I make this commitment to you and every member of Maricopa County, that we’re going to work collaboratively together to move forward the mission and the values of the fourth-largest county in the United States.”

Allister Adel

By Matt Roy
Twitter: @AzNewsmedia

There’s a new sheriff in town — well, a new county attorney.

Less than a month after Bill Montgomery resigned as Maricopa County Attorney, the Board of Supervisors yesterday voted unanimously to appoint Allister Adel to replace him.

Ms. Adel was one of eight who applied to replace Mr. Montgomery, who stepped down last month when Gov. Doug Ducey tapped him for a position on the Arizona Supreme Court.

After which the board empaneled the seven-member Citizen Advisory Committee tasked with winnowing down the applicant pool to five finalists.

Board chairman and District 3 representative Bill Gates praised the committee for their work during the selection process.

He said choosing their appointee was especially difficult, because the board had so many qualified candidates apply to the role. But Ms. Adel’s background made her the clear choice.

“There were eight fantastic attorney’s who we looked at. But going through all of this process and having the opportunity to speak with each and every one of them and looking at their resumes, Allister Adel rose to the top,” Mr. Gates said. “She has a background in criminal law and she has a background in civil, as well, which is important for the Board of Supervisors and for all of Maricopa County.” 

Clint Hickman, who represents District 4 on the board, echoed his praise for the panel and addressed Ms. Adel directly, welcoming her to the role.

“The process I think was fantastic. It was tough, when you’re looking at extraordinary people,” District 4 representative Clint Hickman said. “The reason we needed to find somebody extraordinary … you’re going to be handed the keys of a great car, which is the county attorney’s office. They are great people. They make spectacular decisions day-to-day.”

He told her the choice of county attorney is important to everyone in the Valley.

“You’re going to be that person, the point of the spear of justice to our county residents,” Mr. Hickman said.

Ms. Adel holds a bachelor’s in political science from University of Arizona and a juris doctorate from Arizona’s State University’s Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law.

She has served in legal roles at various public service agencies since 1999.

Among key positions held, Ms. Adel served as a deputy county attorney for Maricopa County from 2004 until 2011, as general counsel to the Arizona Department of Child Safety, and as executive director of the Maricopa County Bar Association from 2016 to 2018.

“I promised in my interview process that I would serve with integrity and honor,” Ms. Adel said after swearing her oath of office. “I make this commitment to you and every member of Maricopa County, that we’re going to work collaboratively together to move forward the mission and the values of the fourth-largest county in the United States.”

Ms. Adel will serve out the remainder of Mr. Montgomery’s term, which ends in January 2021. To continue serving in the role, she must run for election to the office in the November 2020 general election.

According to county officials, the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office is the third largest public prosecutorial agency in the country.

Comprised of more than 900 full-time employees — including attorneys, investigators, paralegals, victim advocates and support staff — the office is responsible for prosecuting all felonies in the county, as well as all misdemeanors in unincorporated areas.

The County Attorney also serves as legal counsel for the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors and all county departments.

The Board of Supervisor’s Oct. 3 selection meeting and the swearing-in ceremony are available to view on demand at the county’s YouTube channel: youtube.com/maricopacountyaz.

Selection process

Following Mr. Montgomery’s Sept. 5 resignation, the county accepted applications through Sept. 18, receiving completed questionnaires from eight interested candidates.

The Board of Supervisors appointed a seven-member Citizen Advisory Committee — comprised of community leaders, former judges and attorneys, including Dr. Maria Chavira, Benjamin Taylor, Boyd Dunn, Carmen Heredia De la Torre, Judge Chris Skelly, Rae Chornenky and Paula Banahan.

The committee reviewed questionnaires, resumes and letters of recommendation before convening Oct. 1 to name five finalists for board consideration.

The finalists, like Ms. Adel, possess extensive qualifications and experience for the position, which are summarized below.

Lacy Cooper: An education, which includes a poli-sci bachelor’s from Texas A&M and a JD from University of Texas School of Law, Ms. Cooper served as a deputy county attorney for Gila County from 2006 until 2013. She then served from 2013 until the present as assistant U.S. attorney and general crimes section chief at the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Phoenix.

Jon Eliason: With a bachelor’s of science from Brigham Young University and a JD from Temple University School of Law in Philadelphia, Mr. Eliason served as a deputy county attorney for Maricopa County from 2000 to 2011; Mesa City Prosecutor from 2012 to 2014; division chief at the MCAO Special Victims Division from 2014 to 2017; and currently serves as division chief for the MCAO Major Offenders Division.

Gina Godbehere: With a b.s. in justice studies from ASU and a JD from ASU’s Sandra Day O’Connor School of Law, Ms. Godbehere has been a deputy county attorney with MCAO since 1996 and has served as assistant bureau chief for criminal trials and the Gangs Bureau, and bureau chief for the Juvenile Trial Division, as well as acting division chief and bureau chief for the Criminal Trial Division.

Rachel Mitchell: With a b.a. in public administration and justice studies from Grand Canyon University and JD from the ASU College of Law, Ms. Mitchell has served as a deputy county attorney at MCAO since 1993 to the present. In that time, her roles have included trial attorney in various divisions; bureau chief for the Major Crimes Division specializing in sex crimes and family violence; bureau chief for the sex crimes unit; division chief for the Special Victims Division; and chief deputy overseeing both the civil and criminal divisions.

Correction: In previous reporting in Daily Independent, Allister Adel was identified with the courtesy title Mr.; we apologize for the error and any inconvenience we may have caused her or our readers.