Best Lawyers in Arizona, United States for Trusts and Estates
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T.J. Ryan's practice encompasses virtually all aspects of family estates, from estate and business planning, to probate and trust administration, to litigating contested estates – an area in which he has achieved a strong track record for positive results. His commitment to excellence in estate controversy and estate planning matters has earned his election as a Fellow of the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel (ACTEC). T.J. focuses his practice on personal and business plannin...
Nichole Wilk brings over a decade of business and legal expertise. She began her law career working in commercial litigation and now uses those skills and knowledge gained to better assist and protect her clients in business and real estate transactions. Her practice includes both litigation and transactional representation. Real Estate: Nichole assists clients in a wide range of real estate matters. Her experience includes assistance with the purchase and sale of real property, leasing, and ...
Les Raatz is an attorney practicing primarily in the areas of estate planning, probate and trust administration, entity structuring, taxation, charitable organizations, commercial organizations, and commercial transactions. Mr. Raatz has significant experience representing hundreds of business clients and their families in connection with estate and tax planning. He has been an author and speaker at numerous seminars on areas of income and estate and gift taxation, selection of business entit...
Scott Erickson is an AV-rated Certified Specialist in Estate and Trust Law and a past chair of the State Bar of Arizona's Estate and Trust Advisory Commission, which assists the Arizona Board of Legal Specialization in the certification of estate and trust law practitioners. A partner at Frazer Ryan, Scott has an estate planning practice encompassing asset protection planning, business succession planning, charitable gift planning, pre-marital planning, probate and trust administration, busin...
Jerome Elwell is a litigator with extensive experience in complex civil and commercial litigation, including plaintiff’s personal injury and trust and estate litigation. The Best Lawyers ® and Super Lawyers honoree devotes a significant portion of his practice to probate and estate litigation, including contested guardianship and conservatorship matters, will and trust contests, disputed estate administrations and elder abuse violations. He received his B.S. in general business and ...
Lauren Garner is an experienced litigator and mediator whose practice emphasizes probate, trusts and guardian/conservatorships. Lauren’s clients rely on that experience and her sensitivity in matters that touch families, trusts, and estates. Dedication and personal involvement are a critical part of Lauren’s practice. She feels a deep sense of accomplishment in her 1998 move to Phoenix, after nearly a lifetime of business and personal contacts in Miami, Florida. Here, she has deve...
Gary Fletcher is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Real Estate Law and Trusts and Estates. Gary, who practices law in Phoenix, Arizona, has been recognized since 2026. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Gary is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Ryan joined Boyer Bohn after practicing real estate law at the national law firm, Snell & Wilmer, LLP. He is listed in Best Lawyers in America® in the area of Trusts and Estates and is an AV® Preeminent peer review rated attorney in Martindale Hubbell and is designated with the High Ethical Standing seal. He is also past President of East Valley Estate Planning Council and Valley Estate Planners. Ryan is licensed to practice in Utah as well as Arizona. A magna cum laude graduate o...
Max has received the highest ratings for outstanding quality and service from both his clients and his peers. He is listed among the Best Lawyers in America® in the areas of Tax Law and Trusts and Estates, is a Super Lawyer® and is an AV® Preeminent 5.0 out of 5 peer review rated attorney in Martindale Hubbell. Max is designated with the High Ethical Standing seal. Before founding Boyer Bohn in 1998, he was a partner in the Phoenix office of the international law firm, Bryan Cave,...
For four decades, Jim Ryan has helped high net worth Arizona families create and enjoy financial legacies. A Fellow of the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel (ACTEC) and a Certified Specialist in Estate and Trust Law, Jim Ryan is a widely acknowledged leader in Phoenix-Scottsdale legal and business circles for complex estate and business planning and estate administration. Jim is a past chair of the Estate and Trust Advisory Commission for the State Bar of Arizona, which administers...
Nora Jones is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Elder Law, Litigation - Trusts and Estates and Trusts and Estates. Nora, who practices law in Phoenix, Arizona, has been recognized since 2025. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Nora is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
John is the owner of Skabelund, PLLC. His practice focuses on asset protection. Utilizing various tools, he enables his clients to protect their wealth from lawsuits while also reducing federal estate taxes and promoting family harmony. His clients are typically real estate investors, business owners, executives, high profile professionals (doctors, lawyers, professional athletes, actors, etc.), or have inherited/won a large sum of money. However, John is not a typical lawyer. As a previous a...
Lisa Paine has over 15 years of diverse experience representing clients in business transactions, estate planning, and other legal matters. Business Transactions – A former business owner, Lisa is well versed in challenges faced by businesses and their owners. Her unique prospective benefits her business clients with business transactions and agreements, employment advice, and succession planning. Lisa assists business clients with an entire spectrum of business-related needs – fr...
Our Methodology
Recognition by Best Lawyers is based entirely on peer review. Our methodology is designed to capture, as accurately as possible, the consensus opinion of leading lawyers about the professional abilities of their colleagues within the same geographical area and legal practice area.
The Process
Best Lawyers employs a sophisticated, conscientious, rational, and transparent survey process designed to elicit meaningful and substantive evaluations of the quality of legal services. Our belief has always been that the quality of a peer review survey is directly related to the quality of the voters.