Jake D. Curtis
Burch & Cracchiolo, P.A.
1850 North Central Avenue, Suite 1700
Phoenix, AZ 85004
United States
Jake Curtis primarily practices in the area of complex civil litigation at Burch & Cracchiolo. Jake handles all manner of commercial and business disputes and helps local companies to avoid and mitigate risks both before and after litigation has commenced. He also represents plaintiffs in serious personal injury cases, as well as in employment and civil rights matters.Jake has handled large complex civil matters, including class actions, receivership actions, patent claims and securities litigation.
Licensed to practice in the courts of the Navajo Nation and the Ak-Chin Indian Communities, Jake’s practice includes a focus in legal matters involving Native American tribes. He represents parties in tribal courts and advises businesses about the unique issues involved when conducting business on Indian reservations or with Native American tribes.
Education:
- J.D., with distinction, University of Iowa, 1999
- A.B., English, University of California, Berkeley 1994
Admissions:
- Arizona
- United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit
- United States District Court for the District of Arizona
- Navajo Nation
- Ak-Chin Indian Community
Practice Areas:
- Business & Corporate Law
- Commercial Litigation
- Personal Injury Litigation
- Labor & Employment
Areas of Concentration:
- Employment Litigation
- Government/Public Entity Liability
- Indian Gaming Law
- Personal Injury and Wrongful Death Litigation
- Securities and Corporate Governance Litigation
Representative Engagements:
- Represented Plaintiff’s in wrongful death lawsuit resulting in an $11m jury verdict
- Represented a court-appointed receiver to recover funds for victims of a $28M Ponzi scheme
- Defended Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office in wrongful death claim by an inmate’s family
- Represented Plaintiff’s in wrongful termination claims arising under Title VII and the Arizona Civil Rights Act
- Represented claimant before Arizona Supreme Court in case that established new law permitting an award of punitive damages for claims premised solely on equitable relief.
- Prepared Writ of Certiori to United States Supreme Court on behalf of a Native American tribe seeking the right to conduct gaming on its reservation.
- Represented the State of Arizona in actions to enforce the terms of the Tribal-State Gaming Compact
- Long-term outside counsel to company engaged in the implementation and operation of electronic medical record systems
Other Relevant Employment
- Judicial Clerk, Justice Stanley Feldman, Arizona Supreme Court, 1999-2000
Professional Affiliations
- American Bar Association
- State Bar of Arizona
- Maricopa County Bar Association
- Federal Bar Association
- Navajo Nation Bar Association
Reported Cases:
- Medasys Acquisition Corp. v. SDMS, P.C., 203 Ariz. 420, 55 P.3d 763 (2002).
Community Involvement:
- Member, Board of Directors, Phoenix Indian Center
- Member, Heard Museum American Indian Advisory Board