Meighan N Lafata

Meighan was born and raised in Tucson’s east side. She attended the University of Arizona, graduating magna cum laude with a degree in Public Health before attending the UA College of Law on a full academic scholarship. While in law school, Meighan served as the Operations Editor for the Arizona Journal of International and Comparative Law in which she published her law school note. Meighan was a distinguished scholar at UA Law, and recipient of multiple awards including the Rose Davis Public Service Graduation Award. She graduated with a certificate in Health Law.

After graduation, Meighan began working at the Pima County Public Defender’s Office. During her time there, she vigorously advocated for her clients and gained experience in all aspects of criminal litigation. She handled a wide range of cases ranging from high-profile murder cases to misdemeanor DUI’s. She quickly earned a reputation as a hard-working, dedicated, and talented attorney and was soon promoted internally to a supervisor role. Because of her background and education, Meighan is particularly adept at handling criminal cases that are medically complex. In addition to serving clients, Meighan sits on the Board of Directors for Youth On Their Own, a non-profit devoted to serving homeless youth in Pima County. 

She is a skilled negotiator and she understands the importance of working a case thoroughly from the outset. Through robust investigations and motions practice, she is able to work out pre-indictment dismissals for her clients when appropriate and strategically use the flaws of the State’s case to her client’s advantage when negotiating.

Meighan is well-liked and respected both within the legal community and by her clients. She understands that each person facing criminal charges has needs and circumstances that are unique, and she works collaboratively with each client to help them understand their case and their options.