Heather Buechner

During law school, Heather was able to take a deeper dive into her passion for social work through various internships with Pro Bono Legal Advocates, San Diego Public Defenders Offices, and Federal Defenders, Inc. She worked at a courthouse restraining order clinic, worked under the director of the homicide division at the PD’s Office, argued at bail hearings, advocated for juveniles faced with serious criminal charges, and fought for alternative sentencing options such as probation and house arrest. 

Most impressively, Heather had the opportunity to serve as a judicial extern during her first summer semester in law school, which was one of her proudest accomplishments. This position has been traditionally limited to only the top law students, many of which have prestigious family connections. She was over the moon when she negotiated her way into an interview with U.S. Magistrate Judge William Gallo, with the Southern District of California, who is a Pennsylvania native himself. During this externship, Heather got to sit in during chamber meetings with the attorneys, prepare Court Orders, conduct research, provide feedback during settlement conferences, and much more. 

After graduating from law school in the top 15% of her class with a concentration in criminal litigation, Heather made the difficult decision to move back home to be close to her family again. In 2022, she passed the California bar exam and began working remotely at a general practice law firm based out of Los Angeles, CA. Her caseload involved a wide variety of complex cases, including landlord-tenant disputes, employment disputes, fraud, negligence, and medical malpractice. Although she loved learning about all the different areas of law, she felt separated from her work and knew something was missing.

In 2023, Heather serendipitously came across Grace Legal Offices and was ecstatic to join the team. She admired the team’s devotion to providing a voice for people who need it most. With incredible gratitude to begin her career here in her home state, Heather worked for clients as a Paralegal of Grace Legal Offices for over a year until she passed the Pennsylvania bar exam in October 2024, and was sworn into the Pennsylvania bar by the Honorable Judge Michelle Sibert in December 2024.

Heather brings incredible compassion, ambition, and positivity to the team. Her dedication to her clients is what separates her from other attorneys in Central PA. She understands what clients are going through, the difficulties they’re facing, and she advocates passionately on their behalf. She knows what it takes to get the job done, and she will be the first one to remind you that there is indeed a light at the end of the tunnel. Heather would be humbled to advocate for you during this tough time in your life.