Joel K. Heriford

Joel K. Heriford

Shareholder— Joined Burch & Cracchiolo in 1985

Joel is a partner in the Corporate Practice Group and the Estate Planning and Probate Practice Group. He practiced with the Firm from 1985 until 1991, at which time he moved with his family to the Midwest to practice in Illinois and Iowa. He rejoined the Firm in February 2006 to lead the Firm’s Corporate and Estate Planning practices. Before practicing law, Joel was a Certified Public Accountant and practiced with international accounting firm, Peat, Marwick, Mitchell & Company.

Email Joel K. Heriford

Assistant

Super Lawyers - 2024
Phoenix Magazine Top Lawyer - 2024

Biography

Joel has a broad corporate practice including income tax planning and business law aspects of business transactions, including business formation, operation, sale and merger of corporations, partnerships, limited liability companies, joint ventures and strategic alliances, as well as Section 1031 tax-deferred exchanges.  In addition, Joel represents company founders and other entrepreneurs on a broad range of personal planning matters, with an emphasis on wealth transfer and succession strategies.

Estate planning clients find Joel highly experienced in a broad range of estate planning matters, including estate taxation, retirement planning for qualified and non-qualified retirement plans, wealth preservation and wealth transfer strategies, asset protection planning, and planning for non-traditional families. Joel is also experienced in the creation and administration of a wide variety of trusts including revocable living trusts, irrevocable life insurance trusts, special needs trusts, family limited partnerships, family limited liability companies, asset protection trusts and charitable remainder trusts. Joel uses a team approach in the estate planning process, working with the client's accountants, insurance professionals, financial planners and other advisors.

Other Relevant Employment

Tax accountant, Peat, Marwick, Mitchell & Company, New Orleans, Louisiana, 1982-1984

Professional Leadership

Member, Wealth Counsel LLC
Member, The Advisors Forum, LLC

Honors & Awards


Selected, Ranking Arizona, 2016-2024

Selected, Southwest Super Lawyers, 2016-2024

Selected, Phoenix Magazine, Top Lawyers, Tax Law, 2022-2024

Selected, Phoenix Magazine, Top Lawyers, Corporate Finance, M&A, 2022-2024

Selected, Arizona Business Magazine Top Lawyers, Tax, 2014

Selected, AZ Business Leaders, 2019, 2020, 2023

Ranked BV® Distinguished ™ 4.4 out of 5*

*AV® Preeminent ™ and BV® Distinguished™ are certification marks of Reed Elsevier Properties Inc., used in accordance with the Martindale-Hubbell certification procedures, standards and policies.

Professional Affiliations

State Bar of Arizona
State Bar of Illinois
State Bar of Iowa

Education

J.D., DePaul University College of Law, 1985

B.S. in Accounting, Illinois State University, 1979

Admitted In

Arizona
Illinois
Iowa

Presentations and Publications

The Wealth Counselor, a monthly newsletter for wealth planning professionals and clients