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Inside Provident Law, the Scottsdale firm built by a former Arizona Association of REALTORS® “hotline attorney” who now runs one of the state’s few firms with two Board-Certified Real Estate Law Specialists on staff.
Provident Law — At a Glance
| FIRM | Provident Law, PLLC |
| FOUNDER | Christopher J. Charles — Managing Partner |
| CERTIFICATIONS | Christopher J. Charles and J. Scott Burns — both State Bar of Arizona Board-Certified Real Estate Law Specialists |
| FOCUS | Real estate transactions and litigation; also handles business law, family law, estate planning/probate, and commercial litigation |
| EXPERIENCE | Firm reports more than 200 years of combined legal experience in real estate matters |
| SERVICE AREA | Scottsdale, Paradise Valley, Buckeye, Fountain Hills, Flagstaff, Gilbert, Phoenix, and surrounding areas |
| CONTACT | (480) 388-3343 · providentlawyers.com |
Origin: From REALTOR® Hotline to Managing Partner
Before founding Provident Law, Christopher J. Charles represented the Arizona Association of REALTORS® (AAR) as a “Hotline Attorney,” advising the state’s real estate brokers on legal emergencies and helping resolve hundreds of disputes before they became litigation. He is a licensed real estate instructor who teaches continuing education courses, and continues to serve as an AAR arbitrator and mediator.
Practice Areas
Provident Law represents buyers, sellers, landlords, tenants, lenders, borrowers, trustees, guarantors, shareholders, and partners across residential and commercial real estate transactions and disputes — from the purchase of undeveloped land to complex commercial sales. The firm is also a full-service practice handling business law, family law, estate planning, probate, guardianships, conservatorships, and commercial litigation alongside its core real estate work.
Track Record
Charles emphasizes that real estate cases rarely go to trial — but per his own account, when they do, he’s tried more than a dozen. One matter he cites specifically: a five-day jury trial following a four-year Superior Court battle and appeal, fighting for a client’s property rights. The firm also represented a buyer in claims for non-disclosure, fraud, and breach of contract over an undisclosed-defect mobile home park purchase, alongside co-counsel.
Past-Results Disclaimer: These are the firm’s own case summaries. Every case is different, and no past result guarantees a similar outcome in any future matter.
Client Voice
The firm’s own testimonials page includes a client thanking attorneys Phil Overcash and Steve Oman by name for their work on a family law matter — a reminder that, despite its real estate specialization, Provident is a genuinely multi-practice firm.
Community
Charles is a licensed real estate instructor teaching continuing education classes to Arizona real estate professionals, and serves the Arizona Association of REALTORS® as both arbitrator and mediator — a role that keeps him embedded in the industry’s dispute-resolution infrastructure beyond his own casework.
Recognition
Two attorneys at the firm — Christopher J. Charles and J. Scott Burns — hold Arizona’s Board-Certified Real Estate Law Specialist designation, a genuine credential from the State Bar’s Board of Legal Specialization held by a small fraction of Arizona attorneys. Having two at one firm is a real concentration few Arizona real estate practices can match.
The Arizona Legal Backdrop
What follows is general legal information, not legal advice.
Recording of real property instruments is governed by A.R.S. § 33-401. Residential landlord-tenant relationships fall under the Arizona Residential Landlord and Tenant Act, A.R.S. § 33-1301 et seq. Non-judicial foreclosure through a trustee’s sale is governed by A.R.S. § 33-807, and Arizona’s anti-deficiency statute, A.R.S. § 33-729, protects borrowers on certain purchase-money loans secured by 2.5 acres or less of land with a single one- or two-family dwelling from being pursued for the difference after foreclosure. Real estate licensing itself is governed by A.R.S. § 32-2151 et seq.
The Awesome Attorneys Assessment
Provident Law’s genuine strength is depth in a niche few firms match: two individually Board-Certified Real Estate Law Specialists, backed by a founder with direct experience inside the industry’s own trade association resolving broker-level disputes before they escalate. That combination is a real asset for both transactional real estate work and the litigation that occasionally follows it.
The honest caveat: this is a full-service firm — family law, estate planning, and general commercial litigation sit alongside the real estate practice — so clients should confirm they’re working directly with Charles or Burns specifically if the real estate certification is the reason they’re calling.
Methodology & Sourcing
This profile was researched in August 2026 from providentlawyers.com (firm site and attorney bios), LinkedIn, ThreeBestRated’s Scottsdale real estate attorney roundup, and the State Bar of Arizona Board of Legal Specialization’s Real Estate Law Certified Specialists directory. Provident Law 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.