John Gilbert’s practice focuses on commercial litigation, business and real estate law, business acquisitions, and estate planning. He has decades of experience in negotiating complex transactions, contracts and leases, especially in the field of real estate. He has represented clients from every area of the real estate market, including owners, developers, general contractors, and bankers.
John is an “AV” rated attorney under Martindale-Hubbell’s peer review process. He previously was active in the Maricopa County Bar Association’s Continuing Legal Education Committee, which he chaired in the late 1980s. He also was a co-editor of the Arizona Litigation Guide, Second Edition, published in 1993. He is a member of the State Bar of Arizona, the Scottsdale Bar Association and the American Bar Association. He is a member of Arizona’s Finest Lawyers (Sustaining Member) and was designated as Lawyer of the Month by Attorney at Law magazine in 2013 appearing on its cover. John has been named a Southwest Super Lawyer every year since 2015. He has been recognized since 2018 on the Best Lawyers in America list for his practice in Real Estate Law. In 2019 he was selected to Arizona Business magazine’s prestigious list of 100 Top Lawyers in Arizona. John is admitted to practice in the state courts of Arizona and in the United States District Court of Arizona.
John was born and raised in Chicago, Illinois. He earned a B.A. in psychology from Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois. He received his Juris Doctor degree from the Northwestern University School of Law in Chicago in 1976. Immediately following his graduation from law school, he clerked for the Honorable Jack D.H. Hays of the Arizona Supreme Court, after which he entered private practice.
Throughout his career, John has also been actively involved in the community. He has served for over ten years on the Board of Management of the Chris-Town YMCA.