Top 100 Lawyers in Arizona for 2023

Amy Abdo

Fennemore Craig | Director

Practice Areas: Business litigation, healthcare, employment and labor, professional liability

Andrew Abraham

Burch & Cracchiolo | President and shareholder

Practice Areas: Real estate law, real estate litigation, commercial litigation

Contact: aabraham@bcattorneys.com

Background: Abraham is certified as a Real Estate Specialist by the Arizona Board of Legal Specialization and has been listed in Best Lawyers in America since 2008 and in every edition of Southwest Super Lawyers. In the 2011, 2014-2021 editions, Abraham was voted among the top 50 lawyers in Arizona by his peers. He is an AV® Preeminent 5.0 out of 5 peer review rated attorney in Martindale-Hubbell. Abraham has served as Burch & Cracchiolo’s president since 2017 and has spearheaded the firm’s move to a state-of-the-art office space and the robust recruitment of exceptional young attorneys to position the firm for many years to come. 

Ashley D. Adams

Adams & Associate | Founder and principal

Practice Areas: White collar criminal defense cases, representing corporate and individual clients in federal and state criminal trials, investigations, health care qui tam cases, and regulatory and administrative matters

Contact: aadams@azwhitecollarcrime.com

Background: Founder and principal of Adams & Associates, Adams is a former prosecutor with the United States Attorney’s Office with over 30 years experience. Adams specializes in white collar criminal defense cases, representing corporate and individual clients in federal and state criminal trials, investigations, health care qui tam cases, and regulatory and administrative matters. Adams is a former United States Assistant Attorney, and a former partner of the law firms of The Phoenix Law Group, and O’Connor Cavanagh.  She received her J.D. from Arizona State University in 1991 and her undergraduate degree from the University of Oklahoma in 1988. Adams currently serves as the American Bar Association’s co-chair for the Southwest Region’s Subcommittee on White Collar Crime, and is a member of the ABA’s Heath Care Fraud Subcommittee. 

Lynne C. Adams

Osborn Maledon | Partner

Practice Areas: Education law, government and regulatory law, open meetings law and public records law

Contact: ladams@omlaw.com

Best part of her practice: “I love being able to help schools focus on what’s important – educating students.”

Background: Adams is a strategic advisor and confidante to many of Arizona’s educators, navigating the everyday challenges faced by learning institutions so that they can focus on providing quality attention and scholarship to students across the state. Since her time serving as chief counsel of the Education and Health Section of the Arizona Attorney General’s Office, Adams has provided more than two decades’ worth of service to a wide range of charter schools, school districts, community colleges, and public and private universities.

Laurent Badoux

Buchalter | Shareholder

Practice Areas: Employment and labor law, with an emphasis on compensation and employee relations advice

John J. Balitis

Jennings, Strouss & Salmon | Chair, Labor & Employment

Practice Areas: Employment law and labor relations matters

Hilary L. Barnes

Allen Barnes & Jones | Member

Practice Areas: Corporate and consumer bankruptcy

Adam Baugh

Withey Morris | Partner

Practice areas: Land use and zoning law

Contact: adam@witheymorris.com

Source of pride: “Anybody can entitle 10,000 acres in the middle of Nowhere, Arizona, where there are few people to object. What gives me the most pride is obtaining city council approval on a dense, infill site, surrounded by an opposing mob of neighbors.  That is a feat few people accomplish and live to tell.”

Background: Baugh has been practicing land use and zoning law since 2007. He is a seasoned and successful lawyer who regularly works with city councils, planning commissions, and neighborhood groups in representing landowners, developers and businesses in obtaining land use entitlements.

Keith Beauchamp

Coppersmith Brockelman  | Partner

Practice Areas: Business torts, legal malpractice, litigation involving directors and officers, theft of trade secrets and restrictive covenants

Timothy J. Berg

Fennemore  | Director

Practice Areas: Civil appeals, state constitutional and public law, public records law and public utilities regulation

Steven N. Berger

Engelman Berger  | Shareholder

Practice Areas: Bankruptcy and reorganization, creditor’s rights, loan workouts, business restructurings, business and real estate disputes, mediation

William D. Bishop

Bishop Law Office  | Founder

Practice Areas: Family law

Gwendolyn Bjornson

Davis Miles McGuire Gardener | Partner

Practice Areas: Aviation, business law, employment, estate planning, export and trade regulations, transactional

Contact: davissmiles.com

Background: Bjornson is a partner in the law firm of Davis Miles McGuire Gardner where she focuses her efforts in providing clients access to justice through their membership in LegalShield. Bjornson has a broad-based knowledge of the law and counsels clients on a range of issues – from the formation of strategic business entities and business law transactions; to real estate matters. Bjornson also has extensive experience in counseling clients on estate planning. As a commercial pilot and a certified flight instructor, she often uses her knowledge of aviation and the law to counsel clients in aviation related legal matters.

Marc D. Blonstein

Bernes Blonstein  | Member

Practice Areas: Real estate transactions, real estate financing, master planned communities, subdivision matters, and leasing

Nicholas Boca

Cantor Law Group | Partner and managing family law attorney

Practice Areas: Family and Juvenile Law

Contact: cantorlawgroup.com

Background: A Phoenix native, Boca began his career as an assistant attorney general, representing the Department of Child Safety. In this position, he appeared in several hundred court hearings, mediations, and trials. After that, Boca started with Cantor Law Group, where he now is the managing family law partner. As a Board-Certified Family Law Specialist, Boca’s trial experience continues to build, handling extremely contentious custody matters, along with high-net-worth, complex, and high-profile cases. He is the co-chair of the MCBA family law section and past chair of the Juvenile Law Section for the State Bar of Arizona.

David Michael Cantor

DM Cantor | Founding Partner

Practice Areas: Criminal defense, homicide, white collar, and sex crimes.

Contact: d.cantor@dmcantor.com

Background: Cantor is a Board-Certified Criminal Law Specialist, and has conducted more than 200 jury trials in his 30-plus year career. These have ranged from misdemeanor DUI, to multi-million-dollar federal white collar and double-capital murder defense jury trials. He has also handled hundreds of pre-indictment sex crime allegations, as well as dozens of Professional Board and Title 9 defenses. Cantor has not only defended regular Arizona citizens, but also many high-profile businesses and clients whose cases have been featured on national media outlets such as CNN, the CBS morning show, “Hannity and Colmes,” “Inside Edition,” “Anderson Cooper Live,” “Good Morning America,” and the “Howard Stern Show.”

J. Craig Cartwright

Buchalter  | Managing shareholder

Practice Areas: Real estate, commercial lease law, real estate finance

Robert M. Charles, Jr.

Lewis Roca Rothgerber Christie  | Partner

Practice Areas: Bankruptcy and creditors’ rights

Shannon L. Clark

Gallagher & Kennedy  | Shareholder

Practice Areas: Plaintiff’s personal injury and wrongful death

Scott B. Cohen

Engelman Berger  | Shareholder

Practice Areas: Bankruptcy and creditors’ rights matters, loan workouts, business turnarounds, Chapter 11 reorganizations and commercial litigation

Ed Comitz

Comitz | Stanely  | Member

Practice Areas: Civil and commercial litigation, real estate litigation

Amy Cotton Peterson

Quarles & Brady  | National chair, Health Law Practice Group

Practice Areas: Healthcare

Helen R. Davis

The Cavanagh Law Firm | Chair of the board

Practice Areas: Family Law

Contact: hdavis@cavanaghlaw.com

Background: Davis is the managing partner and chair of The Cavanagh Law Firm and is adjunct faculty at the Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law. She handles complex financial and custody cases and is certified as a Specialist in family law by the Arizona State Bar; a Fellow of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers; a Fellow of the International Academy of Family Lawyers; is AV-rated by Martindale-Hubbell; honored by Best Lawyers in America since 2013, Southwest Super Lawyer since 2015, Arizona’s Finest Lawyer’s since 2014; honored as one of the most Influential Women in Arizona; and an Athena nominee.  

Barbara J. Dawson

Snell & Wilmer  | Partner

Practice Areas: Alternative dispute resolution, commercial litigation, class action litigation

John E. DeWulf

Coppersmith Brockelman  | Partner

Practice Areas: Contracts, business torts, trade secrets, real estate, securities, intellectual property, professional malpractice, officer and director liability, and products

John Alan Doran

Sherman & Howard  | Member

Practice Areas: Labor and employment, litigation, trials, appeals

Taryn A. Elliot

Polsinelli  | Product Design and User Interface Patent Prosecution chair

Practice Areas: Preparation and prosecution of patent applications

Christopher E. Erblich

Husch Blackwell | Partner

Practice Areas: Estate planning, business succession planning and tax planning for high-net-worth clients and business owners

Contact: chris.erblich@huschblackwell.com

Best part of the job: “I enjoy the opportunity to genuinely help families. I am fortunate to have spent a career working with extraordinary families who have quite literally led the American Dream.”

Background: Erblich holds a CPA Certificate and previously worked for the accounting firm KPMG. He is frequently sought out by fellow CPAs, lawyers and financial service professionals to develop creative planning solutions for complex situations. With extensive experience in federal transfer taxation and various income tax and estate planning techniques, Erblich provides on-going business guidance to many families and family businesses.

Steven H. Everts

Udall Shumway  | Equity Partner

Practice Areas: Family law

Leah S. Freed

Olgetree, Deakins, Nash, Smoak & Stewart  | Shareholder

Practice Areas: Management-side labor and employment law

Susan M. Freeman

Lewis Roca Rothgerber Christie  | Partner

Practice Areas: Business bankruptcy and appeals of all kinds

Paul D. Friedman

Accident Law Group  | Senior counsel

Practice Areas: Personal injury, ethics and malpractice

Garrick L. Gallagher

Sanders & Parks  | Owner and director

Practice Areas: Personal injury, mass torts, insurance litigation and coverage

Douglas C. Gardner

Davis Miles McGuire Gardner | Partner

Practice Areas: Estate planning, business succession planning and tax planning for high-net-worth clients and business owners

Contact: davismiles.com

Background: Gardner is the head of the family law department at Davis Miles McGuire Gardner across three states. He is a Certified Specialist in Family Law by the State Bar of Arizona and is the author of several books – including the “Arizona Divorce Book,”  “Arizona Prenuptial Agreements,” and “Amazing Intentions – Can a Divorce Attorney Save Your Marriage” (available on Amazon). He is a highly sought-after speaker and commentator on family law. Under his leadership, the Davis Miles McGuire Gardner family law team consistently ranks among the top three such practices among large law firms by Ranking Arizona.

Renee B. Gertsman

Gertsman Law  | Founder

Practice Areas: Alternative dispute resolution, business and corporate, real estate

Benjamin Gottlieb

Gottlieb Law | Founder

Practice Areas: Real estate law

Contact: gottlieblawaz.com

Best part of his practice: “Clients entrust us with matters of deep importance to their lives and the actions and steps we take as lawyers have a big impact on their lives and the chance to improve things significantly.”

Background: Gottlieb is an experienced litigation attorney who has handled hundreds of real estate, business, residential and commercial cases. His 10-plus year legal career has been highlighted by numerous court victories and successful settlements. He currently holds an undefeated jury trial record, having served as lead attorney in several jury trials. He has also successfully handled many appeals on behalf of clients at the Arizona Court of Appeals.

Stacey F. Gottlieb

Papetti Samuels Weiss McKirgan  | Partner

Practice Areas: Commercial litigation and white collar criminal defense

Phillip P. Guttilla

Polsinelli  | Office managing partner

Practice Areas: Private equity, mergers and acquisitions

Andrew F. Halaby

Greenberg Traurig  | Shareholder

Practice Areas: Intellectual property, law of lawyering, and business matters

Angela K. Hallier

Hallier Stearns  | Partner

Practice Areas: Family law

Wendy Raquel Hernandez

Hernandez Family Law  | Founder and managing attorney

Practice Areas: Family law

Donald W. Hudspeth

Law Offices of Donald W. Hudspeth | Principal Attorney

Practice Areas: Business and commercial law, copyrights, computer crimes and law, multidistrict litigation, mergers and acquisitions, formation and business planning, directors and officers liability, Uniform Commercial Code, joint ventures

Contact: azbuslaw.com

Background: Hudspeth has more than 20 years’ experience practicing corporate and business law. Before attending law school, Hudspeth held a stockbroker’s license at the age of 21 and owned his own business at the age of 23.  He was a business law professor at Arizona State University, West Campus, and has conducted classes and seminars for a number of higher institutions and organizations.  Hudspeth has published two books on law and is the founder of the radio programs “Law on the Edge” and “Law Talk.”

Susanne E. Ingold

Burch & Cracchiolo | Shareholder

Practice Areas: Employment law and litigation

Contact: singold@bcattorneys.com

In the news: Recently, Ingold was instrumental in win for national puppy mill case. She was also one of Az Business magazine’s Most Influential Women of 2018.

Background: Ingold regularly advises clients regarding issues of workplace discrimination, employer policies, employee discipline and termination, and compliance with state and federal labor and employment laws. She regularly represents clients before the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and in complex litigation matters in state and federal court. As an experienced litigator and trial lawyer, Susie has successfully defended corporations, businesses, employers, executives and management in jury trials throughout Arizona’s state and federal courts.

Megan E. Irwin

Hursch Blackwell | Office managing partner

Practice Areas: Environmental law

Contact: megan.irwin@huschblackwell.com

Best part of the job: “I love being able to help both my clients and my colleagues through complicated environmental matters.”

Background: Irwin advises clients on virtually all facets of corporate operations that touch upon environmental law and coordinates clients’ environmental remediation efforts. In the transactional setting, she frequently heads up environmental due diligence efforts for mergers and acquisitions, real estate transactions, and corporate finance. Irwin’s regulatory and transactional experience is reinforced by a strong litigation background, providing clients with a 360-degree perspective on how environmental law challenges can impact their business. Previously, Megan also worked for a national civil engineering firm and as an environmental consultant for two international environmental consulting firms.

Brandon A. Keim

Frazer Ryan Goldberg & Arnold | Senior Partner

Practice Areas: Tax law

Contact: bkeim@frgalaw.com

Best part of his practice: “I enjoy the opportunity to help clients navigate stressful situations and identify and implement effective solutions.”

Background: A Certified Tax Law Specialist, CPA, and senior partner at Frazer Ryan Goldberg & Arnold, Keim combines litigation experience and a strong understanding of accounting and business concepts in tax matters to represent clients in defense of taxing authorities and provide strategic tax advice before a dispute arises. He joined the firm after serving as a senior trial attorney with the Internal Revenue Service. Keim is also a Certified Tax Law Specialist by the State Bar of Arizona Board of Legal Specialization.

William G. Klain

Lang & Klain | Partner

Practice Areas: Complex corporate and commercial litigation 

Contact: lang-klain.com

Best part of the job: “I enjoy the daily opportunities to help clients resolve very real problems and issues, to work with and against other attorneys in a mutually respectful fashion, to assist new attorneys in their professional development, and to work in a profession in which every day is different and affords avenues for learning and improvement.” 

Background: Super Lawyers has twice ranked Klain in its “Top 50 Arizona” list, in 2018 and 2022. A Best Lawyers and Super Lawyers honoree in business litigation, Klain co-chaired the Arizona Supreme Court’s Task Force on the Arizona Rules of Civil Procedure and is past chair of the State Bar’s Civil Practice and Procedure Committee. 

Andy Kvesic

Redix Law | Managing Partner

Practice Areas: Clients include high net worth individuals, established businesses, hyper-growth companies, and state agencies

Contact: andy@radixlaw.com

Background: Kvesic joined Radix following a decorated legal career in the public and private sectors. He began his career practicing complex business litigation for nearly a decade at a large law firm in Phoenix, then became a prosecutor at the Arizona Attorney General’s Office where he focused on high profile racketeering, securities fraud, and public corruption matters. His combination of experience in litigation, criminal matters, appeals, government & regulatory affairs, crisis management, and private business provides one of a kind value, helping his clients achieve their goals while protecting against threats to their success.

Larry Lazarus

Lazarus & Silvyn  | Partner

Practice Areas: Land use, environmental law, government gegulation

Amy L. Lieberman

Insight Employment Mediation and Insight Mediation Group  | Founder

Practice Areas: Arbitration and mediation

John F. Lomax, Jr.

Snell & Wilmer  | Partner

Practice Areas: Employment law, wage and hour issues, restrictive covenants and trade secrets

Andrea Lovell

Littler  | Office managing shareholder

Practice Areas: Labor and employment 

Patrick R. MacQueen

Medalist Legal  | Founding partner

Practice Areas: Real estate transactional law and real estate litigation

Barry M. Markson

Gust Rosenfeld  | Partner

Practice Areas: Civil and commercial litigation, professional liability, premises liability, defamation, construction defect, environmental/toxic tort, products liability

Nicole Maroulakos Goodwin

Greenberg Traurig  | Managing shareholder

Practice Areas: Corporate governance disputes, financial services litigation, real estate litigation, post-acquisition disputes, health care litigation, and franchise litigation 

Bruce B. May

Gallagher & Kennedy  | Senior counsel

Practice Areas: Real estate 

Paul J. McGoldrick

Shorall McGoldrick Brinkmann  | Attorney and owner

Practice Areas: Personal injury cases and has experience as lead counsel in complex business disputes 

Michael McGrath

Mesch Clark Rothschild  | Partner and board chair

Practice Areas: Debtor and creditor rights as well as commercial and real estate litigation and transactions 

Nicholas H. Meza

Quarles & Brady  | Partner

Practice Areas: Healthcare 

Tracy A. Miller

Ogletree Deakins  | Shareholder

Practice Areas: All facets of labor and employment law and civil rights 

Michael D. Moberly

Clark Hill  | Member

Practice Areas: Assists employers in the technology, banking, mining, and transportation industries  

Jason B. Morris

Withey Morris | Founding Partner

Practice Areas: Land use, planning, zoning and government relations 

Contact: witheymorris.com

Background: Morris is a graduate of the Arizona College of Law, and a founding partner at the law firm of Withey Morris, PLC.  His practice is exclusively in land use, planning, zoning and government relations.  His client list includes several national homebuilders, master plan developers, commercial-industrial landowners and Fortune 100 companies. Morris is currently on the Board of Trustees for the Rocky Mountain Land Use Institute and the Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation. Additional outside boards include Valley Leadership, Metro Phoenix Boys & Girls Clubs, Urban Land Institute, ASU Real Estate Council, and past Chairman of the Maricopa County Board of Adjustment.

Kristen A. Murphey

Henze Cook Murphey  | Attorney

Practice Areas: Public procurement, commercial litigation, appeals 

Randy Nussbaum

Sacks Tierney  | Attorney

Practice Areas: Bankruptcy, debtor and creditor rights, trustee representation, commercial litigation, real estate law, construction litigation  

Scott I. Palumbo

Palumbo Wolfe & Palumbo | Founding Partner

Practice Areas: Personal injury and wrongful death 

Contact: palumbowolfe.com 

Background: Palumbo is a trial lawyer dedicated to representing those who have suffered serious personal injuries and those who have lost loved ones to wrongful death. He is a past president of the Arizona Association for Justice/Arizona Trial Lawyers Association and an adjunct professor at Arizona State University’s Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law. Palumbo is included in The Best Lawyers in America and was named the 2023 “Lawyer of the Year” for both Plaintiff’s Medical Malpractice Law and Plaintiff’s Personal Injury Litigation. 

Randy Papetti

Papetti Samuels Weiss McKirgan  | Partner

Practice Areas: Has litigated and tried major commercial, intellectual property, and even criminal cases   

Kristy Peters

Littler  | Office managing shareholder

Practice Areas: Labor and employment matters arising under federal and state laws 

Steven Plitt

The Cavanagh Law Firm | Senior Member

Practice Areas: Insurance defense 

Contact: splitt@cavanaghlaw.com

Background: Plitt is one of Arizona’s premier insurance coverage lawyers. With more than 40 years of experience, he is an insurance coverage lawyer handling complex, high exposure disputes and bad faith cases. He was inducted as a Fellow into the American College of Coverage Counsel and the American Law Institute. He has been named as an Insurance Lawyer of the Year several times by Best Lawyers. Plitt has been a top 50 lawyers in Arizona for Southwest Super Lawyers for the past 15 years. He is Band 1 ranked by Chambers and Partners USA and teaches Insurance Law at The University of Arizona. 

Jason Pritchett

Radix Law | Partner

Practice Areas: Commercial business transactions, mergers and acquisitions

Contact: pritchett@radixlaw.com

Background: Pritchett is an experienced Arizona business attorney practicing primarily in the areas of commercial business transactions, mergers and acquisitions, contract drafting, reviewing and negotiation, as well as sports consulting and advisement. Previously Mr. Pritchett practiced in the litigation and corporate groups at Fennemore Craig. Pritchett’s diverse practice experience in both the litigation and corporate worlds, grants him a complete perspective of business transactions and entity development from inception to completion. This valued insight enables Pritchett to efficiently and effectively advance his clients’ interests, whether fellow attorneys, business executives or start-up entrepreneurs alike.

Stephanie Quincy

Greenberg Traurig  | Shareholder

Practice Areas: Labor and employment, trade secrets and unfair competition, financial institutions litigation, trade secrets

Brennan Ray

Burch & Cracchiolo | Shareholder

Practice Areas: Real estate, land use and zoning

Contact: bray@bcattorneys.com

Background: Ray is a Certified Specialist in Real Estate, Arizona Board of Legal Specialization, and practices with the firm’s zoning and real estate attorneys. He has experience in the areas of land use planning, zoning, real estate transactions, landlord/tenant, title insurance and other real estate-related matters. Ray also is experienced in commercial and business litigation. 

Patricia Lee Refo

Snell & Wilmer  | Partner

Practice Areas: Complex commercial litigation and internal investigations, professional malpractice defense 

Lisa Reilly Payton

Frazer Ryan Goldberg & Arnold | Senior partner

Practice Areas: Assists clients facing collection or audit issues before the IRS and state taxing authorities 

Contact: lpayton@frgalaw.com

Source of pride: “Becoming an equity partner at my firm. It was a goal I strived to accomplish in my 30s. The reason it was so important to me was that I wanted to show other young females coming up in the practice of law that they could achieve partner status if it was their goal.” 

Background: In addition to her tax practice, Reilly Payton helps individuals and business owners with estate planning, succession planning, and entity formation. She employs an all-female team of professional women. She was also featured as one of Az Business’ Most Influential Women in Arizona Business in 2018. 

Cynthia A. Ricketts

Ricketts Case  | Founding partner

Practice Areas: Complex contract and commercial litigation, consumer class action defense 

Wendy Riddell

Berry Riddell  | Founding and managing partner

Practice Areas: Land use law and lobbying  

Joel B. Robbins

Robbins & Curtin  | Partner

Practice Areas: Personal injury  

David B. Rosenbaum

Osborn Maledon | Partner

Practice Areas: Complex commercial litigation 

Contact: omlaw.com

Source of pride: “I have been blessed with many opportunities to serve the legal profession and the community at large through leadership posts on boards and committees, where lasting changes are made that benefit many, not just a few.” 

Background: Valued by clients for his ability to analyze and respond to complicated commercial litigation, Rosenbaum has built a strong practice representing Fortune 50 companies in state and federal courts. Rosenbaum has served as president of the Federal Bar Association Phoenix Chapter and Lawyer Representative to the Ninth Circuit Judicial Conference, enriching his knowledge and experience to shrewdly navigate the finer points of litigating in the federal courts, particularly involving securities class action defense and IP disputes.  

Michael J.S. Rusing

Rusing Lopez & Lizardi  | Equity partner

Practice Areas: Civil litigation

Thomas J. Salerno

Stinson  | Partner

Practice Areas: Bankruptcy and creditors’ rights, aviation and aerospace 

Melissa S. San Angelo

Gust Rosenfeld | Partner

Practice Areas: General civil matters including business disputes, employment law, insurance defense, and the defense of liability claims against health care facilities and providers 

Bruce Samuels

Papetti Samuels Weiss McKirgan  | Partner

Practice Areas: Litigation

Bruce Samuels

Papetti Samuels Weiss McKirgan  | Partner

Practice Areas: Litigation

Jessica S. Sanchez

Udall Shumway  | Partner

Practice Areas: Education law, representing school districts and charter schools throughout the state 

Brian J. Schulman

Weiss Brown  | Attorney

Practice Areas: Complex business disputes, including contract matters, fraud, securities law, shareholder disputes, real estate, financial services, and officer/director liability 

Darin A. Sender

Sender Associates | President and founding attorney

Practice Areas: Zoning, land use and entitlement 

Contact: senderlaw.com

Background: Sender is founder of Sender Associates, a woman-owned and AV-rated law firm based in Tempe, celebrating its 22nd anniversary this year. For more than 25 years, Sender has been involved in the development and entitlement fields. She has taught practical zoning and land use at ASU in the School of Geographical Sciences and Urban Planning at the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences and taught zoning and land use law at ASU in the Master of Real Estate Development program in the W.P. Carey School of Business. Sender served as a mayor-appointed member of the Tempe Board of Adjustment for seven years, and the Tempe Planning Commission for five years. 

Dev Sethi

Schmidt, Sethi & Akmajian  | Partner

Practice Areas: Personal injury and wrongful death 

Laura Sever Blanco

Gust Rosenfeld | Attorney

Practice Areas: Real estate transactional law and general corporate law

Bradley Shwer

Thorpe Shwer | Co-founding partner

Practice Areas: Business and commercial litigation, personal injury torts, and products liability 

Keri L. Silvyn

Lazarus & Silvyn | Partner

Practice Areas: Zoning and land use law 

K. Thomas Slack

Beale Micheaels Slack & Shughart | Partner

Practice Areas: Catastrophic injury and wrongful death 

Gary Smith

Guidant Law Firm | Manager

Practice Areas: Cannabis, psychedelics, construction, real estate and administrative law

Contact: admin@guidant.law

Background: A seasoned litigator, mediator and arbitrator, Smith focuses his practice on cannabis, psychedelics, construction, real estate and administrative law. He is trusted to handle a wide range of complex, multi-million-dollar disputes. A prolific writer, speaker and thought leader, Smith has authored numerous legal manuals, including “The Orange Book: The Regulation of Arizona Contractors” and “Psychedelica Lex”, the latter of which solidified him among the country’s foremost authorities on psychedelics law. AV Preeminent rated from Martindale-Hubbell®, Smith founded the Arizona Cannabis Bar Association and serves on the board of the Arizona Cannabis Chamber of Commerce.   

Pat Stanley

Comitz | Stanely | Member

Practice Areas: Civil and commercial litigation, real estate and business transactions 

William Thorpe

Thorpe Shwer | Founding partner

Practice Areas: Complex commercial and tort matters 

Geoff Trachtenberg

Levenbaum Trachtenberg | Managing partner

Practice Areas: Personal injury, litigation and appeals 

Lorena Van Assche

Thrope Shwer | Partner

Practice Areas: Business, commercial, lending, and trust and estate litigation 

Debora L. Verdier 

The Cavanagh Law Firm | Senior member

Practice Areas: Labor and employment 

Contact: dverdier@cavanaghlaw.com

Background: Verdier defends employers, including municipalities, in all types of labor and employment disputes pending before the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, state and federal courts and private arbitrators. She has been appointed to the International Association of Defense Counsel and  served as a judge pro tem in the Maricopa County Superior Court for eight years. Since 2012, she has served as an adjunct professor at Arizona State University where she teaches a practical skill course called “The Litigation Experience.” She has been recognized as one of Southwest Supers Lawyers’ Top 25 Arizona Women Attorneys for seven years in a row.  

Scott K. Weiss

Weiss Brown | Attorney

Practice Areas: Mergers and acquisitions, start-up emerging businesses, financing  

Christine Whalin

DM Cantor | Partner and managing criminal defense attorney 

Practice Areas: Criminal defense, white collar defense, DUI-related defense.

Contact: c.whalin@dmcantor.com

Background: Whalin is presently one of only 10 female criminal defense attorneys in the state of Arizona who are Board Certified Specialists in Criminal Law per the State Bar of Arizona, Board of Legal Specialization. She is also an “AV” rated attorney under Martindale-Hubbell’s peer review process. Whalin is a trial lawyer practicing for more than 15 years, strictly in the area of criminal defense. She focuses on representing individuals in all types of criminal cases ranging from state and federal felony and misdemeanor matters, along with school discipline and Title IX litigation. She is particularly skilled handling major felony cases involving sexual misconduct, sexual assault, and other serious “life-in-prison” allegations.

Dennis Wilenchik

Wilenchik & Bartness | Member and manager

Practice Areas: Complex civil litigation, business and real estate law, contract and business disputes, criminal law, civil and criminal appeals

Contact: DIW@wb-law.com

Attraction to industry: “I was attracted to the idea of helping others to achieve simple justice, and that is truly why I became a lawyer.”

Background: Wilenchik is a civil litigation attorney practicing more than 40 years in business and real estate litigation. He is a certified civil trial advocate by the National Board of Trial Advocacy and past chairman of the State Bar Civil Trial Practice Section. Wilenchik is rated AV Preeminent by Martindale Hubbell. Wilenchik is an Arizona Bar Foundation Fellow and was elected a Fellow to the American Board of Professional Liability Attorneys.

Susan M. Wissink

Fennemore Craig | Director

Practice Areas: Corporate and mergers and acquisitions 

Jason F. Wood

Quarles & Brady | Phoenix office managing partner 

Practice Areas: Real estate and land use 

Mark G. Worischeck

Sanders & Parks | Shareholder

Practice Areas: Complex civil litigation