Who We Are
Who We Are
We are a team of attorneys and staff committed to providing top notch legal representation and service. We share a common belief that it is not only our job as attorneys but also our moral and ethical duty as your trusted advisors and advocates to offer the very best custom solutions for your unique situation. To do that, we’ll take the time to get to know you, your situation, and your personal wishes. It’s equally important that you to get to know us so that you feel comfortable and confident in the work we’re doing for you.
Our Team
Trent Woods
Trent is the founder and managing attorney of Woods Law Group, an estate planning and probate law firm headquartered on the Mesa and Gilbert border with offices throughout metropolitan Phoenix. He is passionate about helping people protect the most important things in their lives: their family, finances, and the property, heirlooms, and belongings they treasure most. His interest in law was sparked after many years of working as the operations manager of his family’s construction business, where he worked closely with numerous attorneys. Trent’s experience as a client inspired him to go to law school and become the kind of lawyer he always wished he had. He attended ASU’s Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law and graduated in 2013. Before establishing Woods Law Group, Trent gained professional experience at the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office, then a large multi-national corporation, and finally a large regional law firm.
Trent lives in Mesa with his wife and six children, and he tolerates a few interesting pets worth asking about when you meet him in person. He believes these pets are solid, undisputable proof of his love for his wife and children. As a fifth generation Arizonan, Trent is surrounded by family and enjoys spending time with them, especially during family trips to the beach in Mexico. Trent loves the outdoors and enjoys scuba diving, camping, sports, and target shooting.
Memberships: Wealth Counsel Arizona, Arizona State Bar
Published articles/Seminars/other noteworthy experience:
In 2020, 2021, 2022, and 2023, Trent was selected to “Super Lawyer’s Southwest Rising Stars” as an outstanding Estate Planning and Probate Attorney in Arizona – an honor reserved for the top 2.5% of attorneys.
Bryan Holm
As the past President and current Board Member of the East Valley Estate Planning Council, Bryan Holm is an experienced attorney with Woods Law Group and focuses his practice exclusively on estate planning, trust administration and business organization. Bryan has helped families of all varieties establish customized planning, regardless of the size or circumstances of their estate. Bryan strives to listen to his clients’ concerns and then provides clear and simple solutions, giving each client confidence and peace of mind with their decisions.
Prior to becoming an attorney, Bryan practiced accounting with Ernst & Young, leading audits of Fortune 500 companies and private businesses in a variety of industries throughout the Southwest. Through this experience, Bryan refined his career aspirations toward counseling and directing individuals and families rather than large corporations. Bryan’s greatest professional satisfaction comes from providing dependable service and developing a relationship with his clients and their families.
Bryan graduated cum laude from the J. Reuben Clark Law School with a focus toward estate planning and was appointed a Senior Editor of the Brigham Young University Law Review. After enjoying local and international clerkships involving constitutional, real estate, and family law, he focused his practice exclusively in estate planning.
Originally from the Salt Lake area, Bryan migrated south over twelve years ago to enjoy the warmer climate. Of course, Bryan returns to Utah during the summer and for a week at Thanksgiving or Christmas to visit family, friends, and the ski slopes — but he’ll always be back enjoying Arizona citrus by January 2nd.
Here in the East Valley, Bryan met and married his wife, Alison, and together they have five wonderful and tireless boys. As a family, they enjoy hiking, backyard sports, membership in their church, and taking on household projects. Bryan is an avid fan of the Arizona Cardinals, BYU sports, and the New Zealand All Blacks.
Whitney Paci, of counsel
Whitney was a licensed stockbroker for over 6 years before she attended law school. It was her time in the Trust and Estate Department at a large multi-national brokerage firm that inspired Whitney to go back to school to get her law degree.
While at Phoenix School of Law, Whitney was elected Managing Technical Editor of the Phoenix Law Review, Treasurer of the Phoenix Law Women’s Association, and served on the Student Bar Association. She was also chosen by staff and faculty to serve as the Student Representative on the Admissions and Financial Aid Faculty Committee. As part of her coursework, Whitney externed for the Probate Court as well as the Office of the Federal Public Defender. Whitney continued working for the Office of the Federal Public Defender during her third year of law school. There, she conducted research and analysis that was implemented into filings with the Sixth and Ninth Circuits as well as the United States Supreme Court.
After graduating from Phoenix School of Law in 2009, Whitney worked for some of the busiest bankruptcy law firms in Phoenix, prior to joining Woods Law Group.
Whitney Paci lives in Tempe and is a third generation Arizonan. She enjoys riding bikes around Tempe Town Lake and attending concerts.
Jaren Martineau
Jaren graduated from the Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law at Arizona State University with a Juris Doctor in 2019. He obtained his bachelor’s degree in business management and entrepreneurship in 2012. While in law school, Jaren interned at the Town of Florence, Arizona, working on municipal law research projects involving nuisance abatement, community property association matters, and water law. In his final semester, Jaren participated in the Innovation and Advancement legal clinic interviewing start-up business owners and drafting their related business legal documents. He also participated as an associate editor for the ASU Law Journal for Social Justice.
Prior to law school, Jaren had a career in the field of Information Technology. He worked for many years as a Network Technician for a local Internet Service Provider (ISP). In that role, he obtained experience with configuring internet servers, routers, firewalls, and other network infrastructure. Jaren was also involved for a number of years in search engine optimization (SEO) where he worked as the Director of SEO.
Jaren lives in Mesa, Arizona. In his spare time, he spends time with his wife and five children. He also enjoys spending time in the outdoors exploring Arizona’s wilderness areas and participating in the discovery and photography of native wildlife.
Ashley Hale, of counsel
Ashley graduated from Sandra Day O’Connor College of law in December 2012 and went on to spend seven years as a high-stakes commercial litigation attorney with a well-known valley law firm. Ashley helped recover millions of dollars during her tenure there.
When not litigating, Ashley provides general counsel services to small businesses in the Phoenix metropolitan area and advises clients on employment related issues.
In 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, and 2023 Ashley was selected to “Super Lawyer’s Southwest Rising Stars” as an outstanding Estate Planning and Probate Attorney in Arizona – an honor reserved for the top 2.5% of attorneys.
Ashley lives in Mesa, Arizona with her husband and two rambunctious children. They enjoy rock climbing, mountain biking, and finding new places to explore.
Robert Skousen
Robert is a native Arizonan who has been practicing law since 2017. Robert spent the first four years of his career as a civil litigator, after which time he formed his own estate planning practice. Robert has now joined Woods Law Group, and he enjoys the practice of estate planning because it provides him with the opportunity to help people achieve their goals – including creating a plan for the future. Robert also assists clients with business formation. His favorite part of practicing in estate planning is congratulating clients for completing their estate plan because of the amazing gift the plan will be for the clients’ family.
Robert attended law school at the Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law at Arizona State University where he graduated with honors. Robert also served as a board member of the Jurimetrics Journal of Law Science and Technology. Prior to law school and while attending Arizona State University, Robert was a member of the Arizona Wake Devils collegiate wakeboard team.
Robert has been married since 2013, and he is the father of three great kids. Robert enjoys spending his weekends with his family – preferably outside the house. Robert enjoys many sports and outdoor activities, and he supports his local Arizona sports teams – even when those teams are struggling.
Tim Heileman
Tim Heileman’s experience as an estate planning attorney and philanthropic advisor allow him to bring passion and perspective to the individuals and families he serves at Woods Law Group. Tim graduated from the Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law at ASU in 2014, where he was granted the dean’s recruitment award, was named a Willard H. Pedrick Scholar, and co-founded the Tax and Estate Planning Law Association. While attending law school, Tim also took classes on charitable giving through ASU’s Lodestar Center for Philanthropy & Nonprofit Innovation.
Following graduation, Tim focused his practice on business transactions and estate planning through trust-based planning for individuals, families, and business owners, including revocable living trusts, retirement plan trusts, gun trusts, charitable trusts, and irrevocable trusts for gifting or life insurance, as well as estate administration, guiding clients through the process of probate or trust administration.
Tim then further developed his abilities as a Gift Planning Officer for the American Red Cross – providing advise (in both English and Spanish) to individuals, families, and business owners related to the philanthropic components of their estate planning.
Tim maintains a passion for strengthening families and utilizes estate planning tools to help families convey values and maintain family cohesion through the inherently difficult transitions of life.
The father of five wonderful children, and the lucky husband of an amazingly talented wife, Tim fills his non-work hours with family activities, household projects, reading classical literature, and serving in his church community.
Paul Sparks, of counsel
Paul Sparks, Esq. is an experienced business attorney licensed in Arizona and Utah with a background representing clients in a myriad of industries. Paul provides businesses with legal advice from a general counsel perspective. Paul also advises on business formations, contracts, real estate, employment law, workers compensation, OSHA safety regulations, and buying and selling businesses. Given Paul’s extensive experience working outside the practice of law, Paul is able to help clients from any industry.
Paul loves to woodwork, especially woodturning, and teaches shop classes in his spare time. He also enjoys running and reading.
Paul is married to Katie and has five wonderful children.
JD- Arizona State University- 2014
BA- Political Science- BrighamYoung University- 2011
