Shayna R. Frieden
Associate

With respect to her criminal defense practice, Shayna’s matters range from DUIs, to federal pre-indictment investigations, to professional board cases and university code of conduct violations. Shayna is well-versed in identifying constitutional issues during and after arrest, such as the right to counsel, unreasonable search and seizure, coercion for blood draws, and other Fourth Amendment protections. Her handling of administrative board cases is a niche area, including representing licensed professionals in front of the Arizona State Board of Nursing, the Arizona Medical Board, and the Arizona State Board of Pharmacy. Shayna also defends students in matters involving university campus police, including assault, property damage, and other university code of conduct violations.

Additionally, Shayna helps clients clean up their records, recover their civil rights, and remove barriers to employment through legal mechanisms such set-asides, certificates of second chance, record seals, and marijuana expungements.

With respect to her personal injury practice, Shayna’s matters range from motor vehicle accidents to catastrophic personal injury, including medical malpractice and wrongful death. See Shayna’s profile on our personal injury website.

Shayna graduated summa cum laude from ASU’s Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law with a certificate in trial advocacy. She was admitted to practice in Arizona in 2022, tying for first place on the Arizona bar exam, as well as in California in 2023.

While at ASU, Shayna earned the Dean’s Award for Academic Performance and Contributions to the College of Law, the Best Oralist Award (Plaintiff/Respondent) for Legal Advocacy, and seven CALI Excellence Awards (for the top grade in each class) in Appellate Advocacy, Bankruptcy, Plea Bargaining, Public Defender Clinic, Evidence, Constitutional Law, and Legal Method and Writing. She was an O’Connor Honors Fellow, a two-semester Willard H. Pedrick Scholar, and served as Note and Comment Editor of the Arizona State Law Journal.

During law school, Shayna earned a summer internship at Gallagher & Kennedy and an externship at the Arizona Court of Appeals, Division One, for Judge Bailey. She also served as a Co-Student Director for Legislating Criminal Justice Reform, was awarded the Pro Bono Service with Distinction award, and was a Certified Limited Practice Student for the Public Defender Clinic.

Elle Conklin

Google

I had the pleasure of working with Shannon Clark, Eleanor Shaffer, their assistant Isabel, and later Shayna Frieden on my personal injury case. From the beginning, they gave me something I had lost—hope. They treated me with compassion, dignity, and respect, always keeping me informed and supported. Shannon, Eleanor, and Shayna are not only incredibly skilled but genuinely kind and humble people who care deeply about their clients. Thanks to their dedication and advocacy, my case had a far better outcome than I ever expected. I’m so grateful to the entire Gallagher & Kennedy team for helping me through such a difficult time and bringing positivity back into my life.