These Phoenix attorneys treat clients like family

By Sherry Jackson

Since he was 10 years old, Richard Suzuki knew he wanted to be a lawyer—in particular a prosecutor. He was raised by his grandmother, who enjoyed watching jury trials. When she returned, she would share stories of the cases she observed. He was hooked.

Suzuki is the founding attorney at Suzuki Law Offices. A native Arizonan, he thought about becoming a baseball player for a little while in college, but decided law was his true passion. Suzuki attended law school at the University of Arizona and prior to opening his own firm, served as a law clerk at the Arizona Superior Court in Pima County shortly after graduating. He then went on to work as a criminal prosecutor for the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office.

For three years he investigated and litigated felony matters, such as DUIs, shoplifting, drug trafficking and violent crimes as a part of the major crimes gang and repeat offender program bureau. After leaving the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office, Suzuki served as the assistant U.S. attorney for the District of Arizona. While there, he was responsible for handling hundreds of federal felony and misdemeanor cases throughout Tucson and Phoenix.

Budget cuts within the Arizona U.S. Attorney’s office propelled Suzuki into private practice.

Suzuki has always had a strong work ethic, holding down at least one job since he was 12 years old. Now, he works hard for his clients.

“I have a passion and truly love what I do,” he says. “I’ve always enjoyed helping people. As a defense attorney, you’re helping your clients, you’re helping their families. It’s a very fulfilling career.”

Suzuki Law Offices has a team of seven lawyers and an in-house private investigator team made up of retired law enforcement. The experienced firm focuses on criminal defense in city, state and federal courts, as well as personal injury law and takes on everything from shoplifting cases to murder trials, auto accidents and personal injury claims. Someone is on call 24/7 and most of the staff and attorneys and fluent in Spanish and English.

On the criminal defense side, many clients are first-time offenders and can be anyone from doctors, other lawyers, baseball players to juveniles. Personal injury clients can be “literally anyone” who have been involved in an accident. Suzuki and his team believe in keeping in close communication with the defendant and their families as well as treating everyone with compassion.

“When clients meet with us, they feel very welcome. We are 100% focused on treating clients correctly, our clients are like family,” he says. As such, more than 1/3 of their business comes in from referrals from other clients, judges, prosecutors and other defense attorneys.

Suzuki is also one of the few law firms in Arizona that has received a $1 million settlement for a client on a personal injury case.

Every attorney at Suzuki Law Offices has served as former prosecutors either at the state or federal level, or both. Suzuki says he believes only a former prosecutor has the insider’s perspectives needed to effectively defend individuals charged with crimes, and to aggressively litigate on behalf of injured victims.

The team knows how prosecution works and the go-to tactics prosecutors use in the courtroom and in negotiations. This expertise is essential, and the Suzuki team knows what to do and how to handle every stage of each case. Each lawyer at the firm has handled a significant amount of jury trials.

“That’s important because in some firms, only the principal lawyer might have trial experience. We not only have the right experience, but we’re very ethical and we know how to fight for our clients,” Suzuki says.

“We always do the right thing. We give our clients a worst-case scenario and average scenario and never guarantee the outcome of a case- we can’t possibly know how they’ll turn out.”

Suzuki has created a great working environment in his business and is a good family man, whether its coaching baseball or basketball, escorting his daughter to a daddy-daughter dance or volunteering with his church. The company also believes in giving back to the community by supporting the Make-a-Wish foundation, Phoenix Children’s Hospital, JDRF/Juvenile Diabetics Research Foundation, along with several Valley high school programs and local dog shelters.

“We’re very blessed,” Suzuki says. “It’s important for us to support local organizations and not only treat our clients like family, but also our employees.”  

Suzuki Law Offices

2929 E. Camelback Road, Suite 224, Phoenix

602-714-1215, suzukilawoffices.com

Initial consultations at Suzuki Law Offices are always free.