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Stillman Smith Gadow practices exclusively in family law, with all three named partners independently verified as State Bar-certified Family Law Specialists.
A NOTE TO READERS. This profile was researched and written independently by Awesome Attorneys’ editorial team. Stillman Smith Gadow did not pay for, request, or review this article prior to publication, and placement on Awesome Attorneys’ editorial pages cannot be purchased. Nothing in this article is legal advice, and reading it does not create an attorney–client relationship. Past results do not guarantee, warrant, or predict the outcome of any future case.
At a Glance
| Firm | Stillman Smith Gadow |
| Partners | Stephen R. Smith, Jennifer G. Gadow, Kathleen Stillman |
| Certification | State Bar of Arizona Board-Certified Family Law Specialists — Smith (since 2000), Gadow (since 2000), Stillman (since 2021) |
| Firm Rating | AV Preeminent, Martindale-Hubbell (highest tier) |
| Recognition | 3 attorneys recognized in Best Lawyers in America 2026 edition |
| Focus | Family law exclusively: divorce, child custody, child support, complex litigation, mediation, appellate matters |
| Office | 2201 E. Camelback Rd., Ste. 650, Phoenix, AZ 85016 |
| Contact | (602) 955-1515 · ssgfamilylaw.com |
Sources: ssgfamilylaw.com, Best Lawyers, Martindale, AAML directory, azbar.org Family Law Certified Specialists roster. Compiled August 2026.
Origin
Stillman Smith Gadow Phoenix: A Firm Devoted Solely to Family Law
Stillman Smith Gadow is devoted exclusively to family law practice. Stephen R. Smith was admitted to the State Bar of Arizona in 1994, earned his J.D. from Whittier College, and was certified as a Family Law Specialist in 2000; he is a Fellow of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers (AAML) since 2011 and served as President of the AAML’s Arizona Chapter for 2016–17. Jennifer G. Gadow, the firm’s managing partner, was also certified as a Family Law Specialist in 2000. Kathleen Stillman was certified in 2021 and became an AAML Fellow in 2024, bringing 13 years of prior teaching experience to her family law practice. Awesome Attorneys confirmed all three certifications directly against the State Bar of Arizona’s own public roster.
Practice
Three Certified Specialists, One Practice Area
The firm’s practice is limited entirely to family law: divorce, child custody, child support, child custody mediation, domestic violence matters, marital property distribution, and complex family law litigation and appellate matters. Smith’s individual practice is limited specifically to complex family law litigation, mediation, and appellate work. Smith has served on the Family Law Advisory Commission to the Arizona State Bar Board of Legal Specialization since 2008 and chaired that commission from 2012 to 2016 — meaning he has helped set the very certification standards the firm’s own partners hold.
Track Record
Awesome Attorneys did not identify an independent, itemized case-results table for the firm, which is typical for family law given the private nature of most settlements.
Past-Results Disclaimer: Every matter is different, and no past result guarantees a similar outcome in any future matter.
Client Voice
Client reviews describe the firm’s attorneys as providing valuable legal guidance and consistent, timely communication during difficult periods, including one client who described Kathleen Stillman’s help in a guardianship matter for a family member as comforting and effective. A referring attorney who has sent clients to Smith and Gadow for more than 25 years describes consistently positive feedback across more than 20 referrals, including effective handling of an aggressive opposing counsel.
Community
Smith’s decade-plus service on the Family Law Advisory Commission, including four years as its chairman, represents genuine governance-level contribution to how Arizona certifies family law specialists — a role distinct from client-facing marketing.
Recognition
All three partners’ Family Law board certifications were independently confirmed against the State Bar of Arizona’s own certified-specialist roster. The firm holds an AV Preeminent rating from Martindale-Hubbell, the service’s highest tier. Three of the firm’s attorneys are recognized in the 2026 edition of Best Lawyers in America, and Smith was named the 2017 Best Lawyers “Lawyer of the Year” for Family Law in Phoenix.
The Arizona Legal Backdrop
What follows is general legal information, not legal advice.
Arizona family law proceeds under Title 25 of the Arizona Revised Statutes. Child custody matters, part of the firm’s practice, are governed by A.R.S. § 25-403, which centers the legal decision-making and parenting-time analysis on the child’s best interests. Domestic violence matters, another named focus, intersect with Arizona’s Orders of Protection statute, A.R.S. § 13-3602.
The Awesome Attorneys Assessment
Stillman Smith Gadow Phoenix’s clearest differentiator is a genuinely rare concentration: all three named partners independently verified as State Bar-certified Family Law Specialists, inside a firm practicing nothing but family law, with an AV Preeminent rating and multiple Best Lawyers selections.
The honest trade-off: as a boutique firm with three senior partners, prospective clients should confirm which specific attorney will handle their matter, and the firm’s caseload and pricing likely reflect its concentration of high-level credentials rather than a budget-focused practice model.
Methodology & Sourcing
This profile was researched in August 2026 from ssgfamilylaw.com, Best Lawyers, Martindale, the AAML directory, and the State Bar of Arizona’s Family Law Certified Specialists roster (azbar.org). Awesome Attorneys did not identify competing attorneys of the same names practicing family law elsewhere that could create identity confusion. Stillman Smith Gadow did not commission, review, or pay for this profile.
Publisher Disclosure & Independence Notice
This profile is an independent editorial article published by Awesome Attorneys. Awesome Attorneys does not endorse, recommend, or warrant any lawyer or law firm profiled on this site, and inclusion in this series is not paid placement.