The people behind Copper Wren Law
A small Arizona probate and trust team in Mesa, with clearly defined roles and transparent identification of who is — and is not — a licensed attorney.
Free initial consultation. You do not need to know which legal process applies.
Role map
Law firms tend to blur these together. Separating them changes who you should be talking to.
Advise and represent clients in probate, trust, guardianship, conservatorship, and contested estate matters.
See the attorneysCarly Whiteside owns and runs the firm. She is not an attorney and does not give legal advice.
How an Arizona ABS worksThe first person you speak to. Takes down what happened and connects you to the right person.
What the first call coversWills and trusts are drafted by Citadel Law Firm. Any planning engagement would be with Citadel.
Read the disclosureThe team
Every card states whether the person is a licensed attorney.
Firm ownership
Owner
Not an attorney
Owns and runs the firm. You are unlikely to work with Carly on the legal side of a matter, because she is not an attorney.
Attorneys
Litigation Partner
Licensed attorney
Litigation partner. Matters where someone is actively disputing a will, a trustee, or an appointment may be handled by Jennifer.
Attorneys
Associate Attorney
Licensed attorney
Associate attorney. Probate administration and trust matters may be handled by Emily, including contested estate and trust work.
Compliance
Compliance Counsel
Licensed attorney
Compliance counsel. This is an internal role — Ashleigh supports the firm's own compliance rather than representing prospective clients.
Client intake & support
Client Intake
Not an attorney
The first person you are likely to speak to. April takes the initial call and works out who at the firm should pick it up.
Estate-planning partner (separate firm)
Estate-planning partner (separate firm)
Estate Planning Attorney, Citadel Law Firm
Separate firm — Citadel Law Firm
Estate-planning attorney at Citadel Law Firm — a separate firm. Planning work is handled there, not by Copper Wren Law.
Your first conversation
Nothing here requires you to have documents, or to know what the legal process is called.
April
Client Intake
Not an attorney
Can help with
Cannot
Please do not send confidential documents, account numbers, or medical records with a first message. Submitting a form does not create an attorney-client relationship.
Matching
Which attorney takes a matter depends on the facts, conflicts screening, and availability — so these are the areas, not a guarantee of who you will get.
A loved one died and nobody is disputing the estate
Informal probateOften Emily BenisekA judge may need to decide something
Formal probateOften Jennifer Putnam OomsFamily members disagree about an estate or trust
Probate & trust litigationOften Jennifer Putnam OomsI am serving as trustee
Trust administrationOften Emily BenisekSomeone may need help with personal decisions
GuardianshipSomeone may need help managing money or property
ConservatorshipI want to create or update an estate plan
Handled by a separate firmDavid Gerszewski — separate firmI am not sure which of these it is
Start with intakeOften AprilStraight answers
Carly Whiteside owns Copper Wren Law. She founded the firm in January 2023 after working as a litigation paralegal in probate and trusts. She is not an attorney and does not provide legal advice — she runs the business and the client-experience side of the firm.
Read Carly's biographyNo. 3 of the people listed are licensed attorneys. The others are Carly Whiteside (Owner) and April (Client Intake) — neither provides legal advice. Every profile on this site states which category the person is in.
See who is whoLicensed attorneys do. The firm is an Arizona ABS, which means it may be owned by someone who is not a lawyer, but that changes who may own the business — not who may practice law. Advice and representation come from the attorneys on the team.
What an Arizona ABS isNo. Estate planning is provided by Citadel Law Firm in Chandler, AZ — a separate law firm. David Gerszewski practices there, not at Copper Wren Law, and any planning engagement would be with Citadel Law Firm.
How the partner relationship worksUsually April, who handles client intake. She takes down what happened in your own words, notes any court date or deadline, and works out who at the firm should pick it up. She is not an attorney and cannot advise you on your matter.
What the first call coversYou can say who you would prefer, and the firm will take it into account. Which attorney takes a matter depends on the type of case, conflicts screening, and availability, so nobody can promise a specific person before that is worked through.
Start a conversationExplain what happened, mention any known court date or deadline, and the team will work out the appropriate next conversation.
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.
