Coppersmith, Sam, 1955-

Samuel George Coppersmith (born May 22, 1955) is an American attorney and politician. A member of the Democratic Party, he notably served as the U.S. Representative for Arizona's 1st congressional district from 1993 to 1995.

Born in Johnstown, Pennsylvania, he graduated magna cum laude from Harvard University before working as a Foreign Service Officer with the U.S. State Department, assigned to the U.S. Embassy in Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago. After returning to the United States, he earned a J.D. from Yale Law School in 1982. After law school, he clerked for Judge William C.Canby Jr., of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, and served as an assistant to Terry Goddard, the Mayor of Phoenix. From 1986 to 1990, Coppersmith served as director of the Arizona Community Service Legal Assistance Foundation; from 1989 to 1992, he served as a member and chair of the Phoenix Board of Adjustment. Coppersmith also practiced business and real estate law in Phoenix.

In 1992, Coppersmith won the Democratic primary in Arizona's 1st District and defeated three-term Republican Jay Rhodes in the general election. In 1994, Coppersmith gave up his seat after only one term to run for the U.S. Senate when Dennis DeConcini retired; after narrowly winning the Democratic primary, Coppersmith subsequently lost to fellow Congressman Jon Kyl by 14 points. After leaving Congress, Coppersmith spent two years as the chairman of the Arizona Democratic Party. He resumed practicing real estate law in Phoenix as a managing partner of the law firm of Coppersmith Schermer & Brockelman PLC.