Andrew Gaona

Practice Areas

- Appeals

- Commercial Litigation

- Elections, Political, & Public Law

- Cannabis Law

Career

Andy focuses his practice on election, political, and public law. He advises candidates, political action committees, political party organizations, nonprofits, and government entities on issues of campaign finance, ballot access, election mechanics, and election-related litigation. In addition, Andy works closely with groups that sponsor ballot measures at both the state and local level, from the drafting of ballot language to defending and prosecuting pre- and post-election challenges (and everything in between). He’s worked on many statewide ballot measures, including the Arizona Abortion Access Act (Prop. 139 – 2024), the Smart and Safe Arizona Act (Prop. 207 – 2020), Save Our Schools (Prop. 305 – 2018), and the Arizona Education Finance Amendment (Prop. 123 – 2015). Andy has also worked on local ballot measures all over the state.

Andy’s expertise has placed him at the center of high-profile litigation for years. He represented then-Secretary of State Katie Hobbs in post-election litigation after the 2020 and 2022 general elections. He continues to represent now-Governor Hobbs in litigation matters. He’s also worked with many state agencies and local governments over the years on election, administrative, water, and energy issues.

In addition, Andy’s practice – which also includes complex commercial litigation – has given him the opportunity to argue multiple times in the Arizona Supreme Court, the Arizona Court of Appeals, and the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. And he’s litigated scores of other cases in Arizona’s appellate courts that didn’t result in oral arguments. Andy has been recognized by Chambers, Best Lawyers©, and Southwest Super Lawyers: Rising Stars© for his work in commercial litigation, business litigation, and appeals.

Professional Memberships

- President, Board of Directors, Arizona Center for Law in the Public Interest (2019 - 2021)

- Board Member, Arizona Center for Law in the Public Interest (2014 - present)

- Member, Los Abogados Hispanic Bar Association (2011-2015; 2023-present)

- Member, Hispanic National Bar Association (2023-present)

- Member, Arizona Women Lawyers Association (2025-present)

- Member, Appellate Section, State Bar of Arizona

Publications

- Comment, “Experts Expect Arizona to Again Be a Battleground Over Election Results in 2024,” Axios Phoenix (Sept. 16, 2024)

- Comment, “Amid Fears of a November Crisis, States Have Legal Mechanisms to Ensure Votes Get Certified,” Votebeat (Aug. 22, 2024)

- Commentator, “Phoenix Business Journal 40 Under 40 2022: Andy Gaona,” Phoenix Business Journal (Aug. 4, 2022)

- Co-author, “Weed and the Workplace,” Arizona Attorney (Mar. 2021)

- Co-author, “What Didn’t Make It Into the Arizona Constitution,” Arizona State Law Journal (2012)

- Comment, “Privity No More: Implied Warranty Rights of Subsequent Purchasers of Commercial Property in Arizona,” Arizona State Law Journal (2009)