Joel Robbins

Following graduation from the University of Arizona Rogers School of Law in 1986, Joel worked for a medium-size Phoenix law firm. Since 1989, Joel has specialized in serious personal injury, wrongful death, and civil rights cases. He has also represented clients in cases ranging from construction accidents, automobile cases, hot air balloon accidents to police shootings. He has worked diligently to return dignity to his clients following their injuries.

Joel has been the 2016-2017 Phoenix Chapter President of American Board of Trial Advocates. Board Member, and 2017-2018 Trial Lawyer of the Year of Arizona Trial Lawyers Association (aka Arizona Association of Justice). Member of the American Association of Justice, Trial Lawyers for Public Justice, and National Police Accountability Project. Past President of Phoenix Trial Lawyers. Certified as a specialist in Personal Injury and Wrongful Death Litigation by the State Bar and has the highest possible rating by the nation’s oldest lawyer rating organization (AV® “Peer Review Rated” by Martindale Hubbell). One of the 50 best lawyers in Arizona (2018, 2019, 2021, 2022), and one of the best lawyers in the Southwest according to Superlawyers.

Recipient of the Kenneth D. Freeman Award for Excellence in Continuing Legal Education for the Maricopa County Bar Association and is the author of two articles for the Arizona Advocate: A.R.S. Section 12-2601: Making Arizona a Playground for Negligent Construction Professionals and The Arizona “Indivisible Injury” Rule in Multiple Collision Cases. Trial Lawyer of the year 2017-2018, Arizona Association of Justice.

Robbins’ appeals cases include AA Mechanical vs. Superior Court (Vree) eliminating affidavits of merit in some professional liability cases, Hayes v. Continental Ins. Co., preserving worker’s compensation bad faith cases, and Bachus v. State, preserving the right to sue governmental entities.

Joel has been described as fearless in the pursuit of justice in his civil rights work. His motivation for this comes from his father, USAF Captain Richard Robbins, who was shot down in 1966 in Laos. Captain Robbins’ remains were not recovered until 1996. “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 represent my civil rights clients based on the same principles.” He has been described by his peers as someone who “really cares about his clients”, and he is known to work tirelessly for them. “I went into law to help those who have been injured. I remind myself all the time that no one got injured so that my family can eat”.

Joel B. Robbins

Rated by Super Lawyers

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Joel B. Robbins

Rated by Super Lawyers

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Joel B. Robbins

Rated by Super Lawyers

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Joel’s significant cases include those injured by professionals, those with bad faith against their worker’s compensation insurers, and for those filing suing public entities. He has been responsible for multiple million-dollar verdicts and settlements on behalf of his clients. Joel is passionate about doing the right thing. This is demonstrated more fully in his involvement in the National Police Accountability Project (NPAP). NPAP 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 certified by the State Bar of Arizona as a certified specialist in injury and wrongful death litigation and has an AV-Preeminent rating by Martindale Hubbell.

EDUCATION:
J.D., University of Arizona Rogers School of Law, 1986

Moot Court Board

B.A., University of Arizona, 1985

Cum Laude
Pat Shelly Memorial Award for Service

BAR ADMISSIONS:

Arizona, 1986
US District Court, Arizona 1986
9^th Circuit Court of Appeals, 1996

SIGNIFICANT CASES:

PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS/HONORS/AWARDS:

National Trial Lawyers’ Top 100 Trial Lawyers 2013-2018
Top 50 Lawyers in Arizona, 2017, 2019 and 2022
Past President, American Board of Trial Advocates, Phoenix Chapter, 2016-2017
State Bar of Arizona Certified Specialist, Personal Injury and Wrongful Death litigation
Member, American Association of Justice
Member, National Police Accountability Project (NPAP)
Member and Board Member, Arizona Trial Lawyers’ Association
Arizona Trial Lawyers’ Association “Lawyer of the Year” 2017-2018
Member, Trial Lawyers for Public Justice
Member, American Board of Trial Advocates (ABOTA)
Member, National Board of Trial Advocacy
Past President, Phoenix Trial Lawyers
Kenneth D. Freeman Award for Excellence in Continuing Legal Education, Maricopa County Bar Association
AV-Preeminent rating, Martindale Hubbell
Super Lawyers 2007-2022

PUBLISHED WORKS:

“A.R.S. §12-2601: Making Arizona a Playground for Negligent Construction Professionals”, Arizona Advocate, 1996
“The ‘Arizona Indivisible Injury’ Rule in Multiple Collision Cases”, Arizona Advocate, 1995

PERSONAL:

Joel has been married to his wife Cathy since 1993. Cathy and Joel have two children, Ben and Laney. Cathy teaches art at Xavier College Preparatory. When not hanging out with his family, which is his preferred form of entertainment, Joel likes to hike.

Robbins Curtin Millea & Showalter Phoenix Personal Injury Lawyers

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