Over 32 years of Arizona legal practice, a law degree from Brigham Young University’s J. Reuben Clark Law School, and a record of successfully reversing foreclosure sales that were not executed correctly — Allen Butler has built a Tempe practice that offers consumer and small business legal services under three related identities: Butler Law Office, Butler Estate Planning, and Legal AZ. The firm is located between Rural Road and Mill Avenue in Tempe, within Maricopa County.
Overview
Butler Law Office is a consumer and small business legal practice in Tempe, Arizona, operated by Allen Butler, who has been licensed in Arizona for over 32 years. The firm functions under multiple names — Butler Law Office, Butler Estate Planning, and Legal AZ — reflecting the range of services offered, which spans estate planning, foreclosure defense, and related civil legal matters.
Allen Butler’s career began at a large law firm before he established his own independent practice and, separately, founded several non-law firm businesses. This combination of large-firm training and entrepreneurial experience informs a practice that serves both individual consumers and small business clients with the legal issues that arise over the course of financial and personal lives.
A notable feature of the firm’s practice is its specific experience in reversing foreclosure sales that were improperly executed. This is a legally complex area that requires understanding of both procedural foreclosure law and the remedies available when that process is not correctly followed. The firm has also helped clients recover excess proceeds following home foreclosures — funds that arise when a foreclosure sale produces more than the amount owed to the foreclosing lender.
The firm offers educational seminars on estate planning basics in Mesa and Tempe, including presentations on what happens to an estate when no will or trust is in place. These community seminars reflect a service orientation toward client education, not just document preparation.
Practice Areas
Estate Planning: The firm handles the core estate planning documents that Arizonans need to protect their assets and provide for their families: wills, trusts, powers of attorney, and healthcare directives. The practice also includes trust and estate administration for clients navigating the process after a death, and guardianship and conservatorship petitions when a family member needs court-appointed protection.
Probate and Trust Administration: When a loved one dies, assets held in their name alone must typically pass through the probate court process. The firm guides clients through this administration, whether the estate is simple or involves contested claims or multiple beneficiaries.
Guardianship and Conservatorship: When an adult becomes incapacitated and has not executed powers of attorney in advance, a court-appointed guardian or conservator may be required. Butler Law Office handles the petition process to obtain guardianship and conservatorship authority through the Maricopa County courts.
Foreclosure Defense: The firm represents homeowners facing foreclosure, working through negotiation with lenders, loan modification, and where appropriate, legal challenge to foreclosure proceedings. Allen Butler has particular experience in identifying and challenging foreclosure sales that were not executed correctly under Arizona law — an area requiring specific knowledge of the procedural requirements that make a foreclosure legally valid.
Excess Proceeds Recovery: When a foreclosure sale generates proceeds exceeding the amount owed to the foreclosing lender, the surplus belongs to the former homeowner (or to junior lienholders). The firm assists clients in claiming these excess proceeds, which can represent thousands of dollars that homeowners lose if they do not act.
Real Estate Matters: General real estate legal services for consumers and small businesses.
Bankruptcy: Representation in personal bankruptcy matters as a debt resolution tool for clients who cannot reach resolution through other means.
Debt Settlement: Negotiated resolution of debts outside the formal bankruptcy process.
Civil Lawsuits, Contract Drafting, and Business Litigation: General civil legal services including contract review and drafting, and business litigation for small business clients.
Tax Lien Foreclosure: Representation in Arizona tax lien foreclosure matters.
Attorney Profiles
Allen Butler is the principal attorney and founder of Butler Law Office. He earned his J.D. from J. Reuben Clark Law School at Brigham Young University and has been licensed to practice law in Arizona for over 32 years. Prior to establishing his own practice, he worked at a large law firm. He has also founded several non-law firm businesses. He serves clients from all walks of life and offers educational seminars on estate planning basics in Mesa and Tempe. Bar admission: Arizona.
Location and Service Area
406 East Southern Avenue, Tempe, AZ 85282
Phone: (480) 921-0626
Website: www.butlerestateplanning.com/
The firm is located in Tempe, between Rural Road and Mill Avenue. Service area covers Tempe and Maricopa County, with representation throughout the state of Arizona.
Client Focus
Butler Law Office serves individual consumers and small business clients throughout the Tempe and Maricopa County area. The firm describes its clients as coming “from all walks of life” — a deliberate breadth of accessibility that distinguishes it from boutique practices serving higher-income clientele exclusively.
The estate planning client base includes individuals and families seeking to protect their assets and provide for dependents through appropriate documents. The foreclosure defense client base includes homeowners facing the loss of their homes who need legal intervention — either through negotiation, modification, or legal challenge to the foreclosure process itself. The small business client base needs contract and litigation support that large firms often price out of reach for businesses of modest size.
Clients facing foreclosure who believe the process may not have been correctly executed should specifically inquire about the firm’s experience reversing improperly conducted foreclosure sales, which represents a specific legal capability that not all general practice attorneys can offer.
FAQ
What happens if a foreclosure sale was not conducted correctly under Arizona law?
Arizona law imposes specific procedural requirements on the foreclosure process. If those requirements are not followed — incorrect notice, improper trustee procedures, or other defects — the sale may be challengeable. Allen Butler has specific experience in identifying these defects and pursuing the appropriate legal remedies, including sale reversal in cases where the process was materially flawed. This is a narrow but consequential area where experienced legal review can make a significant difference.
What are excess proceeds and how does the firm help clients recover them?
When a property is sold at a foreclosure sale for more than the total amount owed to the foreclosing lender, the surplus — the excess proceeds — belongs to the former property owner or junior lienholders. These funds do not automatically go to former homeowners; they must be claimed through a legal process. The firm helps clients identify whether excess proceeds exist and pursue their recovery.
Does the firm offer estate planning seminars?
Allen Butler offers educational seminars on estate planning basics in Mesa and Tempe, including presentations on what happens when someone dies without a will or trust in place. These seminars are intended to help community members understand their options before a legal crisis forces the issue.
What is Legal AZ?
Legal AZ is a marketing identity used by Butler Law Office alongside the Butler Estate Planning name. All three names — Butler Law Office, Butler Estate Planning, and Legal AZ — refer to the same practice operated by Allen Butler in Tempe.
How long has Allen Butler been practicing in Arizona?
Allen Butler has been licensed to practice law in Arizona for over 32 years. He previously worked at a large law firm before establishing his independent practice. This tenure in the Arizona legal market means practical familiarity with Maricopa County courts, Arizona foreclosure law, and estate planning requirements specific to the state.
Closing
Thirty-two years in Arizona’s legal market, specific experience reversing improperly executed foreclosure sales, and a community education program that brings estate planning information to Mesa and Tempe residents before they need it in a crisis — Butler Law Office serves as a practical, accessible legal resource for consumers and small businesses in the Tempe area who need straightforward counsel without large-firm overhead.