Amanda Z. Weaver, Ph.D.

Bar Admissions

• Arizona

Court Admissions

• Supreme Court of Arizona
• United States Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit
• United States Court of Appeals, Tenth Circuit
• United States District Court, District of Arizona

Education

• Arizona State University (Ph.D., Applied Linguistics)
  • Research focus: Linguistic considerations of the free speech provisions in the U.S. and Russian Constitutions
  • Outstanding Graduate, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences
  • Graduate Excellence Award
• University of Arizona, James E. Rogers College of Law (J.D., summa cum laude)
  • Order of the Coif
  • Articles Editor, Arizona Law Review
  • Arizona Centennial Public Interest Fellow
  • CALI Awards Indian Gaming Law, Legal Research, Constitutional Law I, Torts
  • ALI CLE Scholarship and Leadership Award
  • E. Thomas Sullivan Antitrust Award
  • Outstanding Performance in Oral Advocacy
  • Faculty Appointments Committee
• University of Arizona (M.A., Russian and Slavic Studies)
  • On-site language study, Russian Federation
• Arizona State University, Barrett Honors College (B.A., English; B.A., Russian, summa cum laude)
  • Certificate in Russian and Eastern European Studies
  • National Merit Scholarship Recipient
  • Moeur Award Recipient

Languages

Russian

Awards & Recognition

• Southwest Super Lawyers®, Rising Stars Edition, Appellate (2024)
• The Best Lawyers in America^®: Ones to Watch, Appellate Practice, Commercial Litigation (2022-2025)
• Pro Bono Award, Snell & Wilmer (2021, 2024)

Previous Professional Experience

• Arizona Supreme Court, Judicial Clerk to Hon. Robert M. Brutinel (2017-2018)
• Civil Rights Restoration Clinic, Rule 38(d) Clinic Student (2017)
• Snell & Wilmer, Summer Associate (2016)
• Institute for Justice, Summer Clerk (2015), Extern (2016-2017)
• Goldwater Institute, Ronald Reagan Fellow (2014)
• Arizona State University, Russian Language Instructor & Faculty Associate (2012-2015)
• Maricopa County Community College District, English Composition Adjunct Faculty (2012-2014)
• Horses Help, Therapeutic Horseback Riding Instructor (2008-2011)

Professional Memberships and Activities

• State Bar of Arizona
  • Appellate Practice Section
    • Executive Council, Member-at-Large (2024-Present)
• American Bar Association
  • Business Law Today
    • Contributing Editor, Gaming Law
  • Communications
  • TIPS Equine Subcommittee

Community Involvement

• Advisory Board Member, ASU Melikian Center: Russian, Eurasian & East European Studies (2024-present)
• Xavier College Preparatory Alumnae Board (2021-present)
• Certified Therapeutic Riding Instructor, Professional Association of Therapeutic Horsemanship International
• Racehorse 2 Riding Horse Volunteer

Representative Presentations and Publications

Equine Law

• “Litigation Continues on Several Fronts Before the U.S. Supreme Court on the Constitutionality of Federal Horseracing Act,” Author, ABA Business Law Today (November 2024)
• “U.S. Supreme Court Declines to Review Constitutionality of Federal Horseracing Act, with Pending Petition for Rehearing,” Author, ABA Business Law Today (July 2024)
• “Thoroughbred Racing’s Triple Crown Coincides with Briefing to U.S. Supreme Court on Constitutionality of Federal Horseracing Act,” Author, ABA Business Law Today (May 2024)
• “Recent Analysis of Historical Horse Racing Machines in Two States Demonstrates State-Specific Considerations,” Author, ABA Business Law Today (March 2024)
• “Wild Horses and Burros: An Overview of Management and Legal Issues,” Co-Presenter, ABA TIPS Equine Subcommittee (March 7, 2024)
• “Oregon Supreme Court Petition for Review: Oregon Court of Appeals Rejects Guardian Theory for Negligence Per Se Claim of Horse,” Author, ABA Tort and Insurance Practice Section (TIPS) Newsletter (Winter/Spring 2023)
• “Insuring Understanding: The Equine Industry and Insurance,” Presenter, ABA TIPS Animal Law Committee Lunch & Learn (March 10, 2023)
• “Texas Racing Commission to Cease Exporting and Importing Pari-Mutuel Simulcast Signals of ‘Covered Horseraces’ Under the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Act as of July 1, 2022,” Co-Author, Snell & Wilmer Legal Alert (June 27, 2022)
• “Lots of Different Rules, Not Much Uniformity on Licensing Requirements for Equine Massage,” Quoted, Paulick Report (May 10, 2022)
• “Massaging the Requirements? Licensure and Related Issues in the Equine Massage Industry,” Presenter, 36th Annual National Conference on Equine Law, University of Kentucky Office of Continuing Legal Education (May 4, 2022)
• “Equine Adoption Contracts,” Moderator and Panel Presenter, ABA TIPS Equine Subcommittee (April 8, 2022)
• “The Practice of Veterinary Medicine and Equine Therapies:  Anatomy of a Case,” Presenter, ABA TIPS Equine Subcommittee (February 3, 2022)
• “Equine Activity Liability Releases: The Arizona Court of Appeals Finds ‘Release’ of Trail Ride Operator Doesn’t Block Negligence Claim for Participant Riding Injury,” Author, Snell & Wilmer Real Estate Litigation Blog (August 26, 2021)
• “Kentucky Derby Winning Trainer Avoids Filing Temporary Restraining Order Challenging Due Process Violation,” Co-Author, Snell & Wilmer Legal Alert (May 12, 2021)
• “Federal Lawsuit Joins Another Challenging the Constitutionality of Horseracing Integrity and Safety Act,” Co-Author, Snell & Wilmer Legal Alert (April 28, 2021)

Appellate and Constitutional Law

• “Filing an Appeal of Right to the Court of Appeals,” Co-Author, Arizona Appellate Handbook 2.0, Vol. 1, Ch. 3 (2020)
• “ Arizona Supreme Court Upholds Constitutionality of Provision Relating to Statutory Authority for Constructing and Operating Sports and Tourism Complexes,” Author, Snell & Wilmer Under Construction Newsletter (April 2019)
• “Saussurean Synchrony: What Linguistics can do for Constitutional Interpretation,” Presenter, AZ Linguistics Symposium, Tempe, AZ (October 2016)

First Amendment / Free Speech

• Arizona’s New Anti-SLAPP Law Now Covers Right of Speech, Freedom of the Press, Free Association, and Peaceable Assembly“, Co-Author, Snell & Wilmer Legal Alert (Sept. 26, 2022)
• “Supreme Court Holds Off-Premises Signs Require Less Than Strict Scrutiny Under First Amendment,” Co-Author, Snell & Wilmer Legal Alert (April 25, 2022)
• “Andy Warhol, Prince, and the First Amendment: U.S. Supreme Court Grants Review of Questions Concerning ‘Fair Use’ Under Copyright Act,” Co-Author, SWIPLit Blog (April 18, 2022)
• “Graduating ASU Linguist-Lawyer Works to Improve, Clarify Speech Rights,” Profiled, Arizona State University (April 2019)

Gaming and Tribal Law

• ”The Eleventh Circuit Finds Delegation Provisions Enforceable in Agreement to Arbitrate Implicating Tribal Law,” Co-Author, Snell & Wilmer Legal Alert (October 15, 2024)
• “The Ninth Circuit Finds Tribal Nation Waived Sovereign Immunity Through Arbitration Provision,” Co-Author, Snell & Wilmer Legal Alert (June 17, 2024)
• “United States District Court Finds California Failed to Negotiate Gaming Compact in Good Faith,” Co-Author, Snell & Wilmer Legal Alert (March 11, 2024)
• “Arizona Attorney General Concludes Historical Horse Race Betting Would Trigger Exclusivity Provision in Amended Tribal-State Gaming Compact,” Co-Author, Snell & Wilmer Legal Alert (March 5, 2024)
• “Department of the Interior Issues Final Rule for Review of Class III Tribal-State Gaming Compacts,” Co-Author, Snell & Wilmer Legal Alert (February 27 2024)
• “Secretary of the Interior Issues Class III Gaming Procedures for Five Tribes WIthout Role for State of California,” Co-Author, Snell & Wilmer Legal Alert (February 13, 2024)
• “Gambling Laws and Regulations USA – Arizona 2024,” Co-Author, Global Legal Group (December 2023)
• “Arizona District Court Finds Tribally Co-Owned Wireless Provider Not Entitled to Sovereign Immunity,” Co-Author, Snell & Wilmer Legal Alert (July 11, 2023)
• “Rincon Band Withdraws From State Regulatory Oversight Under the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act,” Co-Author, Snell & Wilmer Legal Alert (February 17, 2023)
• “Department of Interior Memorandum Removes Bar to Secretary’s Land Into Trust Authority in Alaska,” Co-Author, Snell & Wilmer Legal Alert (May 3, 2021)
• “Secretary of Interior Decentralizes Processing of Requests for Non-Gaming Off-Reservation Fee-to-Trust Land Acquisitions,” Co-Author, Snell & Wilmer Legal Alert (April 29, 2021)