Taft, one of the fastest-growing law firms in the nation, announced the additions of employment law partner Emily Craiger and real estate and tribal law partner Nicole Simmons to its Phoenix office.

Craiger is a seasoned labor and employment attorney with more than two decades of experience representing clients ranging from small businesses to Fortune 500 companies. She advises both private and public sector organizations on a wide spectrum of employment law matters, including compliance with Title VII, the FMLA, ADA ADEA, and FLSA. She also has extensive experience conducting investigations and advising clients concerning discrimination, harassment, retaliation and wrongful discharge claims, as well as wage and hour, unfair competition, trade secrets, and restrictive covenants disputes.

In addition to her extensive employment advice practice, Craiger brings significant litigation experience to the table, including arbitrations, bench trials, and jury trials, as well as a background in government service. For more than eight years, she practiced at the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office, where she led the Land Use & Transactional and Government Advice Practice groups and later moving to Assistant Division Chief, overseeing the entire Civil Division.

“I value the chance to build strong, collaborative relationships with clients while guiding them through complex issues,” said Craiger. “Taft’s depth of resources allows me to serve clients at the highest level. Its rare combination of labor, employment, and government practices makes it the ideal place to grow alongside phenomenal attorneys.”

Simmons is a real estate and tribal law attorney who represents real estate clients from across the country in complex commercial real estate transactions, including acquisitions, dispositions, sale-leasebacks, and leasing matters. Her practice spans commercial, tribal, and energy sectors, advising on fee-to-trust transitions, land swaps, federal housing and EDA grant-related due diligence, and curatives for large-scale wind and solar projects across private, state, federal, and tribal lands. She is highly experienced in negotiating purchase and sale agreements, leases, easements, restrictive covenants, and other real estate documentation.

In addition, Simmons provides outside general counsel services to tribal entities and boards, advising on commercial, real estate, labor and employment, gaming, and general tribal law matters in state, tribal, and federal forums nationwide.

“In real estate transactions, everyone is moving in the same direction to achieve the same goal, which allows me to focus on being productive and creative in finding business solutions,” said Simmons. “Joining Taft was about putting clients first. I wanted to align with a firm that prioritizes client needs, and Taft’s commitment to that focus is what truly sets them apart.”

“The additions of Emily and Nicole to our Phoenix office is a huge win for our clients,” said Taft’s Phoenix Partner-in-Charge Craig Morgan. “The depth of their experience in employment law and real estate law strengthens our ability to deliver exceptional counsel. We’re excited to continue growing our Phoenix team and expanding the services we provide to meet client needs.”

Effective Jan. 1, 2025, Sherman & Howard combined with Taft, creating a firm powered by more than 1,100 attorneys from Washington, D.C. to the Mountain West. The combination enables both firms to deepen their benches of attorneys and strengthen their service offerings.

Since the merger, Taft’s Phoenix office has welcomed 13 attorneys, significantly expanding the firm’s strength across key practice areas and reshaping the depth of legal services available in the region. Taft’s employment and labor litigation capabilities have grown with the additions of Carrie Francis, Lonnie Williams Jr., Ashley Cheff, Craiger, Sharon Ng, Tim Lauxman, and James Camoriano, giving Phoenix employers and businesses access to one of the most comprehensive employment teams in the market. The firm’s litigation platform has also expanded meaningfully through the arrivals of Jim Holland in construction litigation and Matthew Holt and Peyton Williams in commercial litigation, strengthening Taft’s ability to handle complex, high-stakes disputes across industries. Taft’s enhanced public finance capacity, supported by Tyler Cobb and Roxann Lucas, further positions the firm to support major infrastructure and community development initiatives across Arizona. In addition, Simmons adds valuable depth to Taft’s growing real estate practice, supporting the region’s ongoing expansion.

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About Taft

Founded in 1885, Taft is one of the nation’s fastest-growing law firms, with a 140-year legacy rooted in the historic Taft family. With more than 1,100 attorneys and a modern, non-headquarter operating model, Taft is committed to delivering exceptional legal service to today’s organizations and individuals. The firm is recognized nationally in the Am Law 100, Chambers USA, Best Lawyers®, and Super Lawyers. Learn more at Taftlaw.com.