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Heather White
Partner
Overview
Heather believes that clients’ problems are her problems, and she solves those problems. Seeing the personal toll that these disputes take on real people, she tries to resolve those problems in the most efficient and effective way through negotiation, alternative dispute resolution, and litigation.
With over 25 years’ experience defending government entities against personal injury claims of all kinds, Heather has a particular passion for defending police officers against complaints asserting the deprivation of civil rights. These matters include premises liability involving roads, sidewalks, water meters, swimming pools, cemeteries, playgrounds, or recreational centers.
In addition, Heather handles all types of claims of peace officer alleged misconduct, such as excessive force, search and seizure, wrongful arrest, false imprisonment, malicious prosecution, abuse of process, and denial of medical care. She has also defended municipalities and counties and their officers in many high-profile civil rights disputes, particularly officer-involved shooting cases, from inception, including investigations by the Utah Department of Justice and press inquiries, through conclusion.
Heather takes great satisfaction in defending medical professionals, including doctors and nursing staff as well as medical facilities, against complex medical malpractice claims. She thrives on working with experts in the various fields of medicine, learning fine details about certain actions taken and the standard of care applicable in assessing those actions, and then reducing the complex information in a way that anyone can understand.
In another aspect of her practice, Heather defends surety companies against bond claims and actions. She receives information about a project, organizes information to determine what has occurred, and then helps the sureties and bond claimants and indemnitors reach successful resolutions.
With an intimate understanding of how to connect with jurors to teach them why they should rule in favor of her clients, Heather has tried many cases to a favorable defense verdict in state and federal trial and appeals courts throughout her over 25 years of practice.
Heather listens closely to determine her clients’ individual needs whether in out-of-court settlements or public trials. To better understand her law enforcement clients and the matters they are involved in, she regularly participates in police ride-alongs, is certified by the Force Science Institute, and conducts training sessions for law enforcement throughout the state, including entities who are not her clients.
Heather also educates her clients on legally related elements of their complex, public careers, regularly speaking to agencies and insurers on police training, liability, risk management, and incident-prevention issues in this effort.
Credentials
Education
- University of Utah College of Law, 1996 (J.D.)
- University of Utah, 1993 (B.A.), cum laude
Court Admissions
- U.S. Supreme Court
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit
- U.S. District Court for the District of Utah
- Martindale-Hubbell, AV Preeminent
- Mountain States Super Lawyers, Government Finance
- UtahBusiness Magazine, Utah Legal Elite, Government Law
- Lorman Education Services, Distinguished Faculty
- Utah State Bar, Technology and Innovation Committee, Co-Chair
- University of Utah, S.J. Quinney College of Law, Adjunct Professor
- American Academy of Trial Attorneys
- Utah Bar Association
- American Bar Association
- Salt Lake County Bar Association
- S. District Court, District of Utah, Local Rules Committee, 2008-2018
- Federal Bar Association, Utah Chapter, Past President, 2004-2005
- Model Utah Jury Instructions, Civil Rights Instructions Subcommittee, Chair
- Magistrate Merit Selection Panel, 2003
- Defense Research Institute
- Utah Defense Lawyers Association
- Utah Municipal Attorneys Association
- “Discretionary Immunity – White Paper,” Utah Local Government Trust, March 2022
- “The First Amendment in the Pandemic and Protest Era,” Utah Local Governments Trust, September 2020
- “Protecting and Serving Those Who Protect and Serve,” The Utah Peace Officer, Winter 2020
- “Governmental Immunity Statutory Revisions,” Utah State Bar Seminar, Government and Administrative Law Section, May 2019
- “Debriefing of Officer Involved Critical Incidents,” Utah Municipal Attorneys Association Annual Conference, May 2019
- “Law Enforcement: Common Mistakes,” Utah Local Governments Trust, May 2019
- “Legislative Updates for Law Enforcement,” FBI National Academy Associates Spring Conference, Moab, Utah, April 2019
- “Tech Ethics – New Rules? New Guidance!” Utah State Bar Fall Forum, Little America Hotel, November 2017
- “Writing Police Reports,” Utah Local Governments Trust, April 2017
- “Case Law / Legislative Update,” September 2016
- “Transgender Restroom and Locker Room Issues,” Utah Risk Management Mutual Association, August 2016
- “Public Accommodations as They Relate to Transgender Individuals,” Utah Municipal Attorneys Association, May 2016