PROFESSIONAL SUMMARY

Tom is widely recognized as one of Arizona’s most experienced and successful trial lawyers.  Throughout his 40 plus years of practice he has handled many of the more publicly notable cases in Arizona.  During his career he has also represented thousands of clients whose matters were not the subject of media and community attention, adhering to the philosophy that to all clients their own case is the most important.  Statistically most cases are resolved without going to trial. Tom’s extensive experience in the courtroom is an asset when conducting negotiated pre-trial case resolutions, as well as very important when a trial becomes necessary.

The recognition of Tom’s skills and dedication is exemplified in his selection by peers as a Fellow of the prestigious American College of Trial lawyers (2000), and his induction into the Maricopa County Bar Association Hall of Fame (2011).  He is also the proud recipient of the John J. Flynn Memorial Award for distinguished service to the Criminal Defense Bar, presented by the Arizona Attorneys for Criminal Justice (1996), and the Tom Karas Criminal Justice Award, presented by the State Bar of Arizona (2015).

Tom has represented corporate and company executive clients in both Federal and State courts in a wide range of criminal cases, including commercial white collar investigations and prosecutions, public corruption investigations and prosecutions, regulatory enforcement criminal cases investigated by the NRC, FAA, EPA, OHSA, and fraud based criminal allegations.  He has successfully represented at trial numerous defendants in homicide cases, including matters designated as capital punishment cases.  His experience also covers a wide range of criminal offenses including money laundering, computer tampering, arson, theft, assault, manslaughter, and trademark infringement and Lanham Act cases. He has significant experience in criminal cases where the defense involves First Amendment based defenses. Tom has been consistently recognized over the last 20 years by Best Lawyers, including in 2010 and 2015 when he was listed as “Phoenix Lawyer of the Year- Criminal Defense: White Collar,” and 2012 as “Phoenix Lawyer of the Year- Criminal Defense: Non-White Collar.”  Tom is also recognized in Southwest Super Lawyers® criminal law, 2007-2015, and Chamber USA 2003-2015. Prior to founding Henze Cook Murphy, PLLC, Tom was a shareholder at Gallagher & Kennedy, P.A., for the previous 23 years.

EDUCATION

University of Arizona
J.D., 1973
University of Arizona
B.A., 1968

BAR & COURT ADMISSIONS

Arizona, 1973
U.S. District Court, District of Arizona, 1978
U.S. Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit, 1988

ASSOCIATIONS & MEMBERSHIPS

American College of Trial Lawyers, Fellow
American Bar Association, Fellow
State Bar of Arizona, Professionalism Committee, Former Member
State Bar of Arizona, Bench and Bar Committee, Former Member
Judicial Merit Selection Commission for Maricopa County, Former Member
Maricopa County Superior Court, Recommended Arizona Jury Instructions Committee, Former Member
Maricopa County Superior Court, Criminal Procedure and Criminal Delay Reduction Committee, Former Member
Maricopa County Superior Court, Criminal Study Committee, Former Member
Maricopa County Superior Court, Past Judge Pro Team, Former Member
National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, Member
Arizona Attorneys for Criminal Justice, Member
California Attorneys for Criminal Justice, Member
Ninth Circuit Judicial Conference, Former Member
Liberty Wildlife Rehabilitation Foundation, Board of Directors

HONORS & AWARDS

2015 Criminal Law “Lawyer of the Year”
State Bar of Arizona “Tom Karas Award”, 2015
AACJ “John J. Flynn Award”
AV Preeminent Peer Review Rating, Martindale-Hubbell
The Best Lawyers in America®, Criminal Defense: Non-White Collar and White Collar, 1995-2015
Best Lawyers’ Phoenix White-Collar: Criminal Defense Lawyer of the Year, 2010, 2015
Best Lawyers’ Phoenix Criminal Defense: Non-White-Collar Lawyer of the Year, 2012
Southwest Super Lawyers®, Criminal Law, 2007-2015
Chambers USA®, 2003-2015
“Litigation Star,” Benchmark Litigation, 2011
Arizona’s Finest Lawyers, 2011
Maricopa County Bar Association Hall of Fame, 2011
“Who’s Who Legal: The International Who’s Who of Business Lawyers”, 2009
“The International Who’s Who of Business Crime Lawyers”