Edward O. Comitz, Esq. heads the Health and Disability Insurance Practice Section at Bonnett Fairbourn Friedman & Balint, P.C., a firm that has earned a national reputation for prosecuting claims on behalf of individuals based on fraud and unfair business practices in the insurance and healthcare industries. His Arizona practice focuses on the cities of Phoenix, Tucson, Flagstaff, and Yuma.
Mr. Comitz has extensive experience in disability insurance coverage and bad faith litigation, representing physicians and other professionals in reversing denials of their disability claims. Mr. Comitz has also represented institutional and individual clients in complex litigation matters involving antitrust, business torts, class actions, corporate and partnership matters, fraud, securities, breach of non-compete and anti-solicitation agreements, unfair competition and receiverships. He has received an AV-rating by the Martindale-Hubbell Law Directory predicated on his legal expertise and professionalism. In addition, Mr. Comitz has been named a southwest Super Lawyer by Law and Politics. The rigorous selection process included 18,000 attorney ballots, followed by creation of a candidate pool, extensive peer evaluation and final selection. Only the top 5% of the total lawyers in Arizona and New Mexico were selected.
Mr. Comitz and other members of the Firm have served as lead or co-lead counsel on several high-profile consumer protection cases, including Grant v. Arthur Andersen, L.L.P. et al., the securities fraud and consumer class action arising out of the collapse of the Baptist Foundation of Arizona. In those proceedings, class counsel and others reached settlements totaling $238 million, including a $217 million settlement with Arthur Andersen relating to its role as auditor for BFA. The $217 million settlement with Arthur Andersen is the largest settlement amount ever paid by a Big Five accounting firm not associated with the savings and loan crisis, and twice the settlement amount Arthur Andersen has ever agreed to in settlement of an auditing claim. In addition, Mr. Comitz has worked on trial teams in multi-billion dollar antitrust litigation involving key participants in the satellite communications industry. Prior to joining the Firm, Mr. Comitz was associated with the international law firm, Squire Sanders & Dempsey, L.L.P.
Mr. Comitz is a member of the State Bar of Arizona and the Maricopa County Bar Association. In addition to his pro hac vice appearances, Mr. Comitz is admitted to practice in the State of Arizona; and the U.S. District Court, Districts of Arizona and Colorado. Mr. Comitz is an adjunct professor at Arizona State College of Law. He received his B.A. in journalism, magna cum laude, from Creighton University and his J.D., cum laude, from Seattle University, where he was a Merit Scholar and Associate Editor of the Law Review.
