Candidate s Name Patricia Lee Refo Date of Birth December 31, 1958 Law Firm Name (if applicable) Snell & Wilmer L.L.P. Principal Office Street Address One Arizona Center 400 East Van Buren Street City, State Phoenix, Arizona 85004-2202 Law School from which Graduated University of Michigan School of Law Date and State First Admitted to the Bar 1983 - Illinois Statement by the Candidate: AMERICAN BAR ASSOCIATION President-Elect Looking ahead to the future of our association and the legal profession, I am a candidate for President-Elect of the American Bar Association. I respectfully ask for your support. To steal a line from our former ABA President Martha Barnett, I love being a lawyer. Since I graduated from the University of Michigan Law School, I have been privileged to practice at two extraordinary law firms, one in Chicago and one in Phoenix. My clients have included businesses, individuals and, frequently, law firms and lawyers. I have appeared and tried cases in courtrooms across the country. Whether I am doing intake interviews at the Volunteer Lawyers Program or advising a major law firm on a loss prevention matter, helping people resolve disputes and trying the case when it cannot be otherwise resolved has been the work of my professional life. I am passionate about access to justice, the American jury system, and protecting the rule of law. I am also passionate about the ABA, which has always been a fixture in my professional life. Serving as your Chair of the House of Delegates was an extraordinary opportunity to continue our tradition of ensuring that debate on the issues of the day is robust and completely fair. I have also served as Chair of a section, a standing committee, a commission and, most recently, of ABA Day in Washington. This association has allowed me to work with colleagues at the bar who are among the most talented, devoted, hardworking people I know. Individually and collectively, you inspire me. We are always best when we work together. To that end, I look forward to talking with you about your vision, your hopes, for the future of the association. Let s continue to build on the extraordinary legacy of leadership in this association from our volunteers and our staff to meet the needs of our profession, the public, and the justice system. I have read the Rules and agree to abide by them. Candidate s Signature Date The Candidate s Curriculum Vitae is attached
PATRICIA LEE REFO Snell & Wilmer L.L.P. 400 East Van Buren Phoenix, Arizona 85004 (602) 382-6290 prefo@swlaw.com I. PROFESSIONAL EMPLOYMENT/AFFILIATIONS Snell & Wilmer L.L.P., Phoenix, Arizona Partner, 1996-present Jenner & Block, Chicago, Illinois Partner, 1991-1996 Chair, Pro Bono Committee, 1994-1996 Associate, 1983-1990 Admitted to Bar: 1983, Supreme Court of Illinois 1983, United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois 1988, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit 1989, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit 1990, Federal Trial Bar, Northern District of Illinois 1993, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit 1996, Arizona Supreme Court 1996, United States District Court for the District of Arizona 1998, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit II. EDUCATION The University of Michigan School of Law, J.D. 1983, cum laude The University of Michigan, BA 1980, with High Honors and High Distinction 2
III. BAR ASSOCIATION AND PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITIES American Bar Association Board of Governors Member, 2014-2016 House of Delegates Chair, 2014-2016 State Delegate from Arizona, 2010-2014 Delegate from the Section of Litigation, 1998-2001, 2005-2010 Committee on Issues of Concern to the Profession, Chair, 2012-2014; Vice Chair, 2010-2012 Conference of State Delegates, Vice Chair, 2012-2014 Steering Committee of the Nominating Committee, 2008-2010 Woman-at-Large Member, Nominating Committee, 2008-2010 Select Committee of the House, 2006-2008 Section of Litigation Chair, 2003-2004 Executive Committee, 1994-2010 Co-Chair, ABA Resources Committee, 2010-present Liaison to Advisory Committee on the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, 2012-present Committee of the Council on Publications, 2007-2008 Reserves Committee, 1998-2006 Secretary, 1994-1998 Chair, Staff Liaison Committee, 1994-2000 Chair, Committee of the Council on Membership, 2000-2003 Committee of the Council on Leadership Development, 2000-2001 Chair, Special Budget Committee, 1997-1999 Co-Chair, Task Force on Post-Conviction Appeals, 1996-1998 Task Force on Civil Trial Management, 1996-1998 Advisory Committee on Nominations, 2002 (Chair), 1994, 1992 Strategic Planning Committee and Strategic Planning Implementation Committee, 1993-1997 Co-Director of Divisions, 1993-1994 Planning Committee, Conference on the Woman Advocate, 1993-1995 Co-Chair, Pro Bono and Public Interest Litigation Committee, 1990-1993 Chair, 1990 American Bar Association Annual Meeting Meeting Co-Chair, Trial Practice Committee Midyear Meeting, 1986-1988 Program Planner, Discovery and Trial Practice Committees, 1984-1989 Section of International Law Council, 2016-present 3
ABA Journal Board of Editors, Ex Officio member, 2014-2016 Other ABA Involvement Chair, ABA Day in Washington, 2016-present National Chair, Law Day 2013 Chair, Standing Committee on Membership, 2008-2011 Chair, Presidential Appointments Committee for President-Elect H. Thomas Wells, Jr., 2007-2008 Non-Dues Revenue Committee, Board of Governors, 2008-2011 Special Advisor, Commission on the American Jury Project, 2005-2012 ABA Day in Washington Committee, 2006-2008 Presidential Appointments Committee for President-Elect William Neukom, 2006-2007 Pricing Strategy Advisory Group, 2006-2008 Co-Chair, Segment Value Membership Initiative, 2008-2009 Commission on Civics Education and the Separation of Powers, 2005-2006 Member, Executive Director Search Committee, 2005-2006 Chair, American Jury Project, 2004-2005 Standing Committee on Membership, 2000-2003, 2011-2012 Presidential Appointments Committee for President-Elect Robert Hirshon, 2000-2001 Liaison from Section Officers Conference to Standing Committee on Membership, 1999-2000 Chair, Membership Committee, Section Officers Conference, 1999-2000 Liaison, Commission on Women in the Profession, 1997-1998 Representative to the Advisory Committee, Section Officers Conference, 1995-1997 American Bar Endowment Board of Directors, 2009-2014 American Bar Foundation Patron Fellow Board of Directors, Ex Officio member, 2014-2016 Judicial Conference of the United States Advisory Committee on the Federal Rules of Evidence, 2000-2006 (Appointed by Chief Justice William Rehnquist) Time Computation Subcommittee, 2005-2008 Supreme Court of Arizona Evidence Rules Committee, 2012-present (Appointed by Chief Justice Rebecca Berch) 4
Ad Hoc Committee on Arizona Rules of Evidence, 2010-2012 State Bar of Arizona Fellow, Arizona Foundation for Legal Services & Education Member, Diversity Task Force, 2006-2008 Member, 2006 and 1999 Convention Planning Committees National Association of Women Lawyers Co-Chair, Committee for the Evaluation of Supreme Court Nominees, 2005-2014 American Law Institute Member CLE Litigation Advisory Panel Additional Bar Memberships Illinois State Bar Association Maricopa County Bar Association Arizona Women Lawyers Association Other Bar, Professional and Civic Work Member, Board of Advisors, Commercial Lending Litigation News (formerly Lender Liability News), 1989-2017 O Connor House, Co-Chair Supreme Evening 2013 Co-Chair, Arizona Women Lawyers Honoring Justice Sandra Day O Connor (fundraising effort for the Sandra Day O Connor College of Law at Arizona State University) Greater Phoenix Chamber of Commerce, Director, 2005-2011; Executive Committee, 2006-2011 The Episcopal Parish of St. Barnabas on the Desert, Senior Warden, 2008-2011; Chancellor 1999-2008; Finance Committee, 2011-present Director, Stratford Hall, 2008-present Chair, Audit Committee, 2008-present Arizona Foundation for Women, Director, 1999-2005 Arizona Academic Decathlon Association, Director, 1997-2001 Phoenix Public Library Foundation, Co-Chair Dinner in the Stacks, 2000 5
Member, Northern District of Illinois Deposition Guidelines Committee (appointed by the Chief Judge), 1994-1996 Director, Legal Clinic for the Disabled, 1994-1996 Director, Chicago Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, 1987-1991 Director, Cabrini Green Legal Aid Clinic, 1987-1991 IV. PROFESSIONAL RECOGNITIONS & AWARDS The Best Lawyers in America, Commercial Litigation, Legal Malpractice Law (2003-2018), Bet-the-Company Litigation (2003-2015), Phoenix Legal Malpractice Law Lawyer of the Year (2012) Southwest Super Lawyers, Business Litigation (2007-2017) Maricopa County Bar Association Hall of Fame (2017) President s Award, State Bar of Arizona (2014) ABA Jury System Impact Award, Bar Association (2009) The 50 Most Influential Women Lawyers in America, The National Law Journal (May 2007) Distinguished Achievement Award, Sandra Day O Connor College of Law at Arizona State University (2007) William Reese Smith Jr. Distinguished Lecturer in Litigation Ethics, Stetson Law School (2006) International Who s Who of Commercial Litigation (2008-2017) Who s Who in America Who s Who in American Law 6