Renee E. Heitger, Partner

Contact Info

Phone number: (716) 854-1596 
Email: rheitger@hwcomp.com

Admitted to Practice

• Georgia , 1994
• Ohio, 1994
• New York, 1996

Education

• University of Toledo College of Law
  • J.D., 1994
     
• Miami University of Ohio
  • B.A., 1991

Ms. Heitger is a member of the firm’s Governing Committee and focuses her practice solely on workers' compensation insurance defense.  She has extensive experience in handling all aspects of the defense of a workers’ compensation matter, including development of defenses for controverted claims, interview of witnesses, preparation of Notices of Controversy, preparation of Pre-Hearing Conference Statements, making claims’ recommendations, and handling hearings, trials, depositions and settlements. Ms. Heitger’s experience also includes legal research and preparing Memoranda of Law, Applications for Board Review, Rebuttals to Applications for Board Review. Additionally, she has extensive experience in appellate work with the filing of Appellant Briefs, Respondent Briefs and oral arguments at the Appellate Division, Third Department. She is a frequent speaker at seminars, and at clients’ offices across the state, and now virtually pertaining to workers’ compensation matters.  She has developed a particular focus on the Medical Treatment Guidelines, prescription and opiate issues, and the Drug Formulary, presenting often on those topics across the state to clients, other attorneys and medical groups. Rated AV Preeminent by Martindale-Hubbell for the highest possible rating in both legal ability and ethics. 

Ms. Heitger is a member of the New York State Bar Association, Erie County Bar Association, and is the current Chair of the Workers’ Compensation Committee of the Erie County Bar Association.

Prior to moving to Buffalo, New York, she spent two years as an associate with the law firm of Dorcas & Associates, as well as an Assistant Prosecutor and Assistant City Attorney for the City of Sylvania, Ohio. The fast pace of the prosecutor’s office led to a smooth transition into the fast pace of the Workers’ Compensation system.