University of Arizona, majors in English, Speech and Journalism; University of Arizona Law School; special studies in Business and Estate Planning at Harvard University, New York University and University of Miami.
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John Goodson has over 45 years of experience actively practicing estate, tax, charitable giving and business planning law. He is the founder and senior partner of the law firm Goodson Manley Forakis PLC, one of the first firms in the country to practice Preventive Law.
John is the founder of the Preventive Law Resource Center and the College of Preventive Law and the co-founder and chairman of the faculty of the College of Estate Planning Attorneys. As a part-time law professor, he has taught legal courses at four universities and colleges.
John's lectures and client sessions are entertaining and captivating due to his talent for weaving in analogies, stories, and common sense experience from his colorful pre-lawyer background including having been: • A mountain climber and member of a mountain rescue team • A martial arts student in Tai Chi and Akido • A lawyer and board member for the Aspen Academy of Martial Arts • An Armored Cavalry Officer with the Third Armored Cavalry Regiment on border defense in Germany • The coach of the winning European Pistol Team and The Le Clerk Combat Firing Team • An Outward Bound wilderness instructor for high school students for 25 years • A land navigation instructor for more than 15 years of a course called “Zen and the Art of Land Navigation” • The co-founder of the Reevis Mountain Survival School • A member of the Association of Former Intelligence Officers • A campaign manager for various political campaigns • The founding attorney and board member for over 40 operating foundations and hundreds of family foundations • A radio news announcer and radio personality.
John co-authored a textbook on the “Legal Aspects of Doing Business in Arizona.” As previously mentioned, he was the co-founder and chairman of the faculty of the College of Estate Planning attorneys and the founder and president of the College of Preventive Law.
John was the first to write textbooks on how to prepare estate planning documents that are legally valid in all 50 states. He is currently writing a book on advanced estate, tax and asset protection titled “The American Family Zaibatsu – How to Create a Successful Family Dynasty.”
John lectures on preventive-law-related subjects as a law professor at colleges and universities and continuing education courses for lawyers, accountants, CPAs, financial planners, real estate brokers and other professionals. In the summer of 2008, he will be lecturing at a 4-day symposium to lawyers from all over the United States who want to be certified in Preventive Law. He co-hosts (with his daughter counselor Christine Forakis) a weekly radio show featuring topics on preventive law. Earlier in his career he hosted another radio show and became known as the “Father of Asset Protection.”
It is pertinent to note that all businesses are family businesses because human beings who have families run all businesses.
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Winner 2012 Acquisition Int'l Magazine Award
Training Insights shared with Forbes.com 
2012 Chair Leadership Awardee
2012 Chapter Leadership Awardee
Newly Elected FIMC
Chapter Recognition Award 2012
C2M Live
2012 Distinguished Service Awardee
2012 Chair Leadership Awardee