Attorney
Sun City, Arizona, 85351
Zachary Mushkatel discovered his affinity for the law by chance. As a political science major at the University of Arizona, he first aspired to become a professor. However, an unexpected invitation to participate on a mock trial team at the university encouraged him to turn his competitive spirit and drive to help others into a legal career. “The law is about representing the client’s best interest, being able to think on your feet, and being a master of language and persuasion,” he says. “It just felt like home to me.” Mushkatel graduated from the University of Minnesota Law School in 2004 and has built a thriving law firm representing clients in the Sun Cities, Northwest Valley, and the Phoenix metro region.
Mushkatel brings diverse legal expertise to his practice at Mushkatel, Robbins & Becker, PLLC. He started as a public defender before joining the law office of Henry Florence and Sherry Bell to work as a criminal defense attorney. In 2008, he joined forces with Mathis Becker to form Mushkatel and Becker. Throughout that period, he gained experience working in various practice areas, including personal injury, estate litigation, estate planning, guardianship and conservatorship work, probate, corporate litigation, real estate, and various civil matters. Mushkatel’s cross-disciplinary background provides comprehensive counsel to clients to explore all possible legal avenues. Today, Mushkatel assists individuals throughout the Valley in personal injury, estate, and civil litigation matters. Providing exceptional client service and producing results are his top priorities. “My job is to provide a lifeline to clients who feel stuck or helpless and to go to bat for them,” he says. Several of Mushkatel’s personal injury cases have resolved over one million dollars.
He received the 2020 Top-Rated Lawyer Award from Avvo. He has been named a “Top 40 Under 40” by The National Trial Lawyers and a Premier Attorney by The National Academy of Jurisprudence. For Mushkatel, delivering maximum results does not mean sacrificing personal relationships. Success comes from getting to know each client’s needs and tailoring the legal approach to match their goals. Building those relationships creates an unpretentious yet professional environment that puts people at ease. “Most law firms run like businesses,” says Mushkatel. “The problem is that a business’s interests may not always align with a client’s best interests.
Our clients are our Number One priority, and we show it by sitting back and listening quite a bit.” Community service is essential to Mushkatel and every attorney in the firm. Each lawyer must always work on at least two pro bono cases.
Mushkatel believes those services should be provided not for the accolades or to meet State Bar requirements but simply because helping others is fundamental to the legal profession. Mushkatel is licensed in the State of Arizona, the Federal District Court of Arizona, and is admitted to practice before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit.
He is on the board and a faculty member for the Arizona College of Trial Advocacy, a program of the State Bar of Arizona’s Trial Practice Section. He is a past president, a West Maricopa County Bar Association member, and a former member of the Board of Directors of the Surprise Regional Chamber of Commerce and the Sun Valley Lodge. A former semi-professional baseball pitcher, Mushkatel has coached his son’s Little League team for several years. When he is not working, he enjoys golf and spending time with his family.
