Denise J. Wachholz

SHAREHOLDER

PRACTICE AREAS

Construction Litigation (Firm Practice Group Chair)

Professional Liability
Design Professionals Defense
Appraiser Defense

Appeals

Real Estate Valuation Litigation

EDUCATION

Arizona State University, J.D., cum laude, 1987

Arizona State University, B.S., Business/Real Estate, magna cum laude, 1983: Beta Gamma Sigma

Phoenix College, A.A., Legal Assistant, with highest distinction, 1979

BAR ADMISSIONS

Arizona, 1987

U.S. District Court, District of Arizona, 1988

U.S. Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit, 2012

PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS

State Bar of Arizona

Defense Research Institute

ALFA International: Steering Committee Member, Construction Law Practice Group, 2006-present

REPORTED DECISIONS

The Travelers Indemnity Co, as subrogee of Arizona Sports & Tourism Authority, v. Crown Corr, Inc., 2011 WL 6780885 (D. Ariz. 12/27/2011)

Flagstaff Affordable Housing v. Design Alliance, 223 Ariz 320 P.3d 664 (2010)

Maxfield v. Martin, 173 P.3d 476 (Ariz. App. 2007)

Schwarz v. City of Glendale, 950 P.2d 167 (Ariz. App. 1997)

City of Phoenix v. Mangum, 912 P.2d 35 (Ariz. App. 1996)

City of Phoenix v. Leroy's Liquors, Inc., 868 P.2d 958 (Ariz. App. 1993)

PUBLICATIONS

Course Materials for Presentations Listed Below

"The Successful Defense of Design Professionals," September 2011

"ALFA International 50 State Compendium of Construction Law Issues," Regional Editor, 2007, 2009, 2011; Author for Arizona, 20119

"An Irreverent Look at Highway Proximity Damage Decisions," Southwestern Legal Foundation Annual Institute on Planning, Zoning and Eminent Domain, 1993

Co-Author, "When Eminent Domain 'Working Rules' Don't Work," Appraisal Journal, 1991

PAST PRESENTATIONS

"The Successful Defense of Design Professionals," Defense Research Institute Construction Law Seminar, September 2011

"Designing the Successful Defense for Claims Against Architects and Engineers: The Economic Loss Rule" (faculty member and panelist), ALFA International Construction Conference, San Francisco, July 2010

"Design Alliance Revisited," Maricopa County Bar Association, June 2010

“The Economic Loss Doctrine after Flagstaff Affordable Housing: Its Impact on Owners, Designers and Builders” (panelist), Construction Law Section, State Bar of Arizona, April 2010

“Recent Decisions Involving the Economic Loss Rule and Design Professionals,” Construction Section, Maricopa County Bar Association, November 2009

“Common Law and Statutory Indemnity,” ALFA International Construction Practice Group Seminar, July 2008

“Architect/Engineer Liability,” Lorman Seminars, January 2008

“Common Law Indemnity in Construction Defect Litigation,” Arizona Association of Defense Counsel, September 2007

Course book materials available on request

UPCOMING PRESENTATIONS

July 2012: ALFA Construction Law Practice Group Seminar, Colorado Springs

HONORS AND AWARDS

“Best of the Best: Top Lawyers,” Arizona Business, 2009

AWAY FROM THE OFFICE

Denise is married to David Wachholz, an appraiser for the Maricopa County Assessor. They have a 10-year-old daughter. Denise also has two grown children, a son who served in Iraq from 2003 to 2004 and a daughter in college. Denise serves on the school board for Christ Lutheran School, where their daughter is a student, and she is a co-leader for Girl Scout Troop 1454. Outside of practicing law and taking good care of her clients, Denise’s passions are her family, hiking and reading.