It is an honor to announce that Jonathan Roeder and Cory Keith have been named Rising Stars in Super Lawyers’ 2023 list of up-and-coming attorneys. Fewer than 3% of the state’s lawyers earn this recognition, as candidates must demonstrate consistent, outstanding performances in their practice areas. That means it is significant that not just one but two skilled lawyers from the same firm – The Valley Law Group – have been selected for this honor.
About Jonathan Roeder and Cory Keith
Both Jonathan Roeder and Cory Keith are attorneys who have committed their careers to providing compassionate, competent legal representation to individuals in the Valley Area who need it most.
Jon Roeder, who doubles as The Valley Law Firm’s co-founder, has demonstrated a lifelong passion for serving others. After beginning his career serving in a treatment center for juveniles with substance use disorders, Roeder graduated and then began working in residential homes for the mentally and physically disabled.
Soon after, he earned his law degree from Western Michigan Cooley Law School and began teaching at Grand Canyon University. As his career progressed, Roeder was able to harness his affinity for helping others and put it to effective use as a skilled attorney. He has since co-founded The Valley Law Group, where he has now guided countless clients through a variety of difficult cases.
In addition to the compassion and knowledge that Roeder brings to The Valley Law Group, attorney Cory Keith’s empathetic family law skills have served to further elevate the firm and its services. Keith earned a degree in Criminal Justice and Criminology from Arizona State University and then excelled during law school. He began his career working for a Scottsdale law firm as a legal clerk, where he assisted with family and juvenile law cases before moving on to represent clients himself.
Today, Cory Keith has extensive experience in family law cases such as divorces, child custody disputes, child support cases, property division arrangements, and more. His priority is to “represent others the way he would want to be represented,” and Keith has lived that goal, helping individuals and families across Arizona reach legal solutions that meet their needs.
What Does It Mean to Be a Rising Star?
Super Lawyers is an organization that works to create two lists every year in an effort to highlight exceptional attorneys in every state. The first is the eponymous “Super Lawyers” list, which recognizes outstanding attorneys; the Super Lawyer recognition is awarded to about 5% of lawyers in each state. The other list is known as the “Rising Stars” list and recognizes up-and-coming attorneys who are consistently displaying impressive feats.
The Rising Stars list differs from the Super Lawyers list in that only 2.5% or fewer of a state’s attorneys can receive this recognition. For a lawyer to be eligible for the Rising Stars list, they must have practiced law for under ten years, or they must be less than 40 years of age.
To be selected as a Rising Star, an attorney must demonstrate a wide range of accomplishments and skills, and the attorney must be nominated by others. Because the criteria for the Rising Stars list are so strict, it’s no wonder that only a few attorneys in each state earn this recognition. The attorneys on each year’s Rising Stars list receive the high honor of recognition as their state’s top legal minds, while their clients can feel secure knowing they’re working with an experienced, skilled attorney they can count on.
Super Lawyers’ Selection Process
To form their annual lists, Super Lawyers uses a multi-phase selection process that encompasses a wide range of factors to determine each state’s top lawyers. The phases of the selection process include:
Nominations
To become a candidate for the Rising Stars list, an attorney must receive a nomination. The nomination must be submitted by someone else, as attorneys are not allowed to campaign for or nominate themselves. Instead, a lawyer must receive a nomination in one of these three ways:
- Formal Nomination – An eligible lawyer who lives in the same state nominates an attorney they have seen display incredible knowledge and skill.
- Informal Nomination – A client, agency, out-of-state attorney, or reader of the platform submits a nomination for an attorney’s outstanding performance.
- Nomination Through Research – Super Lawyers also perform their own in-depth research to find accomplished attorneys who may be receiving recognition in their local town or media. When they come across an attorney with high honors, the organization may add them to the candidate pool for further evaluation.
Independent Research
Once the candidate pool has been formed, the selection process moves into the next phase. Super Lawyers performs independent research on each candidate on the nomination list to compare their work ethic, awards, honors, accomplishments, case history, and more. Because of their overall client satisfaction, dedication to their work, and kindness towards those who need assistance, Roeder and Keith were able to stand out among many other lawyers.
The twelve factors evaluated by Super Lawyers include:
- Number of verdicts/settlements
- Position at their law firm
- Experience practicing law
- Education and employment history
- Honors and awards they’ve received
- The clients they’ve represented
- Additional licenses and certifications
- Pro bono work and community service
- Engagement within the Bar and other agencies
- Participation in scholarly lectures, writings, or studies
- Transactions
- Any other recognized achievements
Peer Evaluation
Because Super Lawyers is a platform that helps individuals find skilled attorneys near their location, it takes client reviews, reputations, and opinions very seriously. To this end, the organization hosts a peer evaluation of attorneys in over 70 practice areas to ensure they identify those who stand out. Super Lawyers performs what they call a “blue ribbon test,” where top lawyers in each practice area review and rate other candidates in their practice area.
Final Selection
For the final selection, Super Lawyers compares the top lawyers in several tiers of firm sizes to provide a fair selection of attorneys they believe are best in their practice area. When the final selections are complete, Super Lawyers publishes the list in its magazine, online, and in a variety of advertisements throughout the year.
What Makes Jonathan Roeder and Cory Keith Stand Out?
To earn the recognition of Super Lawyers’ Rising Star, an attorney and their accomplishments must stand out against their competitors. Because both Jonathan Roeder and Cory Keith share a relatively succinct background practicing law, the number of verdicts, accomplishments, and honors they have received in their brief time is extraordinary.
Roeder is not only part of the American Bar Association and the State Bar of Arizona, but he also is a member of the United States District Court of Arizona, the American Institute of Family Law Attorneys, and the National Association of Realtors. He has an extensive knowledge of the law as well as a passion for others that has allowed him to assist numerous clients through complex cases and build his reputation.
Keith is also a member of the State Bar of Arizona, in addition to specializing in the unique family law needs of individuals across Arizona. What truly sets Keith apart from other attorneys, however, is his proactive approach to meeting clients’ legal needs. Many people find themselves too intimidated to seek legal help, especially when the circumstances are personal. Keith has dedicated his career to helping those who need it most and providing them with the same diligent representation he would want to receive. His vast knowledge of family law has enabled him to help numerous families from around the state find solutions to matters that once felt unsolvable.
The impact Jonathan Roeder and Cory Keith have made on the community via The Valley Law Group is evident in these real client comments:
“Thank you, Jon, for helping me with my case and making me feel comfortable during the proceedings. I appreciate the guidance you provided and legal recommendations so that it could result in the best possible outcome for my situation.”
“Cory is a great attorney and genuinely cares about each of his clients. He always makes himself available to answer questions. He truly always puts his best foot forward and keeps the client’s best interest in mind when doing so.”
“Jon is a fantastic attorney. He cares for each of his cases as if they were his own. I was very pleased with the level of detail he put into my case and could not be happier.”
Work With the Top Family Law Attorneys in Arizona
We know the team at The Valley Law Group is beyond proud to congratulate Jonathan Roeder and Cory Keith on these new achievements. We cannot begin to express our confidence in their continued success as attorneys here in Arizona and are enthusiastic to see where their careers will take them.
If you are searching for high-quality family law representation by award-winning lawyers in AZ, we encourage you to consider the skilled team at The Valley Law Group. With decades of combined experience helping individuals and families in the Valley, you are sure to find an attorney who fits your unique needs. To learn more about The Valley Law Group or to schedule a consultation with family attorneys in Arizona today.
Ryan Reppucci, Founder/Director of Legal Operations of The Valley Law Group, is recognized as one of Phoenix’s leading family law attorneys. After graduating from Arizona State with the highest honors and inclusion in America’s most prestigious student honor societies, Ryan attended the University of Detroit Mercy School of Law. His career as a law student was decorated with numerous awards, including the University of Detroit Mercy School of Law Book Award, nomination for membership in Who’s Who Among Students in American Colleges and Universities, as well as Moot Court.