Firm Philosophy

One of the things I have always valued is justice. When people say that the world isn’t fair, my response is that’s because we aren’t trying hard enough to make it that way. Our society works because as individuals we all have the right to seek justice in the courts of our communities. Whether a person has to file a lawsuit to recover damages, or fight the charges against them at trial, having access to the courts is one of our most important rights.

When my new partner Zach Zwerdling initially approached me to join his practice, one of the first things he told me was that he had heard how dedicated I was to my job at the Public Defender’s Office and wouldn’t want to leave. And that is true; I had not considered doing anything other than criminal defense at the time he approached me. But what drew me to him and his civil practice was the type of work he does- representing individuals who have been injured and are attempting to seek justice.

When a person is injured, whether or not the person doing the injuring meant to or not, there is a vacuum of medical bills and pain and suffering that must be remedied. In the world of insurance companies, an unrepresented person has very little chance of recovering a just amount for the injuries they have suffered. Just as a criminal defendant finds him or herself up against the power of the government, a plaintiff will often be up against a large insurance company or governmental entity, with a team of lawyers ready to fight even the most legitimate of claims. As I have begun my journey into civil practice with his guidance, I have found it not so different from the criminal justice world I have been surrounded by for almost a decade. It is about finding out what the client’s needs and goals are, and fighting ethically and resolutely for a just result against an entity that may have infinite resources and little concern for the individual involved.

What I found in Zach is a person who keenly understands the civil justice system, and who wants to help this community and the people in it. At The Zwerdling Law Firm, LLP, we want to make a difference, person by person. Whether you find yourself the defendant in a crime, or a victim of a crime or accident, we are uniquely qualified to help. With years of litigation experience, we are able to navigate clients through some of life’s most difficult challenges.

-Heidi Wells, Partner

ZWERDLING LAW FIRM, LLP

804 3rd Street
Eureka, CA 95501

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