Joel Robbins specializes in serious personal injury, wrongful death, and Civil Rights cases, though he has responsibly represented his clients in cases ranging from construction accidents, automobile cases, and even a serious hot air balloon accident. In these and other significant cases, Joel has worked hard to help return dignity to his clients following their serious injuries.
Usually he finds himself pitted against big defendants represented by big law firms who refuse to accept responsibility for their actions. "We are reasonable but firm. We can't rebuild lives if we are afraid to go to trial and ask juries to do the right thing," says Robbins.
Robbins graduated from the University of Arizona (U of A) Law School in 1986 and was a member of the Moot Court Board. He graduated from the U of A with a business economics degree (cum laude) in 1985 and received the Pat Shelly Memorial Award for service to the University of Arizona. Following law school, Robbins went to work for the firm of Burch & Cracchiolo. After leaving the firm, he formed his own law practice and litigated numerous jury trials, becoming proficient at representing clients in personal injury cases.
Arizona 1986
US District Court (Arizona) 1986
Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals 1996
Robbins' appeals cases have provided aid to those injured by professionals, those with bad faith cases against their workers compensation insurers, and for those filing notices of claim against public entities. In AA Mechanical vs. Superior Court (Vree), the Arizona Court of Appeals declared unconstitutional an unfair statute which required expert affidavits. In Hayes vs. Continental Ins. Co., the Court of Appeals found that prohibiting injured workers for suing their worker's compensation insurance companies for bad faith was unconstitutional. In Backus vs. State, the Court of Appeals found that the Arizona governmental entities could not hide behind legal technicalities to evade paying for their individuals injured by the government statute are not required to provide an exhaustive statement of damages to preserve their claims. The Arizona Supreme Court later upheld this decision.
Robbins argues before the Arizona Supreme Court concerning the wrongful arrest of an innocent man.
Robbins argues before the Arizona Supreme Court concerning the requirements of the Arizona Notice of Claim statute. (Click Appellee)
Joel is an active member of the The National Police Accountability Project (NPAP), which was founded with the intent of helping to foster good police practices, to provide support for grassroots and victims'organizations combating police misconduct, and to end abusive and improper police misconduct.
Joel has been described as fearless in pursuit of justice in his Civil Rights work. "My father was career Air Force. He took an oath to defend the Constitution of the United States against enemies both foreign and domestic. I go to work on civil rights cases to fight to defend the same principles." Joel is motivated by the service of his father USAF Captain Richard Robbins, who was shot down in 1966 and his remains recovered in 1996, to work tirelessly on behalf of his clients in all of his personal injury work. "I remember being at a deposition and one of the lawyers observing that ?you really care about your clients'. That's why I went into law. I always remember that no one is ever injured so that my family can eat. I went into law to help those who have been injured."
Since 1993, Joel has been married to his wife Cathy, who teaches art at Xavier College Preparatory. They have two children, Ben and Laney. Joel enjoys playing basketball and hanging out with his family.
Joel Robbins has received the highest possible rating AV? Preeminent? (5.0-5.0) by the nation's oldest lawyer rating organization, Martindale-Hubbell, has the top rating from Avvo, is one of the most outstanding lawyers in Arizona and the Southwest according to Superlawyers, and is listed in The Best Lawyers in America. In 1996, he was awarded the Kenneth D. Freedman Award for Excellence in Continuing Legal Education by the Maricopa County Bar Association. He is certified as a specialist in Personal Injury and Wrongful Death Litigation by the State Bar.
Joel is a member and Past President of the Phoenix Trial Lawyers Association, and is also a member of American Board of Trial Advocates , American Association for Justice,
Arizona Association for Justice/Arizona Trial Lawyers Association (Board Member),Trial Lawyers for Public Justice, and National Trial Lawyers.
The Arizona Indivisible Injury Rule in Multiple Collision Cases
Making Arizona a Playground for Negligent Construction Professionals
