Later, he was associated with a small law firm where his practice included issues pertaining to complex Native American water rights, eminent domain litigation, commercial transactions, estate planning, business formation, election and civil rights law.

For the past quarter century, though, his practice emphasis has been in public employment law, including wage and hour issues and civil rights litigation. He has practiced in the United States Supreme Court, and argued cases in the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, the United States District Court, the Arizona Supreme Court, the Arizona Court of Appeals and the Arizona Superior Courts.

Active in his community, Bob has served as a faculty member at the State Bar Seminar “The Power of One: Making Cultural Diversity a Reality for the Legal Profession in Arizona” and at the Business Law Forum for Minority and Women-Owned Businesses speaking on the “At-Will” employment doctrine in Arizona. He was a founding director and remains a member of the Arizona Asian-American Bar Association, and served as a volunteer and participating mentor in the Maricopa County Bar Association Cultural Diversity Mentoring Program. Bob’s community involvement also includes service on the Board of Directors for the Phoenix Museum of History and a four-year appointment by the Governor to serve as a member of the State Liquor Board.

Bob was given an “AV” preeminent rating by his peers, the highest quality rating for competence and ethical standards issued by the Martindale Hubbell Law Directory, and he is proud to have maintained that rating for the past 15 years.

Martindale-Hubbell AV Preeminent Rating

Representative appellate cases

• Pijanowski v. Yuma County, 202 Ariz. 260, 43 P.3d 208 (Ariz. Ct. App. 2002): Establishing the right of more than 650 County Sheriff’s Deputies to overtime pay based on a 40 hour work week.
• Clark v. Town of Buckeye, 343 F. App’x. 177 (9th Cir. 2009): Clarifying a police officer’s rights to pre-termination due process.
• Strube v. Arizona Dept. of Econ. Sec., 140 Ariz. 212, 680 P.2d 1273 (Ariz. Ct. App. 1984): Establishing the rights of employees to receive unemployment benefits during temporary plant “shut downs”.

Following her graduation from law school, she became an associate attorney at a firm in Phoenix, Arizona. As an associate, her practice included civil litigation and continued participation in the Native American water rights litigation cases.

In 1987, Carol helped to establish the law firm of Yen & Pilch, (eventually becoming Yen Pilch & Landeen). Her practice focuses on employment law, civil and commercial litigation and elections law. Carol represents clients in all aspects of labor and employment law. She has handled matters involving Title VII discrimination claims, Age Discrimination in Employment claims, Americans with Disability claims, Family Medical Leave Act claims, and matters brought under the National Labor Relations Act, to name a few. Carol has also handled complex wage claim matters brought under both state and federal law, and other complex civil litigation matters. She has appeared and argued cases before both the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit and the Arizona Supreme Court. Carol has also appeared before the Consumer Products Safety Commission, where she helped her clients oversee the largest consumer product recall in U.S. history.

Carol was appointed to serve as a judge pro tem in the Maricopa County Superior Court in 1994 and continues to serve in that capacity, presiding over several cases each year, and handling many settlement conferences.

Carol’s peers have given her an “AV” preeminent rating, the highest quality rating for competence and ethical standards issued by the Martindale Hubbell Law Directory. She is proud to have been selected in 2011 for inclusion in the Bar Register of Preeminent Women Lawyers, a distinction held by less than 5% of women lawyers nationwide.

Martindale-Hubbell AV Preeminent Rating

Representative appellate cases

• Lake v. City of Phoenix, 222 Ariz. 547, 218 P.3d 1004 (2009): A landmark case establishing the right of police officers to obtain “metadata” under the Arizona Public Records Act.
• Sherrill v. City of Peoria, 189 Ariz. 537, 943 P.2d 1215 (1997): Establishing and clarifying the requirements for referendum and initiative petitions under the Arizona Constitution.

Furthermore, he handles wrongful termination cases pursuant to Arizona and federal laws; federal and state public employee discipline matters; wage and hour cases, breach of employment contract cases, and more. Throughout his career, Edmundo has successfully represented clients in state and federal administrative forums, in mediation and arbitration cases, and before various state and federal trial and appellate courts.

Edmundo is a member of the National Employment Lawyers Association and has served on the board of the Arizona Employment Lawyers Association. Edmundo has presented to a number of organizations on employment law topics including federal retaliation law, reasonable accommodation in the workplace, employment practices and trends, Arizona employment law, administrative law, wrongful termination, and mediation.

Edmundo is rated “AV Preeminent”  by Martindale-Hubbell and has consistently been recognized by Arizona’s Finest Lawyers, Southwest Super Lawyers, and The Best Lawyers in America.

Dave has substantial experience in federal courts, state courts, private arbitrations, and administrative proceedings, and has extensive trial experience covering a  range of different employment law issues. In 2020, Dave was named a member of the Lawyers of Distinction, and in 2014 and 2015, he was recognized as the Employee Rights Attorney of the Year in Arizona by the Corporate INTL Magazine Global Awards. He also was named one of “Arizona’s Finest Lawyers” in 2011. Dave is a member of the National Employment Lawyers Association, the Arizona Employment Lawyers Association, and the American Bar Association Labor & Employment Section.

Dave has presented on a wide variety of employment law topics and authored several articles relating to federal employment law issues including:

• Presenter, “The Fair Wages and Healthy Families Act: Arizona’s Current Minimum Wage and Earned Paid Sick Time Law”, Referrals Royale Network Luncheon, December 2019
• Co-Presenter, “Employment Restrictive Covenants including Non-Competes, Non-Solicitation, and Non-Use Agreements: What’s Enforceable and What is Not”, Arizona Employment Lawyers Association Annual Meeting, February 2016
• Co-Author, “2013 Update re: Fee Applications (Article 10.8)”, Arizona Employment Law Handbook, October 2013
• Presenter, “The OSHA-Administered Whistleblower Laws”, Arizona Employment Lawyers Association Annual Meeting, February 2011
• Presenter, “Updates on the FMLA and ADA”, Arizona Employment Lawyers Association Annual Meeting, February 2009
• Co-Author, “Federal Regulations Update,” Employment Relations Today, Fall 2004, Spring 2005, Fall 2005, Spring 2006
• Presenter, “Untangling the Web of Overlapping FMLA, ADA, PDA, Workers’ Comp, and Antidiscrimination Laws,” Council on Education in Management FMLA Update, October 2005

He has also lent his expertise in cases involving the Family and Medical Leave Act (“FMLA”), the Americans with Disabilities Act (“ADA”), Title VII, the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (“ADEA”), Charges of Discrimination with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (“EEOC”) and the Civil Rights Division of the Arizona Attorney General’s Office, retirement and disability matters—including issues related to the Public Safety Personnel Retirement System (“PSPRS”), the Corrections Officer Retirement Plan (“CORP”), and the Arizona State Retirement System (“ASRS”)—as well as administrative appeals. Additionally, he has counseled clients in drafting, reviewing, negotiating, and litigating restrictive covenants such as non-compete and non-solicitation provisions, confidentiality agreements, non-disclosure agreements (“NDAs”), trade secret agreements, severance agreements, settlement agreements, and other employment contracts.

Phil is licensed to practice before Arizona state trial and appellate courts, the U.S. District Court for the District of Arizona, the United States Court of Federal Claims, and the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals.

Phil is a graduate of Arizona State University and Valparaiso University School of Law.  Phil has also attended the Arizona College of Trial Advocacy as well as the University of California, at San Francisco, Hastings College of Law Trial College.

Phil is a graduate of Arizona State University and Valparaiso University School of Law.  Phil has also attended the Arizona College of Trial Advocacy as well as the University of California, at San Francisco, Hastings College of Law Trial College.

Prior to joining YPRK, Samantha served as a prosecutor at the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office and Arizona Attorney General’s Office where she primarily focused on sexually motivated crimes, but handled cases of all types, both misdemeanor and felony. In this role, she gained substantial trial experience and invaluable insight into the workings of the prosecution. Samantha solidified her reputation in this role as a strong advocate for justice, which led her to the role of a public defense attorney for Pinal County.

Samantha is passionate about justice and fighting for her clients’ rights, whether in the criminal arena or employment law arena. She believes everyone deserves the best defense possible and enjoys being an advocate for those navigating through what are often harrowing experiences.

An Arizona native, Samantha has always been dedicated to serving the people of Arizona. She graduated from the University of Arizona College of Law in 2012 and attended the University of Arizona as an undergraduate to receive her Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice Administration in 2008.