Samuel Gottstein’s practice focuses on complex commercial litigation, with particular expertise in appeals, state constitutional law, and election law.

At the start of his career, Sam worked as an Assistant Public Defender in the criminal trial unit in Anchorage for over two years, where he represented hundreds of clients through all phases of the criminal trial process.  After going into private practice, Sam has been involved in a number of high-profile complex civil cases.  Some of Sam’s recent notable cases include:

• Prevailing in a child custody dispute after arguing before the Alaska Supreme Court.  Robert A. v. Tatiana D., 474 P.3d 651 (Alaska 2020).

• Saving the Power Cost Equalization Endowment Fund, valued at over $1 billion, which is used to assist over 80,000 rural Alaskans in nearly 200 communities contend with high energy costs.  Alaska Federation of Natives, et al. v. Governor Dunleavy, et al., 3AN-21-06737CI (Alaska Super. Aug. 11, 2021).

• Succeeding in placing election reforms on the general election ballot, Kevin Meyer et al. v. Alaskans for Better Elections, 465 P.3d 477 (Alaska 2020), and later protecting those popularly-enacted reforms from a constitutional challenge.  Kohlhaas et al. v. State of Alaska, 3AN-20-09532CI (Alaska Super. July 29, 2021).

• Preventing a local government from violating its own municipal code by successfully obtaining a preliminary injunction.  Hosford et al. v. Municipality of Skagway Borough, et al., 1JU-21-00664CI (Alaska Super. Sept. 7, 2021).

• Appearing before the Alaska Public Offices Commission and helping clients comply with Alaska’s election laws.

• Providing assistance with general corporate formation and compliance, including for ANCSA corporations and municipal governments.

Sam is a lifelong Alaskan who began his legal career clerking first for Judge Catherine M. Easter of the Alaska Superior Court in Anchorage, and then for Justice Daniel E. Winfree of the Alaska Supreme Court in Fairbanks.  Prior to clerking, Sam had interned for the Alaska Department of Law in the Oil, Gas, and Mining Section, externed with Judge Timothy M. Burgess of the U.S. District Court in Anchorage, and served as a legislative aide in Juneau for two legislative sessions.