TJ Ryan

T.J. Ryan

Attorney at Law

My practice focuses on two main areas:

Estate Planning and Administration:  I represent individuals, couples and families in the creation of a range of estate planning documents, including wills, trusts (both revocable and irrevocable), health care and financial powers of attorney, and living wills.  My goal is to ensure that your wishes are carried out upon your death or incapacity, and to avoid the public, time consuming and costly probate process.  We understand there is no "one size fits all" solution, and we take great care to ensure that the result you desire is translated into your documents.  I also have the distinct pleasure of working with several attorneys who have been certified by the State Bar of Arizona as specialists in Estate and Trust Law as well as several specialists in the area of taxation.  Additionally, I work with attorneys in the Firm who can assist you with elder care and special needs planning.  In the event of a death or incapacity, I assist my clients by helping them successfully carry out their loved one's intentions through the administrative process.

Estate and Probate controversy litigation:  I assist my clients with a vast array of probate, trust, guardian and fiduciary related disputes.  These disputes include will and trust validity and interpretation issues, disputes between beneficiaries and fiduciaries over estate and trust operation, disputes regarding fiduciary fees, exploitation of the elderly and incapacitated or vulnerable individuals, contested or otherwise complicated guardianship and conservatorships, as well as trust modification and termination.  While many lawyers simply "dabble" in this area, I focus my energies on this area of law.  Because of this focused approach, we have achieved a strong track record for achieving positive results for our clients, and have developed a reputation for quality legal services in our field.  Moreover, we have vast, in-house resources upon which to draw, including some of Arizona's very finest estate planning lawyers, tax specialists, probate and trust administration experts, and certified private fiduciaries. 

I give special attention to helping my clients gain a clear understanding of the process and the applicable legal framework. Understanding that litigation may often be avoided between reasonable people, I approach each circumstance with a range of alternatives.  I present my clients with all of the options available to them, including alternative dispute resolution methods such as mediation and arbitration.

From time to time, I also litigate civil and commercial issues, and assist clients with business transactions. Prior to joining the firm, I practiced with Bonnett Fairbourn Friedman & Balint PC as a civil litigator with a focus on professional liability defense.

In 2008, I served as the President of the Young Lawyers Division of the Maricopa County Bar Association.  I currently serve as an elected board member of the Maricopa County Bar Association board of directors. I also serve as the Programs and Facilities chair of the Maricopa County Justice Museum and Learning Center, which endeavors to restore the territorial jail within the Old Courthouse in downtown Phoenix and convert it for use as a museum.  I frequently volunteer with the Wills for Heroes Foundation, which provides pro bono estate planning for fire fighters, police and other first responders.

In law school, I served as an Executive Note Editor for the Arizona Law Review.  I clerked with Mesch, Clark & Rothschild PC, as well as the Civil Division of the Pima County Attorney’s Office. As a law student, I tried numerous cases (both to the jury and to the bench) with the City of Tucson Prosecution Clinic, gaining courtroom skills that continue to serve me today.  I served as the Assistant Director of the Law Office & Courtroom of the Future Project alongside Professor Winton Woods. In 2002, my Law Review note was published in the Arizona Law Review (“: RIAA v Napster and the War Against Online Musical Piracy,” 44 Ariz. L. Rev. 495 (2002), discussing the future of musical copyright in the digital world of the 21st century.)

I joined Frazer Ryan Goldberg & Arnold LLP as an associate of the firm in 2006.  In my free time, I enjoy spending time with my family and friends, riding my mountain bike, and maintaining my single digit handicap on the golf course.