Ellen K. Lawson opened her Scottsdale practice in 2009 at the height of Arizona’s housing market collapse, building a firm around the specific legal problems that Arizona homeowners were facing at that moment: foreclosure, unworkable mortgage terms, and mounting second-lien debt. That origin shapes what the firm does today. Rather than a general real estate practice, this is a narrowly focused operation handling the category of legal work that sits at the intersection of real property law and financial distress.
The firm operates from a single office at 10632 N. Scottsdale Road in Scottsdale, Arizona. Lawson is the sole attorney.
https://ellenlawsonlaw.com/
What the Firm Handles
The practice is built around eight distinct service areas, each tied to a specific type of problem Arizona homeowners encounter with mortgages, liens, and property transactions.
Loan Modification
Lawson negotiates directly with lenders and mortgage servicers on behalf of Arizona homeowners seeking more affordable mortgage terms. This involves reviewing loan documents, identifying grounds for modification, and working through the lender’s loss mitigation process. Lawson has presented seminars specifically on loan modification issues and has been part of Arizona’s Mortgage Modification Mediation Program since 2017, a court-supervised process that brings borrowers and servicers to the table under judicial oversight.
Peer attorneys have noted a 100% success rate on mortgage modifications for clients in Chapter 13 bankruptcy proceedings, though this figure comes from attorney endorsements on Avvo rather than verified case records.
Foreclosure Avoidance
Arizona uses a non-judicial trustee sale process for most residential foreclosures, meaning lenders can foreclose without court involvement. Lawson advises and represents homeowners who are trying to stop or delay a trustee sale, typically through loan modification, short sale, or other pre-sale resolution. The goal is keeping clients out of the foreclosure pipeline rather than litigating after the fact.
Short Sales
When a homeowner owes more than the property is worth and cannot maintain payments, a short sale, where the lender agrees to accept less than the outstanding balance, can be an alternative to foreclosure. Lawson assists homeowners through the short sale process, including lender negotiations and documentation.
Debt Settlement
The firm handles resolution of second mortgage debt, home equity lines of credit (HELOCs), and HOA debt for homeowners. These subordinate liens can complicate short sales and loan modifications, and resolving them often requires separate negotiation from the primary mortgage.
Excess Proceeds Recovery
After a trustee sale in Arizona, surplus proceeds, funds remaining after the lender’s debt and fees are paid, may be owed to the former homeowner. Lawson handles legal claims to recover these funds, which are subject to specific procedural requirements and deadlines under Arizona law.
Purchase and Sales Transactions
Lawson represents buyers and sellers in Arizona residential real estate transactions, handling the legal aspects of purchase agreements, title review, and closing documentation.
Credit Reporting Disputes
Inaccurate entries related to real estate matters, including mortgage modifications, short sales, and foreclosures, can persist on credit reports and affect a homeowner’s ability to qualify for future financing. Lawson addresses disputed or incorrect credit reporting entries connected to real property matters.
Mortgage and Title Issues
The firm handles complications arising from unclear or contested mortgage terms and property title problems, including title defects that surface during a transaction.
Attorney: Ellen K. Lawson
Lawson received her J.D. from Washington University School of Law in 1988 and her B.A. from the University of Michigan in 1985. She was admitted to the bar in Illinois (1988), Missouri (1989), and Michigan (1992). Those admissions are currently inactive. She is actively licensed in Arizona, admitted to the State Bar of Arizona in 2000, and is a member of the Arizona State Bar’s Real Property Law Section.
Before opening her own practice, she worked as an associate attorney at Greenberg Keele Lunne and Aronberg. She founded her current firm in 2009, redirecting her practice toward homeowner-side real estate law at a time when Arizona had one of the highest foreclosure rates in the country.
Beyond client representation, Lawson volunteers to assist Arizona residents and veterans with real estate matters. She published in the Journal of Urban and Contemporary Law during law school. On Avvo, her profile carries nine five-star reviews and peer endorsements from other attorneys.
Office and Service Area
Office address: 10632 N. Scottsdale Road, B-334, Scottsdale, AZ 85254
Phone: (480) 368-2700
Website: https://ellenlawsonlaw.com/
Lawson is licensed in Arizona and serves clients statewide. Documented client locations include Phoenix, Buckeye, Parker, Gilbert, Chandler, and Scottsdale. Fee structure beyond the free initial consultation is not publicly listed.
Consultations
Free consultations are available. Prospective clients can schedule by calling (480) 368-2700 or by submitting the contact form on the firm website. Office hours are not publicly listed.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Ellen Lawson only handle foreclosure cases, or does she handle real estate transactions more broadly?
The firm handles both. The majority of the services listed relate to financial distress scenarios, such as loan modification, foreclosure avoidance, short sales, and debt settlement. However, Lawson also represents buyers and sellers in standard residential purchase and sale transactions and handles mortgage and title issues that arise outside of a distress context.
What is the Mortgage Modification Mediation Program, and does Lawson participate in it?
Arizona’s Mortgage Modification Mediation Program is a court-administered process in which a borrower and lender meet before a mediator in a supervised setting to work toward a loan modification or other resolution. Lawson has participated in this program since 2017.
What are “excess proceeds” after a trustee sale, and can a homeowner claim them?
When an Arizona property is sold at a trustee sale for more than the amount owed on the mortgage plus costs, the remaining funds belong to the former homeowner (subject to any junior lienholders). Recovering these funds requires following specific legal procedures. Lawson handles excess proceeds claims for former homeowners who believe funds are owed to them.
Can the firm help with credit report errors related to a past foreclosure or short sale?
Yes. Lawson handles credit reporting disputes involving inaccurate entries tied to real estate matters, including errors in how a loan modification, short sale, or foreclosure appears on a credit report.
Is the free consultation a phone call or an in-person meeting?
The research notes do not specify the format. Prospective clients can clarify when contacting the office at (480) 368-2700 or through the website contact form at https://ellenlawsonlaw.com/
Practice Context
The Arizona foreclosure process operates on a timeline that leaves homeowners limited windows for legal action. A trustee sale can proceed without court involvement, which means that the decision to pursue modification, short sale, or other alternatives often needs to happen months before a sale date. Lawson’s practice is oriented around that timeline. The firm’s 2009 founding, timed to Arizona’s foreclosure crisis, reflects a practice built around the mechanics of that specific legal environment rather than assembled from general real estate offerings.
Clients working through foreclosure risk, loan modifications, or complex mortgage situations in Arizona who want attorney-level representation, rather than dealing with lenders or servicers directly, can reach the firm at (480) 368-2700 or through the website at https://ellenlawsonlaw.com/