (August 18, 2011)
  • "Pro Se Program Administration," Panel Moderator/Panelist, Federal Judicial Center National Workshop for Pro Se Law Clerks, Chicago, Illinois (October 2010)
  • "The Class Action Fairness Act of 2005 Turns Five: Some Birthday Thoughts," Presenter, ABA Commercial & Business Litigation Journal, Vol. II, No. 2 (Spring 2010)
  • "The Supreme Court During the Bush Administration," Moderator, District of Arizona Conference (February 2009)
  • "Changes to the Federal Rules of Evidence Concerning Experts," Moderator, District of Arizona Conference (February 2008)
  • "Lawyers Gone Wild," Panel Moderator, Chief District Judges’ Conference (February 2008)
  • "Representing Pro Per Clients in Appointed Matters," Panelist, District of Arizona Judicial Conference (February 10, 2006)
  • "How to Litigate Cases Under 42 U.S.C. § 1983," Panelist, Presented at the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois (August 1998)

Publications

  • Chambers USA: America's Leading Lawyers for Business®, Appellate Practice, Commercial Litigation (2020-2022)
  • The Best Lawyers in America®, Appellate Practice, Commercial Litigation (2018-2023)
  • Southwest Super Lawyers®, Business Litigation (2012-2015), Appellate (2016-2022)
  • Martindale-Hubbell AV rated (2007-present)
  • Arizona's Finest Lawyers
  • Fellow, Litigation Counsel of America

  • Center for Creative Photography, Board of Fellows (2006)
  • Trails End Improvement Association, Secretary (2005-2006)
  • Big Brothers Big Sisters of Tucson, Board Chair (2005); Board Member (2002-2005)
  • Trails End Improvement Association, President (2002-2003)

  • University of Arizona James E. Rogers College of Law, Adjunct Assistant Professor of Law (2006)
    • Legal Writing (Spring 2006)
    • Civil Rights (Fall 2006)
  • Jenner & Block, LLC, Partner (2000-2001), Associate (1992-1999)
  • Harvard College, Teaching Fellow, "What is Law" (Fall 1991)
  • Sidley & Austin, Summer Associate (1991)
  • Jenner & Block, Summer Associate (1990, 1991)

  • Arizona
  • Illinois
  • Nevada

  • Supreme Court of Arizona
  • Supreme Court of Illinois
  • Supreme Court of Nevada
  • United States Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit
  • United States Court of Appeals, Seventh Circuit
  • United States District Court, District of Arizona
  • United States District Court, District of Nevada
  • United States District Court, Eastern District of Michigan
  • United States District Court, Northern District of Illinois
  • United States Supreme Court