Firm structure
What is an Arizona ABS?
Copper Wren Law is an alternative business structure. Here is what that means, and what it does not change.
“Will I still be represented by a licensed attorney?”
Yes. Legal advice and representation at Copper Wren Law come from licensed attorneys, and those attorneys remain subject to the professional duties that apply to any lawyer in Arizona.
What the ABS license changes is who may own the business. It does not change who is permitted to practice law.
The short version
“ABS” stands for alternative business structure. For a long time, in Arizona as elsewhere, a law firm could only be owned by lawyers. Arizona changed that and now permits approved firms to have non-attorney owners, subject to a licensing and compliance regime.
Copper Wren Law holds that kind of license. Carly Whiteside, who founded and owns the firm, is not an attorney — she came to it after years as a litigation paralegal in probate and trusts.
What it does not change
The people who advise and represent clients are licensed lawyers, and the professional obligations that govern them — competence, confidentiality, conflicts, and the duty to act in the client’s interest — apply exactly as they would at any other firm.
Why a firm would choose it
In this case, because the person best placed to run the business was not a lawyer. Someone who has spent years watching probate matters from the paralegal’s desk has a clear view of where the client experience breaks down — and the ABS structure lets that person build and own the firm rather than only work in one.
Who does what at Copper Wren
Licensed attorneys
- Jennifer Putnam Ooms — Litigation Partner
- Emily Benisek — Associate Attorney
- Ashleigh Hope — Compliance Counsel
Not attorneys
- Carly Whiteside — Owner
- April — Client Intake
People in these roles do not give legal advice.
Read the full team →Still have a question?
Ask it before you engage anyone
How a firm is owned is a reasonable thing to ask about. So is who exactly will be handling your matter.
Talk it through, at no cost
You do not need to know which legal process applies, and you do not need to have the paperwork in order. Tell us what happened and we will explain what the next step looks like.
Information on this website is general in nature and is not legal advice. Viewing this website or contacting the firm does not create an attorney-client relationship. Past results and client experiences do not guarantee a similar outcome.