By Attorney AJ Hall. Senator Jon Kyl passed away on September 16, 2026, at 84. He loved his country and served his country and Arizona for many, many years. In 2002, just before law school, he gave me an internship at his Phoenix office. This is a short thank you.
The Internship
In 2002, just before law school, Senator Kyl’s Phoenix office took me on as an intern. Most of the work was constituent work: the calls and letters from Arizonans who needed something from their government and didn’t know who else to ask.
That summer the Rodeo-Chediski fire burned across the White Mountains, the largest wildfire Arizona had seen up to then. As an intern I worked on special projects, including a federal courthouse briefing after the fire. I was a long way from the decisions. I was close enough to watch how they were made.
The Letter
When the internship ended he signed a photo for me and sent a letter on Senate letterhead, dated December 6, 2002. It says, in part: “It offered me an opportunity to work with an outstanding young adult interested in our nation’s government. Your assistance with our varied constituent work has been an asset to this office.”
Both still hang next to each other in my home office. They have been there through law school, four years as a government prosecutor, and every year of practice since.
What I Saw Up Close
I saw what it meant to advocate for an unpopular position. He took positions because he believed they were right, and he did not back off when they cost him. That has helped me throughout my legal career. Advocacy is the job. Advocacy when it isn’t easy is the part that matters.
Thank You, Senator
Rest easy. Our thoughts are with the Kyl family.
Attorney AJ Hall
AJ Hall Injury Law Team, Phoenix