Profile of Heather A. Cutler

I grew up in Pasadena, California, and after graduating with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science at San Diego State University, I worked as a public services clerk at the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of California in San Diego for five years.  Realizing that I wanted to become a lawyer, I moved to Washington DC to attend the Catholic University of America, Columbus School of Law, where I graduated in 2000.  I missed my home state of California though, and moved to San Francisco, where I have been practicing California bankruptcy law since 2003.  I have represented many individual and small business debtors, guiding them through the process of filing for bankruptcy, including preparing their documents, responding to creditor calls and letters, and attending creditors' meetings.

I am a member of the California State Bar Association, and the National Association of Consumer Bankruptcy Attorneys.  I am also an active member of the Bar Association of San Francisco, where I served as the Chair of the Business, Commercial and Bankruptcy Section of the Barrister's Club, and where I volunteer at the Debt Defense and Education Clinic regularly.

I live in Potrero Hill with my husband Gene and cats Malli and Maggie.

I was profiled in the October 2009 Volunteer Spotlight for the Volunteer Legal Services Program (VLSP). In 2009 and in 2010, I was awarded the Outstanding Volunteer in Public Service Award by VLSP. The AIDS Legal Referral Panel (ALRP) presented me with a Hero Award in 2009 and a Volunteer Appreciation Award in 2010 for representing low income debtors with HIV/AIDS.