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Heather White

Gov & Administrative Law
Utah

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Biography

I defend governmental entities and their officers against complaints asserting the deprivation of civil rights. These include all types of claims of alleged misconduct, such as excessive force, search and seizure, wrongful arrest, false imprisonment, malicious prosecution, abuse of process, and denial of medical care, to name a few. At any given time, I am involved in multiple officer-involved shooting cases from inception, including investigations by the Department of Justice and press inquiries, through conclusion.

I have a deep respect for my Utah police officer clients and their dedication to society at great personal expense. I listen carefully to determine their individual needs – whether in out-of-court settlements or in public trials. To better understand and closely connect with my clients, and the matters they are involved in, I regularly participate in police ride-alongs, I am certified by the Force Science Institute, and conduct training sessions for law enforcement throughout the state, including entities that are not my clients.

I also represent the two primary insurers of government entities in the State of Utah—the Utah Risk Management Agency and the Utah Local Governments Trust—as well as a number of self-insured governmental agencies. I believe in the importance of educating my clients on legally related elements of their complex, public careers. In this effort, I regularly speak to agencies and insurers on police training issues, liability, risk management, and incident-prevention issues.

I have tried many governmental civil rights cases to a favorable defense verdict in state and federal trial and appeals courts. In addition, I regularly defend governments against claims involving accidents with government vehicles and premises liability, such as “slip and fall” accidents that might involve sidewalks, water meters, or swimming pools, cemeteries, playgrounds, recreational centers, and others.

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