Edward O. Comitz

The Firm’s founder, Ed Comitz, has been handling complex litigation matters for almost 30 years.

Ed has successfully filed, litigated and resolved a broad spectrum of cases in Arizona state and federal courts. He has also represented clients and litigated complex matters with local counsel throughout the country, particularly in the areas of disability insurance bad faith, consumer protection class actions, and antitrust litigation.

After graduating at the top of his class in law school, Ed was privileged to be offered a litigation position with DeConcini McDonald Yetwin & Lacy, P.C., a firm founded by Evo DeConcini, a former Arizona Supreme Court Justice and former Arizona Attorney General, and his son, Dennis DeConcini, a U.S. Senator representing Arizona from 1977 until his retirement in 1995.

In 2000, Ed moved to Phoenix, practiced with the international law firm Squire Sanders & Dempsey (now Squire Patton Boggs), and ultimately established his own healthcare and litigation practice in Scottsdale.

Ed is most well-known for his litigation experience, particularly in the professional “own-occupation” disability insurance industry, where has has garnered national acclaim for his goal-oriented, results-focused approach.

Insurance Bad Faith/Disability Insurance Practice

Ed has extensive experience securing “own-occupation” and specialty-specific disability insurance benefits for his professional clients, resolving coverage disputes, and litigating disability insurance bad faith cases (including successfully assisting physicians, dentists, attorneys and other professionals in reversing denials of their disability claims, principally in federal courts). For in-depth information about this practice area, please visit disabilitycounsel.net.

Commercial Litigation Practice

Ed has served as lead or co-lead counsel in numerous matters involving banking, real estate, collections and foreclosures, construction disputes, asset protection, lender liability, condemnation, insurance bad faith, director and officer liability, class actions, estate and trust litigation, fraud, racketeering, securities fraud, breach of contract, breach of warranty, receiverships, defamation, internet disputes, and business/practice valuation disputes.

His experience also includes participation in trial teams in commercial matters involving multiple parties and multiple districts. He has substantial motion, appeal, arbitration, and injunctive relief experience and a significant number of jury and bench trials, and arbitrations, in which he has first chaired.

Healthcare Litigation Practice

Ed is also experienced in assisting with the litigation needs of physicians, dentists and other healthcare providers in virtually all areas, including providing consultation and representation in corporate and partnership disputes, regulatory and insurance compliance, employment issues, independent contractor and managed care issues, breach of non-compete and anti-solicitation agreements, state licensure issues, business and personal divorce (including practice valuation), and commercial collections.

Complex Litigation Experience

In prior large firm practice, Ed served as counsel and on trial teams involving several high-profile consumer protection cases, including, among many others, Grant v. Arthur Andersen, L.L.P. et al., the securities fraud and consumer class action arising out of the collapse of the Baptist Foundation of Arizona. In those proceedings, the trial team and others reached settlements totaling $238 million, including a $217 million settlement with Arthur Andersen relating to its role as auditor for BFA. The $217 million settlement with Arthur Andersen is the largest settlement amount ever paid by a Big Five accounting firm not associated with the savings and loan crisis, and twice the settlement amount Arthur Andersen has ever agreed to in settlement of an auditing claim.

While associated with the international law firm, Squire Sanders & Dempsey (now, Squire Patton Boggs), Ed worked as a lead attorney on multi-billion dollar antitrust litigation involving key participants in the satellite communications industry.

Memberships, Admissions and Education

Ed is a member of the State Bar of Arizona, the Maricopa County Bar Association, the American Association for Justice, and the Arizona Trial Lawyers Association. In addition to his pro hac vice appearances around the country, Ed is admitted to practice in the State of Arizona; and the U.S. District Court, District of Arizona.  He received his B.A. in journalism, magna cum laude, from Creighton University and his J.D., cum laude, from Seattle University, where he was a Merit Scholar and Associate Editor of the Law Review.

Arizona Business Magazine has recognized Ed as as one of the Top 5 Business Leaders in Arizona in the area of Healthcare, and one of the Top 500 Business Leaders in Arizona overall. Referring to the honorees, Editor-In-Chief Michael Gossie commented:  “The drivers of Arizona’s economy who are profiled … are catalysts for Arizona’s economy.  They are leaders.  They are innovators.  They have influence.  And when they speak, they make things happen.  And together, they are guiding Arizona toward greatness.”