Scott Bennett

Scott represents individuals and companies in both criminal and civil matters. In his criminal practice he assists clients in a wide variety of criminal prosecutions, government investigations, grand jury proceedings, and actions by administrative agencies. Scott focuses on white-collar defense, including health care and financial cases.

Scott also represents clients on the civil side in business disputes. He has experience in many types of commercial litigation, including class actions, insurance bad-faith cases, employment matters, claims for employee benefits under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA), product liability cases, and contract matters. Scott has tried several cases before Arizona juries, and had advocated for clients in the Arizona Supreme Court and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit.

Before joining Coppersmith Schermer & Brockelman, Scott was an associate in the Phoenix office of Lewis and Roca LLP.

EDUCATION AND BAR ADMISSIONS

• J.D., University of California, Berkley School of Law (Boalt Hall), 2003; Member, Order of the Coif; Articles Editor, California Criminal Law Review; Member, Death Penalty Clinic
• B.A., Arizona State University, 2000, summa cum laude
• Admitted in Arizona, 2003

JUDICIAL CLERKSHIPS

• Hon. Ronald Gilman, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit, 2003-04

REPRESENTATIVE MATTERS

• Obtained a complete acquittal in a jury trial for a client charged with two felonies who was facing a minimum of 4.5 years in prison if convicted
• Achieved dismissal of a lawsuit against a mortgage broker alleging fraudulent appraisals of investment properties
• Persuaded a state court to release the assets of innocent spouses seized in a multi-million dollar civil forfeiture case
• Successfully argued to the Arizona Supreme Court that it should overturn a criminal sentence that exceeded the trial judges legal authority
• Defeated a motion to certify a class action in a case that involved employee benefits under ERISA

PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITIES

• Member, American Health Lawyers Association (AHLA)
• Member, Arizona Attorneys for Criminal Justice
• Member, National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers