After years inside a large firm, Lori Woodward came away with a specific conclusion: the way most law firms serve estate planning clients does not match what those clients, particularly parents of young children, actually need. She founded Red Wagon Law, PLC in Gilbert, Arizona as a direct response to that observation. The firm operates as a boutique practice focused on families, with particular emphasis on households where minor children are part of the picture. Woodward herself lives in Gilbert, which places her in the same community as the clients she serves.
Practice Areas
Estate Planning for Families with Minor Children
This is the core of what Red Wagon Law does. Parents of minor children face a set of estate planning concerns that are distinct from those of empty-nesters or retirees. If both parents die or become incapacitated, who raises the children? Who controls the money set aside for them, and until what age? A complete plan for a young family typically includes a trust, a will with guardianship designations, a health care directive, and a power of attorney, all coordinated so that the intended outcome is legally enforceable and does not require court intervention in a crisis.
Trusts
Trusts allow assets to pass to beneficiaries outside of probate, often while giving the grantor control over when and how distributions occur. For families with minor children, a trust ensures that assets are managed by a trusted adult until children reach an age at which direct inheritance makes sense, rather than having a court appoint a conservator to manage the money. The firm drafts revocable trusts and other trust structures appropriate to each client’s goals.
Wills
A will is the foundational document for directing asset distribution and, critically for parents, naming a guardian for minor children. Arizona courts look to the will when determining a child’s guardian in the event both parents are unavailable. Wills drafted by Red Wagon Law are coordinated with any trust instruments and other planning documents to function as a coherent whole.
Guardianship Arrangements
Designating a guardian is one of the most personal decisions parents make, and one of the most frequently avoided. The firm works through this with clients in a structured way, helping them think through not just who they trust but who would realistically be willing and able to step into that role under difficult circumstances.
Health Care Directives
A health care directive specifies the medical decisions a client wants made on their behalf if they cannot communicate, and designates who has authority to make those decisions. For parents, this document is as much about protecting their children from ambiguity as it is about their own medical preferences.
Powers of Attorney
A durable power of attorney designates an agent to manage financial and legal affairs if the principal becomes incapacitated. Without this document, family members may need court approval to access accounts or manage property, which is time-consuming and expensive.
Planning for Unmarried Couples
Unmarried partners do not inherit from each other automatically under Arizona law. Estate planning is the mechanism through which partners protect each other’s interests in the event of death or incapacity. The firm provides planning tailored to the legal realities unmarried couples face.
Planning for Divorced Individuals
Divorce changes everything in an existing estate plan. Beneficiary designations, trustee appointments, powers of attorney, and health care directives may all need to be updated or replaced. The firm assists clients in restructuring their planning after a divorce.
Real Estate
Legal matters related to real property are listed as a practice area of the firm.
Attorney Profile
Lori Woodward is the owner and sole attorney at Red Wagon Law, PLC. She earned her J.D. and practiced at a large firm before founding her own practice. Her focus on families with minor children reflects both professional observation and personal context as a wife and mother herself. She is admitted to the Arizona bar; her specific law school and bar admission date are not publicly detailed.
The firm operates as a boutique practice where clients work directly with Woodward rather than being passed to staff for substantive work.
Location and Service Area
Red Wagon Law, PLC is located at 2487 S. Gilbert Road, Suite 106-507, Gilbert, AZ 85295. The firm serves Gilbert and the broader East Valley of the Phoenix metropolitan area.
Phone: (480) 788-8010
Website: www.redwagonlaw.com/
Client Approach
The firm offers flat-fee estate planning services, which means clients know the cost of their plan before work begins. Introductory consultations are available and can be scheduled through the website. Red Wagon Law takes a counseling-oriented approach, building ongoing relationships with clients and conducting plan reviews as life circumstances change. What works for a family with toddlers needs revisiting when children are teenagers and again when they leave home.
Frequently Asked Questions
What happens to my children if my spouse and I both die without a will that names a guardian?
If both parents die intestate (without a valid will naming a guardian), an Arizona court will determine who raises the children. The court will consider the best interests of the child, but it will not have the benefit of knowing who the parents would have chosen. Designating a guardian in a will is the only way to ensure those wishes are on record and legally recognized.
What is the difference between a will and a trust for a family with young children?
A will takes effect at death and must typically go through probate. A trust takes effect immediately upon signing, continues to operate during incapacity, and allows assets to transfer at death without probate. For families with young children, a trust can also control the age at which children access inherited funds, which a simple will cannot do.
Does Red Wagon Law offer ongoing plan reviews, or is the relationship finished once documents are signed?
The firm maintains ongoing relationships with clients and reviews plans as circumstances change. A plan drafted when children are small may need updating after a birth, death, divorce, or significant change in assets.
What is a flat-fee structure, and how does it work for estate planning?
Rather than billing hourly, the firm quotes a fixed price for a defined scope of work. Clients know upfront what their estate plan will cost, which eliminates billing uncertainty and encourages the full scope of documents to be addressed rather than reduced to save hourly fees.
Can Red Wagon Law update an existing estate plan that was drafted by a different attorney?
Yes. The firm reviews existing documents and advises on what updates are needed. Updating rather than replacing existing plans is often appropriate where the core structure is sound but specific provisions no longer reflect the client’s situation.
Closing Note
Gilbert, Arizona is home to a practice whose focus is narrow by design: families, and particularly those with minor children, who need estate plans that account for the reality of raising kids. Red Wagon Law, PLC can be reached at (480) 788-8010 or through www.redwagonlaw.com/ to schedule an introductory consultation.