Title: Principal Assistant and City Attorney
Company: City of Tucson
Location: Tucson, Arizona, United States
Regina L. Nassen, Esq., principal assistant and city attorney with the City of Tucson, has been recognized by Marquis Who’s Who Top Lawyers for dedication, achievements, and leadership in legal services.
With over three decades of experience, Ms. Nassen has built a distinguished career as a city attorney, specializing in public law. She currently serves as the principal assistant city attorney with the City of Tucson, a role she has held since 2021. In this capacity, she advises elected and appointed officials, handles litigation, assists in negotiating and drafting complex commercial and real estate agreements, collaborates with finance on government bond issuances, and works with procurement to ensure compliance with government purchasing standards and forms. Her experience also includes serving as deputy director of economic development for Pima County, Arizona, in 2021, civil deputy county attorney for Pima County from 2003 to 2021, and associate at Snell & Wilmer L.L.P. from 1993 to 2000. Laying a strong educational foundation, she earned a Bachelor of Arts in philosophy and anthropology from the University of Northern Iowa, graduating summa cum laude in 1986, and a Juris Doctor from the James E. Rogers College of Law at the University of Arizona, summa cum laude, in 1992.
Ms. Nassen also dedicates her time as a fellow with the American Bar Foundation, a governing council member for the Government and Public Sector Lawyers Division of the American Bar Association, and a CLE committee member with the Center for Professional Responsibility of the American Bar Association. Additionally, she contributes as a member of the Arizona Commission on Judicial Conduct for the Arizona Supreme Court and has previously served as council chair and council member for the Public Lawyer Section of the State Bar of Arizona. She was also a member of the Ethics Advisory Committee for the Arizona Supreme Court from 2018 to 2023 and is a proud sponsor of The Humane Society of the United States. In light of her impressive undertakings, she was honored as Member of the Year by the State Bar of Arizona, featured in AZ Business Magazine by AZ Big Media in 2024, and received the Distinguished Public Lawyer award from the Arizona Public Lawyer Section of the State Bar of Arizona in 2015.
Additionally, Ms. Nassen has made significant contributions to the field of government lawyer ethics. While serving at the county attorney’s office, she led the ethics department and conducted numerous ethics classes. More recently, she collaborated with a task force to revise the rules governing government lawyer ethics. She attributes her success to the support of her colleagues over the years and finds great fulfillment in the meaningful and impactful nature of her work. Her passion for law keeps her engaged, as she firmly believes that only boring people get bored. Additionally, she is driven to solve problems, excelling at simplifying complex legal issues for the benefit of both courts and clients. She is known for her meticulous approach, and her strong legal writing and analytical skills, which allow her to craft clear and effective solutions. Looking to the future, she aspires to serve on the appellate court and has applied for an available position on the Arizona Supreme Court.
For more information, please visit:
Contact Ms. Nassen:
