Fellows Spotlight
Alexis Danneman, J.D.
(Phoenix, 2016)
Partner
Perkins Coie LLP
Alexis Danneman, J.D. (Phoenix, 2016) has built her career at the intersection of law and democracy, and she would be the first to tell you that the work is deeply personal.
A partner at Perkins Coie, Alexis is a litigator whose practice centers on public law. She represents clients in complex cases involving government agencies and questions arising under the federal and state constitutions. Over the last several election cycles, she has represented a presidential candidate, the Arizona Attorney General, and the Arizona Governor in voting rights and election law matters. Her clients, she explains, depend on strong public policies that uphold the rule of law and the strength of government institutions.
A fourth-generation Arizonan, her roots in the state run deep. Alexis went east for college at Georgetown University before returning home to earn her law degree at the University of Arizona. That return wasn’t incidental. Arizona is in her bones, and her work reflects a genuine investment in the state’s civic future.
Growing up, one phrase came up again and again in her household. Her father would often return to John F. Kennedy’s definition of happiness: “the exercise of vital powers along lines of excellence in a life affording them scope.” It is a phrase that has grown in meaning for her over time.
“I am only starting to fully appreciate this definition of happiness,” she reflects. “I feel grateful to have a significant amount of autonomy in my job and my life, and I strive to do my best both at home and at work.”
For Alexis, that aspiration toward excellence isn’t confined to the courtroom. It shapes how she approaches the Flinn-Brown Network, too.
“Being part of this Network has allowed me to connect with, and deepen ties with, some of the most interesting and impactful people in Arizona,” she says. “I love when I come across a Flinn-Brown Fellow. There is a shared understanding about the importance of respect and community, regardless of political ideology.”
That shared ethic is something Alexis sees as essential, not just within the Network but across Arizona’s civic landscape. When asked about opportunities to strengthen civic health in the state, she starts close to home. In her professional world, she believes lawyers and litigants have a responsibility to continue prioritizing respect for one another and for the legal institutions that underpin democratic life. Looking more broadly, civic education and community engagement are where her deepest concerns lie.
“I’m most concerned about civic education and community engagement,” she says. “I’m grateful to the Fellows dedicating themselves to this in our state.”
It is a fitting reflection from someone who has spent her career defending the very structures that make civic participation possible. For Alexis, the health of Arizona’s democracy is not an abstraction. It is the thing she argues for every day.
Book Recommendation
Each month, we feature suggestions from Fellows to create a virtual library about public-policy issues, the practice of leadership, professional development, and other areas worth sharing. This month’s recommendation comes from Alexis Danneman, J.D. (Phoenix, 2016).
I’m currently reading The Vanishing American Adult by Ben Sasse. I have three young children and am always trying to think of ways to instill resilience, integrity, and life-long learning. This book has a lot of great ideas.
If you missed a Fellows Spotlight, you can find them here.