Rachael Peters Pugel, Partner at our Phoenix law office
Rachael Peters Pugel vcard
vCard

Rachael Peters Pugel

Partner
Biography

Rachael Pugel is a member of the firm’s Litigation, Investigations, and Trials Practice Group. She focuses her commercial litigation practice on intellectual property (IP), technology, and complex business litigation. Her case experience includes trademark infringement and validity, patent licensing agreements, copyright infringement, unfair competition, trade secret misappropriation, and domain name disputes. Rachael also has experience in Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA), products liability, defamation, tortious interference, fraud, misrepresentation, breach of contract, and financial services litigation.

Rachael has litigated IP and commercial matters before federal district and state courts, the U.S. Trademark Trial and Appeal Board, the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, and the American Arbitration Association.

Through her pro-bono activities, Rachael has experience in representing clients in juvenile adoption and immigration removal proceedings. Rachael has also contributed to Snell & Wilmer’s IP litigation blog, SWIPLit.com.

Credentials

Bar Admissions

  • Arizona


Court Admissions

  • Supreme Court of Arizona
  • United States District Court, District of Arizona


Education

  • University of Arizona James E. Rogers College of Law (J.D., magna cum laude)
    • Arizona Law Review, Note Editor
    • CALI Award for the Highest Grade in Patent Litigation and Arizona Civil Procedure
    • Professor William K. Sjostrom, Ares Fellow
    • Business Law Society, Senior Vice President
    • Law Women’s Association, Social Chair
    • National Lawyers Guild Legal Referral Clinic, Volunteer
  • Arizona State University (M.Ed., Elementary Education)
  • Arizona State University (B.A., Political Science; B.A., Arts in History, summa cum laude)
    • Phi Beta Kappa
    • Moeur Award Recipient
    • National Society of Collegiate Scholars
    • Golden Key International Honour Society
Experience

Awards & Recognition

  • AZ Big Media, Emerging Leaders in Arizona Law (2025)
  • The Best Lawyers in America®: Ones to Watch, Commercial Litigation (2021-2026)
  • Southwest Super Lawyers®, Rising Stars Edition, Intellectual Property Litigation (2022, 2024-2025)
  • Florence Immigrant & Refugee Rights Project, Pro Bono Attorney of the Year (2019)

Previous Professional Experience

  • United States District Court, District of Arizona, Judicial Extern to Hon. James A. Soto (2015)
  • Snell & Wilmer, Summer Associate (2013 & 2014)
  • Zeitlin & Zeitlin, P.C., Legal Assistant (2011-2012)
  • Teach for America/Desert Spirit Elementary School, 4th & 5th Grade Teacher (2009-2011)
  • Arizona State University, Department of Political Science, Junior Fellow (2009)

Professional Memberships and Activities

  • American Bar Association
    • Intellectual Property Section
    • Litigation Section
  • State Bar of Arizona
    • Intellectual Property Section
    • Business Law Section
  • Maricopa County Bar Association
    • Litigation Section
  • Arizona Women Lawyers Association

Community Involvement

  • Teach for America, Phoenix Associate Board of Directors (2016-Present)
  • Homeless Legal Assistance Project

Representative Presentations and Publications