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James Phelps is managing partner at Phelps LaClair. Born and raised in Arizona, James has strong ties to the state where his family has resided for several generations. He developed a passion for the practice of law at a young age when he worked alongside his father, who is also an estate planning attorney, for many years before attending law school. James has been practicing law since 1999 and devotes his law practice exclusively to estate planning and trust administration and enjoys helping clients achieve peace of mind by preventing “fires” instead of having to put them out.. James has counseled thousands of clients who have benefited from trusts and estate plans that protect wealth, minimize estate taxes and avoid probate. His clients come from all walks of life and have both modest and wealthy estates. James has the unique experience of having handled hundreds of trusts and estates after people have passed away and knows what works and doesn’t when the time comes. James truly enjoys educating others on the importance of estate planning and presents dozens of estate planning seminars each year to organizations, clients and the public.. James graduated summa cum laude in accounting from Arizona State University in 1996, after which he attended law school at J. Reuben Clark Law School and graduated cum laude in 1999. He is a longstanding member of the State Bar of Arizona Probate and Trust Section, WealthCounsel, the Maricopa County Bar Association and the J. Reuben Clark Law Society.. James and his wife, Jolene, have three very active children. He is passionate about living a healthy and balanced life and loves to coach and play competitive tennis. James shares his love of sports with kids as a volunteer coach, and on weekends he enjoys backpacking, camping, paddle boarding and other high adventure activities.

Charlie received his law degree, Masters in Taxation and Bachelors degrees from the University of Alabama School of Law and is admitted in the State of Alabama. He is rated AV Preeminent by his peers per Martindale-Hubbell.. His practice focuses on business formation, reorganization, acquisition and disposition, as well as tax planning for both large and small enterprises. Utilizing his expertise in the tax code, Uniform Commercial Code, and bankruptcy code allows him to provide a broad range of planning services as well as provide opinions in connection with transactions.  Family business succession planning and related estate planning lead to many complex structures of business enterprises.. His clients are entrepreneurs (first and repeats), businesses in manufacturing, engineering, publishing, insurance, advertising, construction, land development, medical, healthcare, secured lending, restaurants and other professional or service businesses.. He is a founding member and secretary and treasurer of an Alabama malpractice mutual insurance company and serves many company boards as counsel.

I am a Certified Specialist in Family Law, and have practiced for 38 years.  At the firm, we handle all types of family law matters, including divorce, separation, modifications and enforcement of family court orders, child support, spousal maintenance (alimony), all with efficiency, responsiveness, experience and assertiveness.

David focuses his practice in family law. He assists clients with divorces, child custody issues, post-decree modifications, and pre- and post-nuptial agreements. David is experienced with high conflict family law matters and has tried numerous cases. He has particular expertise when dealing with issues relative to children both during dissolution and issues that arise after a client’s divorce or establishment matter. David passionately advocates for what matters most to his clients and builds a strategic, custom game plan for each. He takes pride in the details and genuinely cares for his clients and the best interests of their children. While his primarily practice is family law, David continues to have a passion for sports law and teaches both Family Law and Sports Law courses at ASU’s College of Law.

Stephen Biggs focuses his practice on appellate work, preventing and solving business disputes, and protecting the reputation and intellectual property of individuals and businesses.. Appellate Practice. Stephen assists individuals, businesses, and other lawyers in appealing a ruling from one court to a higher court and in defending against appeals taken by opposing parties. His appellate experience includes cases involving many different areas of the law, including business and commercial disputes, questions of statutory interpretation, issues regarding the enforceability of contractual provisions, criminal matters, defamation claims, and unemployment insurance benefits—to name a few.. Most frequently, clients and other lawyers hire Stephen to assist them in bringing direct and intermediate appeals (incluidng special actions) before the Arizona Court of Appeals. But Stephen has also prepared multiple petitions for review to the Arizona Supreme Court, and he has briefed and argued two cases accepted for review by that court. Stephen also has experience briefing and arguing cases in the federal courts of appeal, and he has assisted or consulted with other lawyers in pursuing and defending appeals before appellate courts in states outside of Arizona.. Preventing and Solving Business Disputes. Stephen helps individuals and businesses avoid and solve disputes, both before and after they become lawsuits. Effective risk management (including seeking the advice of a lawyer about how to prevent and protect against legal problems before they occur) and early negotiation to resolve problems that do arise before they become lawsuits can oftentimes keep individuals and businesses out of court and avoid the costs of litigation. But when litigation is necessary or a court action has already been filed, Stephen assists businesses and individuals in pursuing or defending against legal claims in court or in arbitration.. Some examples of the types of problems and situations that Stephen helps his clients avoid or address include contract disputes, unfair competition, disclosure of confidential information, fraud claims (including claims for consumer fraud, securities fraud, and other forms of investment fraud), business management disputes (including claims for breach of fiduciary duty, self-dealing, or disloyalty against officers, directors, and other managers of businesses), business ownership disputes (including business break-ups), failed business deals, trust disputes, and professional negligence (including malpractice claims against accountants, auditors, and lawyers).. Protecting and Defending Reputations and Intellectual Property. Your good name matters, whether you are an individual or a business. In the age of the Internet, it is easier than ever for harmful, negative statements to be communicated to large audiences instantaneously. Stephen assists individuals and businesses in protecting their reputation when others defame, slander, or libel them. He also assists those who have been accused of defamation, slander, or libel in defending against those claims.. In addition to reputation, another valuable asset of every business and entrepreneur is intellectual property. Stephen assists individuals and businesses in pursuing and defending against claims of trade secret misappropriation, copyright infringement, trademark infringement, Lanham Act violations, and other forms of unfair competition related to intellectual property rights (including palming off and passing off claims).

Michael Zoldan is the founding attorney of The Zoldan Law Group in Phoenix, AZ. He is a graduate of the Ohio State University Fisher College of Business where he majored in Finance. He earned his Juris Doctor at Arizona State University, Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law in 2010. He devotes 80 percent of his practice to litigation in employment and business law. He is backed by experience working as an intern for the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission in the Trial Attorney Department. Prior to opening his own law office, Mr. Zoldan worked for numerous firms that gave him the opportunity to hone his litigation skills by handling multiple cases at a time with highly-skilled and proven litigators. He currently provides legal counsel to individuals and small businesses throughout the state handling cases ranging from workplace discrimination to breach of contract. He offers aggressive advocacy and a commitment to results.

I graduated from the Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law at Arizona State University completing the Health Law certification program. I completed my undergraduate studies at the Eller College of Management at the University of Arizona and graduated cum laude. My approach to the practice of law begins and ends with careful attention to client needs with an eye toward the most efficient and creative use of resources.

A former business owner, Lisa is well versed in challenges faced by small businesses and their owners. Her unique prospective benefits her business clients with agreements, employment advice, copyright violations and succession planning. She also assists families with estate planning not only guiding them through the estate planning process but also understanding why this is so vital to their families. Her goal is for her clients to achieve peace of mind from knowing that they have protected and provided for themselves and their family. When needed, she represents estates in probate and assists with trust administration.. Prior to moving to Arizona, she worked in an immigration law firm in California where she represented clients in immigration court. Lisa worked as an Investor Relations and Operations manager of a $2 billion hedge fund prior to attending law school. This experience formed the base for her business practice.

Roger Cohen has over 40 years’ experience as a business attorney, representing clients in both litigation and transactions. He has a deep knowledge and understanding of commercial law and the litigation process and is a forceful and effective advocate for his clients. Roger’s experience as a transactional attorney adds value in the litigation setting, as he can relate the documentation process to issues that arise in business and commercial disputes. Conversely, his knowledge and skill as a litigator affords him an advantage in negotiating and drafting settlement agreements with maximum protections to his clients. This unique blend of expertise is particularly useful in workout representation.. He has long-standing relationships with business clients in a variety of industries, providing business counseling, transactional assistance and litigation services. For over 30 years, he has represented an independent escrow company, successfully defending numerous claims asserting alleged breaches of contract and fiduciary duties. He acted as Arizona lead counsel in an 18-year multiple state legal battle arising out of a jojoba investment scheme, and was litigation counsel for the receiver of a group of lenders taken over as the result of a Ponzi scheme investigation. Roger has obtained favorable results, through trial or settlement, for clients in a variety of matters, including legal and accounting malpractice, shareholder and partner disputes, employment contract and restrictive covenant disputes, bankruptcy adversary proceedings, and complex collections.. Roger has published articles and spoken on a variety of topics, including the Arizona homestead and judgment lien statutes, Uniform Commercial Code Articles 2 (sales) and 9 (secured transactions), attorney conflicts and misconduct, bankruptcy appeals, and civil procedure. His article “Foreign Judgments and Community Property” was published in Arizona Attorney in November, 2009 and he co-authored “The Top 50 Leading Cases that Shaped Life and Law in Arizona’s First 100 Years” published in Arizona Attorney in February 2012. He is co-author of a chapter of the recent Thompson Reuters publication, “Inside the Minds: Strategies for Consumer Bankruptcy Appeals”.. A former law clerk to the Honorable Duke Cameron, former Chief Justice of the Arizona Supreme Court, Roger has substantial experience as an appellate practitioner, having supervised and written numerous appellate briefs and argued cases in the Arizona Supreme Court, Arizona Court of Appeals, California Court of Appeals, and Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. His published decisions include: Phares v. Nutter, 125 Ariz. 291, 609 P.2d 561 (Ariz. Supreme Court 1980) (established right to debtor to seek relief from judgment registered under the Uniform Enforcement of Foreign Judgments Act); Corporate Inv. Business Brokers v. Melcher, 824 F.2d 786 (9th Cir. 1987) (reversing District Court and holding that Colorado franchisee was subject to jurisdiction in Arizona in suit brought by franchisor); Mid Kansas Federal Sav. and Loan Ass’n of Wichita v. Dynamic Development Corp., 167 Ariz. 122, 804 P.2d 1310 (Ariz. Supreme Court 1991) (counsel for amicus curiae Southwest Savings & Loan Assoc.); Anderson v. Contes, 212 Ariz. 122, 128 P.3d 230 (Ariz. App. 2006); Austin Shea (Arizona) 7th Street and Van Buren, L.L.C. v. City of Phoenix, 213 Ariz. 385, 142 P.3d 693 (Ariz. App. 2006) and Rackmaster Systems, Inc. v. Maderia, 219 Ariz. 60, 193 P.3d 314 (Ariz. App. 2008).

I help small business owners with their business adventures. We work as a team on everything from formation to liquidity. I truly enjoy working with my clients and find great joy in helping them become successful.. On a personal note, I am an Arizona-native; I love traveling around the state and seeing new places. I also love to visit new restaurants and other businesses in the area. During my free time, I spend a lot of time with my beautiful puppy and wonderful family.

Richard C. Gramlich focuses his practice on Business, Real Estate and Construction Litigation, Insurance Bad Faith, Personal Injury, Wrongful Death, and Product Liability. He routinely represents business owners in business disputes, contractors and owners in construction defect, non-pay/stop-pay claims, delay claims, professional negligence, Registrar of Contractor’s hearings, and general breach of contract claims. He has also earned a reputation for successfully representing consumers against their insurance companies. Mr. Gramlich was the lead counsel for the Scottsdale “W” Hotel’s construction defect and delay claim. Mr. Gramlich achieved the largest per home verdicts in Arizona for damage caused by expansive He has successfully tried Business Tort, Personal Injury, Product Liability, and Insurance Bad Faith actions resulting in significant recoveries, and has earned the nickname “Bulldog” by many of his clients.. Mr. Gramlich graduated from the University of Arizona in Business Administration, Finance and Real Estate, Cum Laude, in 1989 and from the Arizona State University College of Law, in the top third of his class, in 1992. He has been practicing law for the last 28 years in both State and Federal Court.

Joshua is a native Arizonan who loves the Grand Canyon State. He is a business attorney and litigator who represents clients in the insurance, construction, medical, real estate, culinary, and other service industries. Josh is active in the community and volunteers for organizations servicing the arts, education, and religious sectors. Outside of work, Josh is a passionate sports fan, amateur cinephile, and he teaches a class for teens that promotes leadership, civic engagement, and philanthropy.