County Attorney Paralegals Win Local Awards

Yavapai County Attorney Dennis McGrane announced on March 22, 2024 that two of his Office’s Paralegals received prestigious office awards. County Attorney McGrane stated, “Prosecutors often get the glory when a prosecution results in a dangerous criminal being sent to prison or when an elder’s life savings are recovered from a swindler and returned. It is almost always the case that the prosecutor’s achievements were only possible because of the many hard-working non-attorney staff members in the Yavapai County Attorney’s Office. These men and women go above and beyond the call of duty every day to ensure that justice is carried out so that Yavapai County remains a great place for all of us to live and raise families. It is therefore my distinct honor to announce that two of my Office’s paralegals received awards that cast a little light on the invaluable and important work that my staff does every day.”

Danielle Beesley received the Yavapai County Attorney’s Office’s 2024 Legal Assistant of the Year Award. Ms. Beesley joined the office in 2018 as a litigation specialist. Within a year, she was promoted to become a legal assistant (paralegal). Ms. Beesley has mastered the art of multitasking, and frequently assists in and out of the courtroom with high-profile homicide cases while simultaneously responding to Special Actions in the Court of Appeals and Petitions for Post Conviction Relief. Ms. Beesley is highly organized, has excellent research and writing skills, is well-liked by her peers, and always maintains a professional and unflappable demeanor. Ms. Beesley’s work is exceptional because she is invested in her cases, and she knows her case’s facts better than almost anyone else. Ms. Beesley thinks logically and analytically, and uses her considerable knowledge of the law to identify and evaluate key concepts and facts related to her cases, and is passionate about seeking justice for victims.

Alisha Nakayama received the Yavapai County Attorney’s Office’s 2024 Gerda and Kurt Klein Guardians of Freedom Award. Ms. Nakayama is an experienced and tenacious legal assistant (paralegal) who is deserving of this award for myriad reasons, just one of which was Ms. Nakayama’s largely unrecognized efforts in drafting a Special Action brief in a child sex crimes case. The assigned prosecutor tragically passed away before the opening brief was drafted, so Ms. Nakayama drafted the brief largely on her own. Ms. Nakayama knew how important this case was to the prosecutor and the community, and knew a favorable Court of Appeals ruling would help to guide judges around Arizona in deciding when to dismiss a case. Largely due to Ms. Nakayama’s efforts, the Court of Appeals issued a published opinion in favor of the State. Although Ms. Nakayama’s name does not appear on the opinion, she was instrumental in obtaining this victory, and the consequences of her work will endure for generations in courtrooms across Arizona.