Roger Heywood
Roger Heywood brings more than four decades of experience helping businesses, families, and entrepreneurs navigate complex legal and financial challenges. Recognized for building lasting client relationships, he delivers practical, tax-efficient strategies for business owners and high-net-worth individuals. Roger diligently finds solutions to complex business and personal matters, drawing on his deep expertise in tax law, business transactions, real estate development, and sophisticated estate planning.
Before joining Fennemore, Roger served for many years as the primary legal advisor to the founder and owner of a privately held real estate and investment enterprise, overseeing a wide spectrum of legal needs — from corporate governance and business structuring to tax strategy, real estate development, and succession planning. This experience gives Roger a unique perspective on the intersection of legal, financial, and family dynamics, and shapes the holistic counsel he provides to privately held businesses and high-net-worth individuals.
Roger’s work spans a wide range of disciplines, including:
- Corporate Structuring & Business Planning: entity formation and structure, governance, acquisitions and sales of businesses, shareholder agreements, redemptions, divisive reorganizations, dissolutions, and succession planning.
- Tax & Estate Planning: income, estate, and gift tax planning, including 1031 exchanges, choice of entity, related party transactions, tax-efficient charitable donations, installment sales, family loans, irrevocable trusts, planning for disposition of the estate, and post-mortem planning.
- Wills, Trusts & Wealth Transfer: drafting tailored estate-planning instruments, and advising families on long-term legacy, transition, and governance strategies.
- Real Estate Development & Tax Planning: structuring land acquisitions and options, negotiating and drafting easements and covenants, well and road agreements, coordinating with engineers on plats and dedications, construction contracts, sales agreements, assisting with subdivision reports, navigating federal land-sales exemptions, and negotiating construction financing.
- Contract Drafting & Negotiation: a broad range of commercial agreements across industries.
Outside the office, Roger enjoys spending time outdoors — gardening, fishing, and hunting — as well as reading and sharing time with his grandchildren.
Education
- J.D., Brigham Young University, J. Reuben Clark Law School, cum laude
- M.A., Brigham Young University, Marriott School of Business
- B.S., Arizona State University
AREAS OF PRACTICE
Thoughtful and careful preparation of estate planning documents is key to wealth preservation and transition. Proper implementation and diligent administration are equally critical.
Our tax attorneys are committed to helping clients proactively structure their businesses, transactions, and estate plans in the most tax-efficient manner.
Our business and finance attorneys represent national, regional and local clients participating in significant transactions.
Welcome to one of the largest and most sophisticated estate planning practices in the Southwest and California.
Our real estate practice is one of the largest in the American West, including Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada and Washington with experience in all aspects of the real estate development process, from due diligence, acquisition and finance, through land use permitting and entitlements, to leasing and sale.
Serving ultra-high net worth individuals, families, and their business concerns.
Strategic, business-focused legal counsel, in step with your company’s growth.
Professional and Community Activities
- Maricopa County Extension Master Gardener, Budget/Finance Committee, 2015-Present
- Precinct Committeeman, Maricopa County, 2012-2018
- District Secretary, 2012-2014
- County & State Bylaws Committees, 2015-2017
- Assistant Scoutmaster, Committee Chair, Mentor, Boy Scouts of America & Youth Groups, 1990s-2014
- President, East Mesa Rotary Club, 2005-2006
Admissions
- Arizona
- Idaho