About Saks Law
Saks Law is an Arizona personal injury firm, led by Sam Saks and working in association with Guidant Law, PLC, where he is a partner. Sam served as president of the State Bar of Arizona for the 2025 to 2026 term.
Meet Sam Saks
Sam grew up in Michigan and came to Arizona in 2005, “a little bit on a lark,” to clerk at the Arizona Court of Appeals. That job taught him how a judge reads a case file, and he has been building them for injured clients since 2006.
Sam has defended claims as well, so he knows how an adjuster puts a price on a file before the first offer comes in. For injured clients, he won a $4 million judgment for a shooting victim, helped win a multi-million-dollar bad faith verdict against an insurer, and got one trucking client's medical liens reduced by 99%. Past results don't guarantee the outcome of another case. He treats a trial as “just a vehicle to get to a negotiated resolution that makes sense,” and our association with Guidant Law puts that firm's staff and offices behind every case.
Clients get his cell number when the case begins, and they get a plain answer early, including when a case isn't worth pursuing.
“A lot of folks don't get a straight answer.”
Sam's career, year by year
2005
Clerk at the Arizona Court of Appeals
Came to Arizona to clerk for Chief Judge Sheldon Weisberg, after graduating magna cum laude from Wayne State University Law School.
2006
Licensed in Arizona
Admitted to practice in Arizona, and later in the U.S. District Court for Arizona and the Ninth Circuit.
2007
Partner at Cantelme & Brown
At the Phoenix firm, he worked on cases at the U.S. Supreme Court, the Ninth Circuit and the Arizona Supreme Court, and became a partner.
2008
Co-wrote a book on family law and mental health
He wrote Contemporary Issues in Family Law and Mental Health with Michael G. Brock, and Charles C Thomas published it. By then he had written three law journal articles, one on the federal law that governs emergency room care.
2009
Joined the State Bar's Board of Governors
Joined as president of the Young Lawyers Division, then won election as a Maricopa County governor in 2011. He still serves on the board.
2011
Co-founded the Arizona Jewish Lawyers Association
One of five founders. The same year, he became the first chair of the State Bar's Technology Committee.
2013
Founded Jewish Legal Aid
A free lawyer-referral and legal-education service, now Legal Aid of Arizona, that has made about 15,000 referrals.
2016
Taught health care providers how liens work
Presented on HIPAA and medical liens at the Arizona Ambulatory Surgery Center Association's annual convention. Today he negotiates those liens for injured clients.
2018
Best Lawyers and Super Lawyers
Listed in The Best Lawyers in America and by Super Lawyers, both every year since.
2018
Taught paramedics and lawyers
Taught medical, legal and ethical issues at Arizona EMS School. That year he also presented Arizona's amended civil court rules to lawyers in continuing education courses.
2019
Co-founded Guidant Law
Sam is a partner at the firm, and Saks Law works in association with it.
2022
State Bar President's Award
Received the award at the State Bar's annual convention in June.
2023
Franklin v. CSAA
On the team for a family at the Arizona Supreme Court, which ruled that underinsured coverage applies to each car on a policy.
2025
President of the State Bar of Arizona
Took office in June for the 2025 to 2026 term. During his term, the Bar formed a task force to prepare new lawyers for practice and a working group to improve lawyer referrals where few lawyers practice.
2025
A $12.45 million class settlement
Co-counsel in Doyle v. Pekin Insurance Co., a class action over underinsured coverage. The court gave final approval in September.
2026
Rule of Law Day
Led Arizona lawyers in reaffirming their oath with the Arizona Supreme Court on February 12, during his presidency.
Sam at the State Bar
Sam Saks: recognition
- President, State Bar of Arizona(opens in a new tab)
2025 to 2026 term, after serving on the Board of Governors since 2009
- The Best Lawyers in America(opens in a new tab)
Since 2018, including Personal Injury Litigation - Plaintiffs and Insurance Law
- Super Lawyers(opens in a new tab)
Selected 2018 to 2026, and a Rising Star 2013 to 2016
- Avvo rating 10.0(opens in a new tab)
Avvo's attorney rating
Martindale-Hubbell AV Preeminent
Peer rating, plus the Judicial Edition's highest rating for legal ability and ethics, given by judges
Arizona's Finest Lawyers
Since 2014
Az Business, Arizona's Top 100 Lawyers
2025
PHOENIX Magazine Top Lawyers
2022
Sam Saks in the press
A firm's own website will always speak well of its lawyers. These articles were written by editors at Arizona publications, and each headline links to the publisher's copy.
Arizona Attorney photo by John Hall. Jewish News photo courtesy of Sam Saks.
Bar service and community
- Founder of Legal Aid of Arizona, a free lawyer-referral and legal-education service that began as Jewish Legal Aid in 2013
- Co-founder of the Arizona Jewish Lawyers Association
- Judge pro tem for Maricopa County Superior Court, running settlement conferences in civil cases
- Certified arbitrator, Maricopa County Superior Court
- Board member, Arizona Foundation for Legal Services and Education, one term from 2015, and on its 2015 Top Pro Bono Attorneys list
- First chair of the State Bar's Technology Committee
Education and admissions
- J.D., magna cum laude, Wayne State University Law School, 2005, in the top 5% of his class. Order of the Coif; executive articles editor, Wayne Law Review; Ford Leadership Award
- Interned for Justice Maura Corrigan of the Michigan Supreme Court and U.S. District Judge Avern Cohn
- B.A. in Philosophy, cum laude, University of Michigan, 2001. Phi Beta Kappa; James B. Angell Scholar
- Licensed in Arizona since 2006; admitted in the U.S. District Court for Arizona and the Ninth Circuit
Speak with an injury lawyer before you speak with the insurer.
The case review is free and confidential, and you decide afterward whether to retain us.
Call weekdays from 8:30am to 5pm, or send the form at any hour.