Richard Zawtocki | Mesa Education Lawyer

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About Richard
Rich focuses on all aspects of personal injury law, including motor vehicle collisions, dog bites, slip and falls, and wrongful death claims. Rich also does general civil litigation cases, including contract issues and debt collection cases. Rich also handles both special education and school law cases.
Throughout his career, Rich has represented thousands of clients, both through the litigation process and through negotiations. He enjoys meeting with and helping people.
Rich graduated from the University of Dayton School of Law with honors in 1985. He received his undergraduate degree in American Studies from the University of Notre Dame with high honors in 1980. He has previously practiced law with the Udall Shumway, Langerman Begam, and Goldberg & Osborne law firms. At each, he concentrated on personal injury law and general civil litigation.
Rich has completed the Mediator training program through the Arizona Attorney General’s office and has served as a mediator in Justice Court. Rich is also trained as a Special Education Due process Hearing officer and as a Hearing Officer for disciplinary issues in schools.
Mr. Zawtocki resides in Chandler with his wife and four children. He was elected to two four-year terms as a member of the Kyrene School District Governing Board. He just completed five years on the Advisory Board at Seton Catholic Preparatory High School and was recently voted onto the Board of Trustees at the School.
Rich and his staff are committed to providing personal, professional service to each of our clients and willing to travel to meet his client if the client has transportation challenges.
Call today to learn more about my fee structure.
Experience
Partner
Zawtocki Law Offices PLLC
Present
Mesa, AZ
Admission
Arizona
1985
Education
University of Notre Dame
A.B. (American Studies)
1980


Recognitions & Achievements
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Rich is an active member of the State Bar of Arizona, the Maricopa County Bar and the MCBA Lawyer Referral Program and Arizona’s Finest Lawyers. He also accepts claims for those having Workplace Benefits.
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Rich is active in community service organizations and has current and past affiliations with Valley Big Brother/Big Sisters, the American Heart Association, Seton Catholic Preparatory High School, St. Benedict’s Parish, and the Special Olympics. Rich has served as a volunteer coach for Little League baseball teams and youth basketball teams. He is an advocate for all children and for education across the state.
Questions & Answers
Please describe a case in the last year or two where you made a big difference.
I represented a woman who was involved in a rear-end collision. She went to the hospital and to a chiropractor and the bills were sufficient to recover the at fault parties policy limit. However, my client continued to experience pain in her right wrist and left knee. She had no health insurance, but we were able to get her in to see a pain management doctor who provided her with injections which resolved the pain. We then negotiated and recovered $100,000.00 from her Underinsured Motorist carrier.
How did you build a successful practice?
The practice was built by providing personal service to each client. We take pride in working with and getting to know the client. This allows us to better represent them . I also have made it a practice to never take a fee which is greater than what our client receives once the case is resolved and all the bills are paid regardless of what we are entitled to under the fee agreement.
What should clients look for in a lawyer?
Clients want an attorney who knows the law and is willing to listen to the client and how they view the case. I believe that when an attorney really gets to know their client, they are much better able to represent the client and their interests.
How important is local knowledge to the success of your cases?
Knowing the law, the adjusters, opposing counsel and the Judges is very important. Hiring an attorney with experience and who knows the locality and how to best pursue the clients case is extremely important.
What information can you provide in a free phone consultation?
When I do a phone consultation I am able to share with the client what the governing law is regarding their situation and my view regarding the way to proceed. If they need help to locate a physician who can help with their injuries we can assist with that.
What information do you need in a free phone consultation?
I need to find out why the client wants to speak to me, meaning, what occurred, when did it occur and who are the other parties involved. I also need to learn what the client wants to have happen and discuss with them whether their preferred result is achievable, and if so, how we would proceed .
What differentiates you from other lawyers in your community?
I think that I spend more time talking to my clients. I really want to get to know them, and not just the situation which brought them to me. Because of that, I like to find out about them as a person, their family, what they like to and where they work. I believe that by getting to know them, I can better represent them.
What is the most rewarding aspect of your job?
Helping people who feel that they have no one who can help them and allowing them to understand their situation and how we can resolve is extremely rewarding. Often my client feels that they have been damaged and have no idea what their rights are and how to go about asserting those rights. Helping them to understand that we can become a team and help them through the tough situation they face is extremely gratifying.
What are your other interests in addition to law?
I love to read and to spend time with my family. My wife and I have four children and six grandchildren, so spending time with them is wonderful. Luckily, our grandchildren, all of whom are boys aged 7 and under, all live within two miles of our house, so we see them all the time. I also love sports, and have recently helped to coach my oldest grandsons baseball and basketball teams.
Are you involved in your community?
I have always believed that part of living in a community is being actively involved in in. As a result, I have volunteered as a youth sports coach, served on our local school board, become a member of the board of trustees at a local private high school and been a member of numerous charity boards.
Additional Info
Zawtocki Law Offices PLLC Highlights
Education, Litigation, Public Schools, Wrongful Death, Car Accident, Dispute Resolution, Insurance, Personal Injury