Heather Peláez
Partner
Fierce • Unshakable • Results-Driven
Heather Peláez (pronounced pay-LEYE-ez) joined Modern Law in 2022 and is known as a fierce, strategic, and compassionate advocate. Also serving as a Judge Pro Tem, she has a proven ability to deliver fair, practical solutions while guiding clients through some of life’s most difficult transitions. Heather is the firm’s go-to attorney for complex or obscure legal issues, often described as an encyclopedia of Arizona family law. Whether in the courtroom cross-examining witnesses or advising clients through custody and divorce matters, she provides steady, knowledgeable counsel when it matters most.
Outside of her practice, Heather enjoys traveling, gaming, and studying languages. She’s conversational in Spanish, speaks some Japanese, has studied Mandarin and Irish Gaelic, and is currently mastering Italian. At home, she treasures time with her teenager and partner, who inspire and ground her every day.
Heather Peláez
Partner
Fierce • Unshakable • Results-Driven
Heather Peláez (pronounced pay-LEYE-ez) joined Modern Law in 2022 and is known as a fierce, strategic, and compassionate advocate. Also serving as a Judge Pro Tem, she has a proven ability to deliver fair, practical solutions while guiding clients through some of life’s most difficult transitions. Heather is the firm’s go-to attorney for complex or obscure legal issues, often described as an encyclopedia of Arizona family law. Whether in the courtroom cross-examining witnesses or advising clients through custody and divorce matters, she provides steady, knowledgeable counsel when it matters most.
Outside of her practice, Heather enjoys traveling, gaming, and studying languages. She’s conversational in Spanish, speaks some Japanese, has studied Mandarin and Irish Gaelic, and is currently mastering Italian. At home, she treasures time with her teenager and partner, who inspire and ground her every day.
Quick Facts About Heather
Education
Juris Doctor (J.D.), Arizona State University’s Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law, 2014
High Distinction Pro Bono Hours, Arizona State University’s Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law, 2014
3L Early Bar Program, Arizona State University’s Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law, 2014
Star Sign & Enneagram Type
♎️ Libra
3 – The Achiever: Heather is ambitious, driven, and relentless in securing the best outcomes for her clients. She thrives under pressure, bringing clarity to even the most complex disputes. Her confidence and adaptability make her a powerful advocate who always finds a path forward. For Heather, success is more than winning cases; it is about building lasting futures her clients can depend on.
Fun Fact
Heather is a massive Jennifer Lopez fan and started the largest unofficial fan club in 2001 (#BBJLo).
What it's like to work with Heather
Heather Peláez is a rare force in family law, commanding the courtroom with confidence while delivering airtight legal analysis behind the scenes. With over a decade of experience in Maricopa County family courts, she has mastered both trial advocacy and appellate work at the highest level.
In trial, Heather’s adaptability and instinct set her apart. She controls the pace of proceedings, executes strategies with precision, and responds decisively in high-pressure moments. Her appellate practice reflects the same mastery, with meticulously crafted briefs and a sharp understanding of complex financial issues, including the valuation and division of unique retirement assets.
Clients and colleagues know Heather for her integrity, exhaustive preparation, and relentless dedication. She pairs empathy with toughness, offering candid advice, anticipating pitfalls, and ensuring no detail goes unheard. To her clients, she is more than a litigator, she is a fearless defender and trusted ally, committed to protecting their long-term stability, safety, and future.
What it's like to work with Heather
Heather Peláez is a rare force in family law, commanding the courtroom with confidence while delivering airtight legal analysis behind the scenes. With over a decade of experience in Maricopa County family courts, she has mastered both trial advocacy and appellate work at the highest level.
In trial, Heather’s adaptability and instinct set her apart. She controls the pace of proceedings, executes strategies with precision, and responds decisively in high-pressure moments. Her appellate practice reflects the same mastery, with meticulously crafted briefs and a sharp understanding of complex financial issues, including the valuation and division of unique retirement assets.
Clients and colleagues know Heather for her integrity, exhaustive preparation, and relentless dedication. She pairs empathy with toughness, offering candid advice, anticipating pitfalls, and ensuring no detail goes unheard. To her clients, she is more than a litigator, she is a fearless defender and trusted ally, committed to protecting their long-term stability, safety, and future.
Getting to Know Heather
If you weren't in the legal profession, what would your alternative career be?
If I weren’t in the legal profession, I would likely return to being a corporate trainer or adult educator. Before going to law school, I spent a decade as a corporate trainer for Grow Financial Federal Credit Union, and I absolutely loved the experience of helping others develop their skills and achieve their goals.
Teaching is a passion of mine, but I’ve always gravitated toward educating adults rather than children. There’s something incredibly rewarding about creating learning opportunities that empower individuals to grow in their careers and personal lives. While I’m deeply committed to my work as an attorney, I still incorporate elements of teaching into my practice by helping my clients understand complex legal concepts and guiding them through their cases with clarity and confidence.
Which fictional lawyer or legal character do you resonate with the most? Why?
The fictional lawyer I resonate with most is Elsbeth Tascioni from The Good Wife and The Good Fight. Elsbeth’s unique blend of sharp legal mind and eccentric, often unconventional approach to problem-solving is something I deeply admire. Like Elsbeth, I believe that creativity and thinking outside the box are key to providing clients with the best possible outcomes.
What I appreciate most about Elsbeth is her ability to remain calm and focused in the most chaotic situations, using her intelligence and empathy to navigate complex legal challenges. While her methods may seem unconventional at times, her success proves that embracing a different perspective can lead to unexpected and impressive results.
I also resonate with her deep sense of justice and loyalty to her clients. She never backs down when she believes she’s right, and her compassion for people is evident in every case she takes on. That commitment to doing what’s right, no matter the odds, is something I strive to embody in my own practice.
If you could create a new law, what would it be and why?
If I could create a new law, it would be one that promotes kindness and empathy within the legal system. Specifically, it would require that all legal professionals, attorneys, judges, and other key figures, undergo regular training on conflict resolution, emotional intelligence, and the impact of their actions on people’s lives.
This law would aim to foster a legal environment where individuals involved in cases feel respected, heard, and treated with dignity, regardless of the situation. Legal matters can often be emotionally charged and stressful, and I believe that promoting kindness at every level of the process would lead to better outcomes for everyone. By encouraging understanding and compassion, we could reduce the adversarial nature of legal proceedings and help people feel supported, even during difficult times.
If you could have a legal-themed superpower, what would it be and why?
The ability to guarantee an outcome in any legal dispute. By having the ability to guarantee an outcome, I could remove much of the uncertainty and emotional strain that often accompanies legal proceedings. It would create a smoother, more predictable process, helping clients feel confident and secure in knowing that a just resolution is not only possible but certain. In a profession where outcomes are unpredictable, this power would bring clarity and closure, ensuring that the right decision is always made.
Practice Areas
Heather Peláez focuses her practice exclusively on family law, offering clients both fierce advocacy and compassionate guidance. She is dedicated to helping families protect what matters most, providing clarity and strength in even the most complex disputes.
FAMILY LAW
Heather has built her career around family law, where she is recognized as a commanding courtroom presence and a trusted advisor outside of it. With more than a decade of experience in custody battles, divorce litigation, and appellate work, she brings precision, adaptability, and relentless preparation to every case. Known as the firm’s “encyclopedia” for complex issues, Heather delivers both strategy and empathy, ensuring clients feel supported while achieving the strongest possible outcomes.