Carol is a native of Arizona, born and raised in Phoenix. Carol received her Juris Doctorate from the University of Arizona Law School in 1986. While at the University of Arizona, she was a member of the Arizona Law Review. Prior to law school, Carol worked as a law clerk and assisted in the preparation of complex Native American water rights litigation cases. Following her graduation from law school, she became an associate attorney at a firm in Phoenix, Arizona. As an associate, her practice included civil litigation and continued participation in the Native American water rights litigation cases.
In 1987, Carol helped to establish the law firm of Yen & Pilch, (eventually becoming Yen Pilch & Landeen). Her practice focuses on employment law, civil and commercial litigation and elections law. Carol represents clients in all aspects of labor and employment law. She has handled matters involving Title VII discrimination claims, Age Discrimination in Employment claims, Americans with Disability claims, Family Medical Leave Act claims, and matters brought under the National Labor Relations Act, to name a few. Carol has also handled complex wage claim matters brought under both state and federal law, and other complex civil litigation matters. She has appeared and argued cases before both the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit and the Arizona Supreme Court. Carol has also appeared before the Consumer Products Safety Commission, where she helped her clients oversee the largest consumer product recall in U.S. history.
Carol was appointed to serve as a judge pro tem in the Maricopa County Superior Court in 1994 and continues to serve in that capacity, presiding over several cases each year, and handling many settlement conferences.
Carol’s peers have given her an “AV” preeminent rating, the highest quality rating for competence and ethical standards issued by the Martindale Hubbell Law Directory. She is proud to have been selected in 2011 for inclusion in the Bar Register of Preeminent Women Lawyers, a distinction held by less than 5% of women lawyers nationwide.
Martindale-Hubbell AV Preeminent Rating
Representative appellate cases