PHOENIX Magazine has selected four G&K attorneys for its 2025 Top Lawyers list. 2025 is the fourth year PHOENIX has conducted Top Lawyers.
Melissa F. Benson - Family Law
Leading the firm’s Family Law Practice, Melissa represents families and individuals in all types of domestic relations and disputes, including divorce, custody, property division, alimony, modification of orders, and more serious issues, such as orders of protection. She is a dedicated advocate, providing compassionate and concierge-style service to resolve her clients’ most personal disputes.
Melissa was previously selected for the 2023 edition of Top Lawyers.
Stephen R. Boatwright – Securities Law
Steve handles public and private business mergers and acquisitions for buyers and sellers of businesses of all kinds and advises companies in raising private equity and public financing. Whether seeking initial funding, expanding the business through follow on funding or acquisition, or pursuing an exit strategy through an asset/stock sale or public offering, Steve’s clients rely on his practical judgment and seasoned know-how gained over three decades to realize even their most lofty goals in all phases of financing, growth, and sale.
Steve was previously selected for the 2023 and 2024 editions of Top Lawyers.
Shannon L. Clark – Personal Injury
Shannon is an advocate for victims of negligent and wrongful conduct in Arizona and beyond. With fortitude, experience, and “fire in the belly,” he resolves serious injury cases involving motor vehicle crashes, aviation disasters, commercial trucking wrecks, professional negligence, product liability, and consumer safety issues. Shannon is a champion for his victims and ultra-sensitive to the human element of each case he handles.
Shannon was previously selected for the 2023 and 2024 editions of Top Lawyers.
Sarah Clifford – Wills, Estates, Trusts
Sarah advises individuals, families, and business owners with their estate planning to help manage and preserve wealth and assets. Her experience includes probate and trust administration, including representation of high-net-worth clients and business owners with complex trusts and estates.
Sarah was previously selected for the 2023 edition of Top Lawyers.
About Phoenix Magazine
PHOENIX magazine generates its Top Lawyers list via an online survey of practicing attorneys in the Greater Phoenix area. Partnering with Colorado Springs-based information research firm Data Joe, PHOENIX disseminates emails to each of the roughly 16,000 active attorneys licensed with the State Bar of Arizona, directing them to an online portal managed by Data Joe. The survey, which takes place over six weeks, asks respondents to provide the names of up to three attorneys they deem the best in 39 legal specialties. To spread the votes democratically, respondents are asked to nominate at least one attorney in each category who works in a firm other than their own.
At the conclusion of the voting, Data Joe tallies the votes digitally and verifies that recipients are in good standing with the State Bar. PHOENIX editors then set the vote thresholds in a manner that ensures the top 10 to 20 percent of vote-getters in each category make the Top Lawyers list. PHOENIX fact-checkers then call each attorney on the final list to confirm their affiliation with a Valley-based firm and obtain accurate contact information.
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