Riisa Petersen Mandel

Born and raised in El Centro, California, Riisa Petersen Mandel has dedicated her career to protecting the rights of her fellow Arizonans.  The Justice System can be challenging to navigate alone, and after practicing law since 2006,  Riisa has built a reputation based on experience, determination, grit, and an unwavering dedication to YOU, her client.

Riisa attended law school at Tucson's own James E. Rogers College of Law at the University of Arizona.  After graduation, she was immediately hired as a prosecutor in the Pima County Attorney's office, where she specialized in DUI and domestic abuse prosecutions. It was there that Riisa learned the "prosecutor's playbook."

In time, Riisa decided that her true desire was to defend the accused. She took her knowledge of the "prosecutor's playbook" and was immediately hired into a prominent Tucson firm in the private sector.  Since 2007, she has been working to defend the accused using her firsthand knowledge of prosecutorial tactics.  Riisa knows what moves the prosecutor will make against you, making her better able to defend you against them.  In addition to criminal defense, Riisa successfully built and managed the Family Law and Domestic Relations wing of the firm in which she became second in command. It would continue to thrive throughout her tenure.

Today, Riisa operates her practice based on the respect, experience, and reputation that she has earned in Tucson's legal community. Her philosophy is simple: YOU are her priority.  Your defense is her duty and your right. 

As a successful trial attorney and litigator with firsthand knowledge on both sides of the criminal system and unparalleled leadership experience in family law, nobody is better prepared to defend your rights and fight for you and your family.