Navigating the Treasure Map of Arizona Probate Proceedings (2025 CLE by the Sea)

Vanessa Rae Heim Related Seminars and Products

practices primarily in the areas of trust and estate planning, probate administration and litigation, and elder law. Vanessa offers strategic and thoughtful guidance to individuals, families, professional fiduciaries, Trustees, Personal Representatives, creditors and heirs/beneficiaries. Through her estate planning practice, Vanessa develops custom approaches designed to meet the needs of each individual client, family, or situation. This includes sophisticated planning for more complex matters, practical and efficient plans for more modest estates, and everything in between. Over the course of her practice, hundreds of Arizona individuals and families have benefitted from Vanessa’s thoughtfully crafted estate plans, modifications to existing plans, and general guidance in estate planning. Further, in addition to developing and modifying estate plans, Vanessa also guides clients through estate and trust administration, as well as probate proceedings. Vanessa is also a regular advocate for individuals seeking to protect a family member or loved one in connection with Guardianship and Conservatorship proceedings. In addition to attentively navigating her clients through the procedures of guardian and conservator appointments, Vanessa ensures all duties and responsibilities are understood, and provides post-appointment support to secure long-term success and sustainability. Vanessa’s thoughtful approach to Guardianships and Conservatorships also serves her clients well in the arena of juvenile adoptions and guardianships. Whether clients are uniting their family through a step-parent adoption, starting or expanding their family with a private adoption, or solidifying a long-time bond through an adult adoption, Vanessa’s enthusiasm and experience with adoptions, allows her clients to approach the prospect of adoption with confidence and ease. Vanessa is an Arizona native and attended Northern Arizona University, graduating with a Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology. Vanessa pursued law school after three years of working in a corporate law firm, and graduated from The John Marshall Law School in Chicago, Illinois.