Olsen-Smith

Olsen-Smith is a Paradise Valley law firm serving clients whose legal needs sit at the intersection of real estate, tax law, and estate planning. The practice is smaller and more focused than a full-service firm, which means clients work directly with experienced attorneys rather than being handed off to junior staff. The firm draws on its location in one of Arizona's most affluent communities, where questions around property ownership, transfers, and taxation are routinely more complex than average. The firm handles a range of property tax matters, from assessment appeals on high-value residential real estate to valuation disputes tied to trust administration and probate proceedings. Many clients come to Olsen-Smith because their situation doesn't fit neatly into one practice area. They need someone who can handle the real estate side and the estate side at the same time, and that's where this firm tends to do its best work.

Olsen-Smith's practice covers three interconnected areas that frequently overlap for property owners in Paradise Valley and surrounding communities. On the property tax side, the firm handles residential assessment appeals for high-value homes and works through the full Arizona appeal process, from the County Assessor's level through the State Board of Equalization and into Tax Court when necessary. The firm also addresses property tax issues that arise during estate administration, including challenges to assessed values that affect estate calculations or distributions to beneficiaries. The real estate law practice covers acquisition and disposition transactions, easement and boundary disputes, title issues, and landlord-tenant matters. For clients buying or selling high-value real estate in Paradise Valley or Scottsdale, the firm provides legal review of contracts and title commitments and handles the resolution of issues that arise in escrow. Estate planning and probate form the third pillar of the practice. The firm drafts wills and revocable living trusts, handles trust administration, and represents clients in probate proceedings. For Paradise Valley property owners, trust structures are often used to manage real estate holdings and plan for tax-efficient transfers, and having one firm that understands both the real estate and estate dimensions of those structures reduces coordination problems significantly.

The firm typically begins with a consultation to understand the full scope of what you're dealing with. For many clients, that means reviewing a property assessment notice alongside estate documents or a real estate transaction. Understanding the connections between those pieces upfront allows the firm to give accurate advice rather than having to backtrack later. For property tax appeals, the process follows Arizona's standard appeal path starting with the County Assessor's office and, if needed, continuing to the State Board of Equalization or Arizona Tax Court. The firm handles all filings and deadlines. Where an appraisal is needed to support the case, they coordinate with qualified appraisers they've worked with before. Real estate and estate matters follow their own timelines depending on complexity. Probate in Arizona can take anywhere from several months to over a year. Trust administration timelines vary. The firm keeps clients updated throughout and sets realistic expectations at the outset rather than making promises that don't hold up under the actual circumstances.

Olsen-Smith primarily serves clients in Paradise Valley, Scottsdale, Phoenix, and the surrounding east Valley communities. Estate planning and probate clients come from throughout Maricopa County and occasionally from other parts of Arizona when their real estate is located here. Real estate transactions handled by the firm have involved properties across the Phoenix metro area. Out-of-state heirs managing Arizona real estate through an estate or trust are a consistent part of the practice each year.