Top Lawyer 2023: Shannon Guerrero-Huff

Specialty: Construction
Law School/Year Graduated: Arizona State University, 2007
Years in Practice: 16

You represent contractors, and you come from a family of them. How did growing up in that business shape your interest in this specialization?
Yes, my parents started [Valley Wide Plastering Construction] almost 50 years ago. Growing up, I spent my summers and school breaks working at their office and learning the business. As I watched their company grow, I saw there was an occasional need for an attorney to assist with contracts or other issues, and I saw an opportunity to help. [They] were my first client. 

You are also a licensed realtor. Does your legal career give you a leg up in that arena?
Absolutely. The experience and knowledge gained in both my legal and real estate careers certainly help me perform better in all aspects.

In addition to Arizona, you hold bar licenses in Washington and Idaho. How do you split the labor?
The majority of our business is Arizona-based. However, I handle Washington and Idaho matters based on client needs. Plus, it’s always nice to have a reason to escape the Arizona summers!

Your husband coaches football at the University of Washington. Are you a big football fan? In what ways have sports played a role in your life?
I love college football! Through [his] position, we’ve grown a big football family filled with coaches’ and players’ families that are very special in our lives. Those relationships go well beyond the game of football. 

Plus, you are a private pilot! What do you fly?
Yes, my father flies recreationally and took me on my first flight at 5 years old. About 10 years later, I took my first solo flight and earned my private pilot’s license. I currently fly a Piper Warrior but dream of flying a Pilatus.

What’s your favorite local haunt? Any “lawyer bars,” or perhaps coffee shops, in Phoenix?
You can usually find me or my clients at the original Tee Pee [Mexican Food] on Indian School [Road] or Durant’s on Central [Avenue].  

“If I wasn’t a lawyer, I’d be…”
I would love to switch hats with some of my clients and become a custom home builder. 

How we Picked our Top Lawyers

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 vote 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. Our fact-checkers then call each attorney on the final list to confirm their affiliation with a Valley-based firm and obtain accurate contact information.

PHOENIX does not give preference to attorneys who advertise. Top Lawyers earn their place on the list purely by virtue of the votes they receive, and our sales staff does not see the list until the lawyers have been confirmed by our fact-checkers. 2023 is the second year PHOENIX has conducted Top Lawyers.