A who’s who from Arizona’s legal industry filled the ballroom at Chateau Luxe on Thursday, March 27, 2025 to honor the winners of the 2025 Excellence in Law Awards.
“Legal industry innovators challenge traditional norms, prioritize efficiency and create solutions that improve accessibility, compliance, and the overall effectiveness of legal services,” said Amy Lindsey, publish of AZ Big Media, which publishes Az Business magazine, “and those traits define all of tonight’s finalists.”
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Az Business magazine, in partnership with the State Bar of Arizona and the Arizona Chapter of the Association of Corporate Counsel, hosted the 2025 Excellence in Law Awards (formerly the Arizona Corporate Counsel Awards) to recognize the important and vital role that in-house counsel and Arizona’s legal sector plays in the success of Arizona’s economy. Cresa and Ogletree Deakins were the title sponsors for the 2025 Excellence in Law Awards. Also contributing to the overwhelming success of the event were Greenberg Traurig, the Spotlight Award Sponsor; Cavco, the Dessert Sponsor; Husch Blackwell, the Floral Sponsor; Taft/Sherman & Howard, the Step and Repeat Sponsor; Merestone, the Production Sponsor; and PJs Flowers, the floral provider. Signature sponsors includes Burch & Cracchiolo, Delta Dental of Arizona, Freeport McMoRan, Gallagher & Kennedy, Insight Enterprises, Intel, Marc & Rose Hospitality, Meritage Homes, Phoenix Children’s, Plexus Worldwide, Snell & Wilmer and Spencer Fane.
“You know, hosting an event like this in front of a room filled with attorneys feels like representing yourself in court—technically possible, but highly inadvisable,” joked AZ Big Media Editor in Chief Michael Gossie before presenting the first awards of the evening.
To download and share photos from the 2025 Excellence in Law Awards, click here.
Winners of the 2025 Excellence in Law Awards
Here are the winners of the 2025 Excellence in Law Awards, in the order in which they were presented:
Emerging legal industry leader of the year: Hannah Porter, shareholder, Gallagher & Kennedy
Small law firm of the year: Guidant Law
Up-and-coming in-house attorneys of the year: Soraya Keskey, hims & hers; and Amy Heiserman, Nautilus Insurance Company.
Nonprofit and healthcare industry in-house attorney of the year: Kyle Siegal, executive director and chief patent counsel, Skysong Innovations
Private company in-house attorney of the year: Stanley Foreman, assistant vice president of HR and employment law, Discount Tire
Excellence In Law Award for community impact by a legal team: Phoenix Children’ legal team.
Excellence In Law Award for community impact by an in-house attorney: Melissa Ho, associate director of regulatory counsel and government partnerships, Microchip Technology
Excellence In Law Award for lifetime achievement: Sam Cowley, general counsel, Insight
Medium-size law firm of the year: The Cavanagh Law Firm
Public company in-house attorney of the year: Cecil A. Lynn the third, senior director and assistant general counsel, PayPal
Excellence in Law award for outstanding achievement in corporate counsel: Jason Dymbort, executive vice president, general counsel and secretary for First Solar
Large law firm of the year: Snell & Wilmer
Arizona Attorney of the Year: Susanne Ingold, president, Burch & Cracchiolo
In-house legal team of the year: Luke Air Force Base 56th Fighter Wing Legal Office
