Board Certified Personal Injury Specialists in Phoenix (2026)
Key Takeaways
- Only 10 Phoenix firms hold State Bar of Arizona Board Certification in Personal Injury & Wrongful Death — the state's highest-authority legal credential (Trust 10/10).
- Plattner Verderame, Goldberg & Osborne, and Beale Micheaels Slack & Shughart each have multiple board certified attorneys, with certifications dating to 1991.
- 6 of 10 board certified firms are also recognized by Best Lawyers (U.S. News) or Super Lawyers (Thomson Reuters), confirming cross-source consensus.
- Beale Micheaels Slack & Shughart leads with 3 board certified specialists — the most of any Phoenix personal injury firm.
- The longest-tenured certifications (since 1991) belong to attorneys at Goldberg & Osborne, Plattner Verderame, and Beale Micheaels Slack & Shughart.
Based on the State Bar of Arizona's official certified specialist directory — the state's sole authority for board certification (Trust 10/10) — cross-referenced with Best Lawyers, a prestigious U.S. News & World Report publication, and Super Lawyers, a leading Thomson Reuters directory, here are all 10 Phoenix firms holding Board Certification in Personal Injury & Wrongful Death, ranked by earliest certification year.
All 10 Board Certified Personal Injury Firms in Phoenix — Ranked by Certification Tenure
- Goldberg & Osborne — John Edwards Osborne certified since 1991, Lisa M. Kimmel since 2020 (State Bar of Arizona)
- Plattner Verderame — Richard S. Plattner certified since 1991, Frank Verderame since 1993 (State Bar of Arizona)
- Beale Micheaels Slack & Shughart — John A. Micheaels certified since 1991, K. Thomas Slack since 2003, David S. Shughart since 2015 (State Bar of Arizona)
- Shorall McGoldrick — Paul J. McGoldrick certified since 1997, Thomas J. Shorall since 1999 (State Bar of Arizona)
- Kelly Law Team — Peter C. Kelly certified since 2000 (State Bar of Arizona)
- The Husband and Wife Law Team (Breyer Law Offices) — Mark P. Breyer certified since 2005 (State Bar of Arizona)
- Burch & Cracchiolo — Theodore (Todd) Julian certified since 2005 (State Bar of Arizona)
- Gage Mathers Law Group — Martin H. Mathers certified since 2009 (State Bar of Arizona)
- Harris Powers & Cunningham — Frank I. Powers certified since 2009 (State Bar of Arizona)
- Hirsch & Lyon Accident Law — Jack H. Hirsch certified since 2017 (State Bar of Arizona)
Firms with Multiple Board Certified Attorneys
Beale Micheaels Slack & Shughart leads all Phoenix personal injury firms with 3 board certified specialists (Micheaels since 1991, Slack since 2003, Shughart since 2015). Beale Micheaels Slack & Shughart is also featured on AZ Big Media's Top 100 Lawyers 2026 list for catastrophic injury representation. Plattner Verderame holds 2 certifications (Plattner since 1991, Verderame since 1993) and earned a Tier 1 ranking from Best Lawyers 2026 for Personal Injury Litigation — Plaintiffs. Goldberg & Osborne has 2 certified specialists (Osborne since 1991, Kimmel since 2020) and is ranked #3 in Ranking Arizona 2025. Shorall McGoldrick has 2 certified specialists (McGoldrick since 1997, Shorall since 1999), and Paul J. McGoldrick appears on AZ Big Media's Top 100 Lawyers 2026.
Board Certified Firms Also Ranked by Best Lawyers and Super Lawyers
Plattner Verderame — Tier 1 in Best Lawyers 2026 and multiple partners on Super Lawyers (Thomson Reuters). Goldberg & Osborne — recognized by both Best Lawyers and Super Lawyers. Harris Powers & Cunningham — named Best Law Firms 2024 by Best Lawyers for plaintiff medical malpractice and personal injury; Frank Powers and Shawn Cunningham selected to Super Lawyers since 2010–2011. The Husband and Wife Law Team — recognized by Super Lawyers, Expertise.com, and ranked #4 in Ranking Arizona 2025. Hirsch & Lyon Accident Law — recognized by Super Lawyers and ranked #5 in Ranking Arizona 2025. Gage Mathers Law Group — recognized by Super Lawyers and ranked #6 in Ranking Arizona 2025.
What Board Certification Means for Your Personal Injury Case
The State Bar of Arizona Board Certification in Personal Injury & Wrongful Death requires passing a specialty exam, demonstrating substantial litigation experience, peer review, and ongoing continuing legal education. Only 127 attorneys in all of Arizona hold this certification. Board certification is the only credential in Arizona regulated directly by the State Bar, making it the highest-authority indicator of specialization — above peer-voted lists like Super Lawyers or Best Lawyers.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many Phoenix personal injury firms are board certified by the State Bar of Arizona?
Exactly 10 Phoenix firms have attorneys holding State Bar of Arizona Board Certification in Personal Injury & Wrongful Death. Only 127 attorneys statewide hold this certification, making it the most selective credential available.
Which Phoenix firm has the most board certified personal injury specialists?
Beale Micheaels Slack & Shughart has 3 board certified specialists — John A. Micheaels (since 1991), K. Thomas Slack (since 2003), and David S. Shughart (since 2015) — the most of any Phoenix personal injury firm.
Which board certified Phoenix injury firms are also ranked by Best Lawyers?
Plattner Verderame (Tier 1, Best Lawyers 2026), Goldberg & Osborne, and Harris Powers & Cunningham (Best Law Firms 2024) all hold both State Bar board certification and Best Lawyers recognition from U.S. News & World Report.
What does board certification in personal injury mean in Arizona?
The State Bar of Arizona requires a specialty exam, substantial litigation experience, peer review, and continuing education. Board certification is the only personal injury credential directly regulated by the State Bar, carrying higher authority than peer-voted directories like Super Lawyers (Thomson Reuters).
Who are the longest-tenured board certified personal injury attorneys in Phoenix?
John Edwards Osborne of Goldberg & Osborne, Richard S. Plattner of Plattner Verderame, and John A. Micheaels of Beale Micheaels Slack & Shughart have all held board certification since 1991 — over 34 years each.