ATTORNEYS
Denice R. Shepherd
Attorney
Licensed Fiduciary
Attorney
Licensed Fiduciary
Denice has been practicing as an attorney in Tucson for over 35 years. She has experience in elder law, probate and trust administration, guardianships, conservatorships, estate planning, personal injury, and general civil litigation. Denice also has over 25 years of experience serving as a licensed fiduciary.
Admitted to Practice:
- Arizona, 1984
- U.S. District Court, District of Arizona and U.S. Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit, 1984
- U.S. Supreme Court, 1990
Other Professional Licenses:
- Arizona Licensed Fiduciary 20231, 1999
Education:
- University of Arizona James E. Rogers College of Law, J.D., 1983
- University of Nebraska, B.A. in Journalism, 1978
Awards & Recognition:
- Arizona's Top 50 Pro Bono Attorneys (2003, 2010, 2013)
- State Bar of Arizona Eleanor ter Horst Probate and Trust Award (2012)
- Arizona Fiduciaries Association Leadership Award (2011, 2012)
- Arizona Supreme Court Pro Bono Attorney Award (2011)
- Outstanding Affiliate Member Award, National Guardianship Association (2010)
- Pima County VLP's Volunteer Lawyer of the Year (2010)
- Pima County VLP's Pro Bono Attorney of the Month (Nov 1998, July 2009)
- Volunteer Lawyers Longevity of Service Award (2006)
Professional Associations & Community Involvement:
- Step Up to Justice, treasurer
- Served as member of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys (NAELA)
- Served on board of Arizona Fiduciaries Association (AFA)
- Served on Arizona Supreme Court's Committee to Improve Probate Court Matters (2010-2011)
- Arizona Women Lawyers Association, member
- Served on Reid Park Zoological Society Board of Directors
- President of the Reid Park Zoological Society Board of Directors (2007-2008)
Sarah L. Crotty
Associate Attorney
Licensed Fiduciary
Associate Attorney
Licensed Fiduciary
Sarah has been practicing as an attorney with Shepherd Law Office, P.C. since 2006. Her practice focuses on elder law, probate and trust administration, guardianships, mental health guardianships, conservatorships, and estate planning. Sarah is also a licensed fiduciary. Prior to becoming a lawyer, Sarah worked for seven years as a paralegal and office manager for a sole practitioner law firm in Tucson.
Admitted to Practice:
- Arizona, 2006
Other Professional Licenses:
- Arizona Licensed Fiduciary, 2020
Education:
- Arizona State University Sandra Day O'Connor College of Law, J.D., 2005
- Mount Holyoke College, B.A. in English and Environmental Studies, 2001
Awards & Recognition:
- Arizona's Top 50 Pro Bono Attorneys (2009, 2018)
- Pima County VLP's Pro Bono Attorney of the Month (Sept. 2008, June 2010, May 2015)
Professional Associations & Community Involvement:
- Southern Arizona Legal Aid's Volunteer Lawyers Program, volunteer lawyer
- Step Up to Justice, volunteer lawyer
- Arizona Women Lawyers Association, steering committee
- Pima County Bar Foundation Board of Trustees, President (2024-2026)
- Planned Giving Roundtable of Southern Arizona, President (2025-2026)
- Heart of Tucson horse rescue, founding member
Matthew L. Scarber
Associate Attorney
Associate Attorney
Matthew L. Scarber graduated from the University of Arizona Magna Cum Laude in 2014, and graduated from the University of Kansas School of Law in 2017 with recognition as the Class of 2017's Walter Hiersteiner Outstanding Service Award recipient. Matthew's practice focuses primarily on Adult and Minor Guardianships and Conservatorships, estate planning, and probate administration.
Admitted to Practice:
- Arizona, 2017
Education:
- University of Kansas School of Law, J.D., 2017
- University of Arizona, B.A. in Political Science, 2014 (Magna Cum Laude)
Professional Associations & Community Involvement:
- Southern Arizona Legal Aid's Volunteer Lawyers Program, volunteer lawyer
- Step Up to Justice, volunteer lawyer
- Pima County Bar Foundation Board of Trustees, trustee (2024-2026)
-Southern Arizona Legal Aid, board member
Awards & Recognition
- Walter Hiersteiner Outstanding Service Award, 2017
Zachary P. Taylor
Associate Attorney
Licensed Fiduciary
Associate Attorney
Licensed Fiduciary
Zach has worked for Shepherd Law Office, P.C. since 2014. He worked as an intern and case manager while completing his undergraduate degree and then as a law clerk while completing his law degree. He graduated from the University of Arizona Summa Cum Laude in 2017 and graduated from the University of Arizona James E. Rogers College of Law Magna Cum Laude in 2021. He has been practicing as an attorney with our office since obtaining his law license in July 2021. His practice focuses on probate and trust administration, adult guardianships and conservatorships, and estate planning.
Admitted to Practice:
- Arizona, 2021
Other Professional Licenses:
- Arizona Licensed Fiduciary, 2022
Education:
- University of Arizona James E. Rogers College of Law, J.D., 2021 (Magna Cum Laude)
- University of Arizona, B.A. in Political Science, 2017 (Summa Cum Laude)
Professional Associations & Community Involvement
- Step Up to Justice, volunteer lawyer
- Planned Giving Roundtable of Southern Arizona, board member (2025-2026)
Awards & Recognition
- Step Up to Justice Attorney of the Quarter Stand Out Award, Summer 2024
- Arizona's Top 50 Pro Bono Attorneys (2025), awarded by the Arizona Bar Foundation