Attorney at Law
Phone - 602.277.2010
Email -
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T.J. is a senior partner at the firm.

Estate Planning and Administration: TJ Ryan represents 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 attorneys, and living wills. Mr. Ryan’s goal is to ensure that his client’s wishes are carried out upon his or her death or incapacity, and to avoid the public, time-consuming and costly probate process. Mr. Ryan understands that there is no “one size fits all” solution, and he takes great care to ensure that the result his client desires is translated into his client’s documents. Mr. Ryan also has 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, Mr. Ryan works with attorneys in the Firm who can assist his clients with elder care and special needs planning. In the event of a death or incapacity, Mr. Ryan assists his clients by helping them successfully carry out their loved one’s intentions through the administrative process.

Estate and Probate Controversy Litigation: Mr. Ryan assists his clients with a vast array of probate, trust, guardian and fiduciary related disputes. These disputes include will and trust validity interpretation issues, disputes between beneficiaries and fiduciaries over estate and trust operations, disputes regarding fiduciary fees, exploitation of the elderly and incapacitated or vulnerable individuals as well as trust modification and termination. While many lawyers litigate a wide range of issues, Mr. Ryan focuses his energies on the areas of probate and trust law. Because of this focused approach, Mr. Ryan has achieved a strong track record for achieving positive results for his clients, and has developed a reputation for quality legal services in his field. Moreover, Mr. Ryan has 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. Mr. Ryan gives special attention to helping his clients gain a clear understanding of the process and the applicable legal framework. Understanding that litigation may often be avoided between reasonable people, Mr. Ryan approaches each circumstance with a range of alternatives. Mr. Ryan presents his clients with all of the options available to them, including alternative dispute resolution methods such as mediation and arbitration.

In 2008, Mr. Ryan served as President of the Young Lawyers Division of the Maricopa County Bar Association. Mr. Ryan currently serves as an elected board member of the Maricopa County Bar Association (“MCBA”) board of directors and is the Treasurer of the Estate Planning Probate and Trust section of the MCBA. Mr. Ryan also serves as the Programs and Facilities chair of the Maricopa County Justice Museum and Learning Center Foundation, which endeavors to restore the historical jail within the Old Courthouse in downtown Phoenix and convert it for use as a museum and educational facility. Mr. Ryan volunteers with the Wills for Heroes Foundation, which provides pro bono estate planning for fire fighters, police and other first responders.

In law school, Mr. Ryan served as an Executive Note Editor for the Arizona Law Review, and was published in the Arizona Law Review in 2002.

Mr. Ryan joined Frazer Ryan Goldberg & Arnold, LLP as an associate in 2006 and became a partner in December of 2010. Prior to joining the Firm, Mr. Ryan practiced with Bonnett Fairbourn Friedman & Balint, PC as a civil litigator with a focus on professional liability defense. In his free time, he enjoys spending time with his family and friends, riding his mountain bike, and maintaining his single-digit handicap on the golf course.

Education

• University of Arizona James E. Rogers College of Law - J.D. 2002
• Arizona Law Review
• Baylor University - B.B.A. 1999

• Board Member - Maricopa County Bar Association (2009 - 2013)
• Treasurer - MCBA Estate Planning Probate & Trust Section (2010, 2011)
• President- MCBA Young Lawyers Division (2008)
• MCBA Young Lawyers Division Liason to MCBA Board of Directors (2008)
• President Elect - MCBA Young Lawyers Division (2007)
• Treasurer - MCBA Young Lawyers Division (2005, 2006)
• Member - Central Arizona Estate Planning Council (2007 to current)
• Member - State Bar of Arizona Probate & Trust Law Section (2006 to current)
• Member - State Bar of Arizona Trial Practice Section (2003 to current)
• Member - Maricopa County Bar Association Estate Planning, Probate & Trust Section (2006 to current)
• Member - American Bar Association (2002 to current)
• Member - Maricopa County Bar Association (2002 to current)

• New Opportunities for Old Trusts: Arizona's New Decanting Law, Arizona Business Journal, December 2009.
• "Just a lil bit" of piracy is good, Maricopa Lawyer, September 2005.
• Hello Clients...It's Your Lawyer Calling, The Whisper, October 4, 2004.
• Gone Phishing: Hackers are Baiting Your Inbox, Maricopa Lawyer, October 2004.

• Arizona Supreme Court
• United States District Court, District of Arizona

• North Valley Magazine's 'Top Lawyers for 2011'

• In re Ester Caplan Trust, No. 1 CA-CV 10-0108 (2011)