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AZ FOP Law Firm

Arizona Fraternal Order of Police – Law Firm

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Yen, Pilch & Landeen P.C.
A Professional Corporation of Attorneys
6017 N. 15th Street
Phoenix, AZ 85014
(602) 241-0474
After Hours Critical Incident (888) 382-8805

Robert E. Yen

Bob is a second-generation Arizonan, born and raised in Phoenix. Following his graduation from Arizona State University’s College of Law in 1981, Bob served as law clerk to the Honorable Thomas Tang, United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. As a judicial clerk, he drafted opinions, orders and memoranda for the Court in cases involving a variety of federal matters including labor and employment issues. Later, he was associated with a small law firm where his practice included issues pertaining to complex Native American water rights, eminent domain litigation, commercial transactions, estate planning, business formation, election and civil rights law.

For the past quarter century, though, his practice emphasis has been in public employment law, including wage and hour issues and civil rights litigation. He has practiced in the United States Supreme Court, and argued cases in the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, the United States District Court, the Arizona Supreme Court, the Arizona Court of Appeals and the Arizona Superior Courts.

Active in his community, Bob has served as a faculty member at the State Bar Seminar “The Power of One: Making Cultural Diversity a Reality for the Legal Profession in Arizona” and at the Business Law Forum for Minority and Women-Owned Businesses speaking on the “At-Will” employment doctrine in Arizona. He was a founding director and remains a member of the Arizona Asian-American Bar Association, and served as a volunteer and participating mentor in the Maricopa County Bar Association Cultural Diversity Mentoring Program. Bob’s community involvement also includes service on the Board of Directors for the Phoenix Museum of History and a four-year appointment by the Governor to serve as a member of the State Liquor Board.

Bob was given an “AV” preeminent rating by his peers, the highest quality rating for competence and ethical standards issued by the Martindale Hubbell Law Directory, and he is proud to have maintained that rating for the past 15 years.

Martindale-Hubbell AV Preeminent Rating

Representative appellate cases

Caroline A. Pilch

Carol is a native of Arizona, born and raised in Phoenix. Carol received her Juris Doctorate from the University of Arizona Law School in 1986. While at the University of Arizona, she was a member of the Arizona Law Review. Prior to law school, Carol worked as a law clerk and assisted in the preparation of complex Native American water rights litigation cases. Following her graduation from law school, she became an associate attorney at a firm in Phoenix, Arizona. As an associate, her practice included civil litigation and continued participation in the Native American water rights litigation cases.

In 1987, Carol helped to establish the law firm of Yen & Pilch, (eventually becoming Yen Pilch & Landeen). Her practice focuses on employment law, civil and commercial litigation and elections law. Carol represents clients in all aspects of labor and employment law. She has handled matters involving Title VII discrimination claims, Age Discrimination in Employment claims, Americans with Disability claims, Family Medical Leave Act claims, and matters brought under the National Labor Relations Act, to name a few. Carol has also handled complex wage claim matters brought under both state and federal law, and other complex civil litigation matters. She has appeared and argued cases before both the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit and the Arizona Supreme Court. Carol has also appeared before the Consumer Products Safety Commission, where she helped her clients oversee the largest consumer product recall in U.S. history.

Carol was appointed to serve as a judge pro tem in the Maricopa County Superior Court in 1994 and continues to serve in that capacity, presiding over several cases each year, and handling many settlement conferences.

Carol’s peers have given her an “AV” preeminent rating, the highest quality rating for competence and ethical standards issued by the Martindale Hubbell Law Directory. She is proud to have been selected in 2011 for inclusion in the Bar Register of Preeminent Women Lawyers, a distinction held by less than 5% of women lawyers nationwide.

Martindale-Hubbell AV Preeminent Rating

Representative appellate cases

Neil Landeen

Neil received his Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Washington in Seattle in 2002, and received his Juris Doctorate from Arizona State University in 2005. Neil is a graduate from the Arizona State University Civil Practice Clinic as well as the Arizona State University Lodestar Mediation Clinic. Following law school, Neil joined Yen Pilch & Landeen. His practice emphasizes employment law, administrative law and personal injury.

In representing many of Arizona’s law enforcement officers, Neil regularly responds to scenes of police officer-involved critical incidents, where he ensures that the rights of law enforcement officers are protected. Neil has responded to numerous critical incidents and has handled hundreds of administrative investigations and disciplinary action appeals. Neil also regularly represents clients in cases involving wrongful termination, EEOC discrimination charges and mediations, wage and overtime claims, whistleblower claims, public records requests and litigation, and other complex employment and civil litigation matters.

Neil has practiced and argued cases in the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, the United States District Court, the Arizona Supreme Court, the Arizona Court of Appeals, and the Arizona Superior Courts. Additionally, he represents federal employees in the United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit and before the federal Merit Systems Protection Board.

In June of 2009, Neil was awarded the pro bono “HIV/AIDS Law Project Team Award” for his commitment to providing legal services to the less fortunate. He has also taught Continuing Legal Education courses on police use of force issues and related ethics.

Notable Cases:

Thomas P. McVay

Tom received his Bachelor of Arts degree from Arizona State University in 1979, and received his Juris Doctorate from Pepperdine University Law School in Malibu, California in 1983. Following graduation from law school, Tom instructed law classes for Rio Salado Community College for two years before entering private law practice. He has more than 25 years experience as an attorney practicing civil litigation transactional work, business formations, estate planning, probate, and real estate law. Tom is also a licensed real estate broker.

Michael Pang

Michael received his Bachelor of Arts degree in 2007 and his Juris Doctorate in 2012, both from Arizona State University, where he edited the law school’s Sports and Entertainment Law Journal and graduated from the Center for Law, Science & Innovation. Michael joined Yen Pilch & Landeen following his admission to the State Bar of Arizona in 2013. His practice focuses on employment and administrative law.

Chad Smith

Chad received his Bachelor of Arts degree in 2014 from Brigham Young University and his Juris Doctorate from Arizona State University in 2017. During law school, Chad clerked in the civil litigation department of a private firm. Chad also participated in the Wills for Heroes project which provides free wills to first responders. He now serves as a member of the J. Reuben Clark Law Society and the American Bar Association: Young Lawyers Division.