Top best Criminal Defense Lawyers Near me in ZIP 85351

Zachary Mushkatel discovered his affinity for the law by chance. As a political science major at the University of Arizona, he first aspired to become a professor. But an unexpected invitation to participate on a mock trial team at the university encouraged him to turn his competitive spirit and drive to help others into a legal career.. “The law is about representing the client’s best interest, being able to think on your feet, and being a master of language and persuasion,” he says. “It just felt like home to me.”. Mushkatel graduated from the University of Minnesota Law School in 2004 and has gone on to build a thriving law firm representing clients in the Sun Cities, Northwest Valley and the Phoenix metro region.. Mushkatel brings a diverse array of legal expertise to his practice at Mushkatel, Robbins & Becker, PLLC. He started as a public defender before joining the law office of Henry Florence and Sherry Bell to work as a criminal defense attorney. In 2008, he joined forces with Mathis Becker to form Mushkatel and Becker. Throughout that period, he gained experience working in various practice areas, including personal injury, estate litigation, estate planning, guardianship and conservatorship work, probate, corporate litigation, real estate, and various civil matters. Mushkatel’s cross-disciplinary background provides for comprehensive counsel to clients to explore all possible legal avenues.. Today, Mushkatel assists individuals throughout the Valley in personal injury, estate and civil litigation matters. Providing exceptional client service and producing results are his top priorities.. “My job is to provide a lifeline to clients who feel stuck or helpless and to go to bat for them,” he says.. Several of Mushkatel’s personal injury cases have resolved in excess of one-million dollars. He is the recipient of the 2020 Top-Rated Lawyer Award from Avvo and has been named a “Top 40 Under 40” by The National Trial Lawyers and a Premier Attorney by The National Academy of Jurisprudence.. For Mushkatel, delivering maximum results does not mean sacrificing personal relationships. Success comes from taking the time to get to know each client’s individual needs and tailoring the legal approach to match his or her goals. Building those relationships results from creating an unpretentious yet professional environment that puts people at ease.. “Most law firms run like businesses,” says Mushkatel. “The problem is that a business’s interests may not always run in stride with a client’s best interests. Our clients are our Number One priority, and the way we show it is by sitting back and listening quite a bit.”. Community service is important to Mushkatel and every attorney in the firm. Each lawyer is required to work on at least two pro bono cases at all times. Mushkatel believes those services should be provided not for the accolades or to meet State Bar requirements, but simply because helping others is fundamental to the legal profession.. Mushkatel is licensed in the State of Arizona, the Federal District Court of Arizona and is admitted to practice before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. He is on the board and a faculty member for the Arizona College of Trial Advocacy, a program of the State Bar of Arizona’s Trial Practice Section. He is a past president and a member of the West Maricopa County Bar Association and a former member of the Board of Directors of the Surprise Regional Chamber of Commerce and the Sun Valley Lodge.. A former semi-professional baseball pitcher, Mushkatel has coached his son’s Little League team for several years. When he is not working, he enjoys golf and spending time with his family.

Heather Baker graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison with a Bachelor of Arts degree in 2001, and obtained her Juris Doctorate from Brooklyn Law School in 2004. Ms. Baker is an Arizona native that left the state for school, but returned home to practice law in 2004. Heather’s primary area of focus at the firm is family law. Ms. Baker also has substantial criminal law experience. Prior to joining Mushkatel, Robbins and Becker, Ms. Baker practiced criminal defense with the Maricopa County Public Defender’s Office, where she handled a wide variety of criminal matters, ranging from the most simple of infractions up to the most severe and complex cases. While practicing criminal defense, Ms. Baker also gained ample experience as a trial attorney.. Ms. Baker is actively involved with the State Bar of Arizona. She currently serves on the Executive Board of the Young Lawyer’s Division, is a member of the Criminal Defense Practice and Procedure Committee, and was selected to be a participant in the 2012-2013 Arizona Bar Leadership Institute. Ms. Baker is also a member of the Arizona Women’s Lawyer Association, Maricopa County Bar Association, West Maricopa County Bar Association, and has served on several panels to educate young lawyers and law students on various aspects of law.