David R. Hartwig
(866) 331-8770
I have practiced law since 1984. In my years of experience, I developed my approach which considers each client's individual and legal needs. While I prepare each case for litigation, my aim is to spare the expense and emotional toll of litigation and to help my clients achieve the best result as quickly as possible. Because my clients come from all walks of life, I choose to practice in a broad range of legal matters. Some of the issues I handle are family law, including divorce, personal injury matters, probate and estate administration, estate planning, workers' compensation, business litigation, and professional malpractice law.
I have been active as a charter member and proponent of the Collaborative Law Group, an organization focused on bringing collaborative law to consumers. I have also been a volunteer lawyer for the Utah Legal Services and Legal Aid Society of Salt Lake since 1989, assisting members of the community who may not be able to afford legal representation.
A graduate of Cleveland State University's Cleveland Marshall College of Law, I authored a paper on Civil Liability for Drug Abuse During Pregnancy; did independent research in Psychology and the Law; and, participated in additional coursework in Forensic Medicine, Psychiatry and the Law.
Since entering practice, I've been involved in with the Utah Supreme Court Advisory Committee on Juvenile Procedure; Utah State Bar Solo / Small Firm Section; Utah State Bar Litigation Section; and Utah State Bar Family Law Section. I've served as a contributor to the Utah Legal Services Family Law Manual and as a Judge Pro Tem - Small claims court, Salt Lake County, Utah, and am a Past Chairman of Medical Malpractice Prelitigation panels. Additional professional accreditation includes: Graduate, National College of Advocacy Trial Advocacy Course, Scottsdale, AZ.; Graduate, National College of Advocacy Civil Litigation Course, National Judicial College, Reno, Nevada; and attended American Association for Justice Mega Seminars in Salt Lake City, Utah, and Reno, Nevada.
Areas of Practice
- Adoption
- Alternative Dispute Resolution
- Business & Commercial Law
- Child Support
- Consumer Protection
- Custody & Visitation
- Divorce
- Employment Law -- Employee
- Estate Planning
- Family Law
- Legal Malpractice
- Litigation & Appeals
- Motor Vehicle Accidents -- Plaintiff
- Personal Injury -- Plaintiff
- Personal Injury and Personal Damage
- Probate & Estate Administration, Wills, and Trusts
- Professional Malpractice Law
Litigation Percentage
- 60% of Practice Devoted to Litigation
Bar Admissions
- Utah, 1986
- U.S. District Court District of Utah, 1986
- U.S. District Court Northern District of Ohio, 1984
Education
- Cleveland State University, Cleveland Marshall College of Law, Cleveland, Ohio
- J.D. - 1984
- Honors: Authored Paper on Civil Liability for Drug Abuse during Pregnancy
- Honors: Independent Research in Psychology and the Law
- Case Western Reserve University Law School, Cleveland, Ohio
- Additional Course Work in Forensic Medicine, Psychiatry and the Law
- University of Akron, Akron, Ohio
- B.S. (Magna Cum Laude) - 1980
- Honors: Dean's List
- Major: Medical Technology
- Cleveland Institute of Electronics, Cleveland, Ohio
- Major: Electronics Technology
Representative Cases
- Hardy v. Hardy, 776 P.2d 917 (Utah App. 1989)
- Hartwig v. Johnsen, WL 2649480, 608 Utah Adv. Rep. 3, 2008 UT 40 (Utah 2008)
- Nelson v. Nelson, 2006 WL 1109782, 2006 UT App 166 (Utah App. 2006)
- Bishop v. Quintana, 2005 WL 3131587, 2005 UT App 509 (Utah App. 2005)
- Case v. Case, 103 P.3d 171, 513 Utah Adv. Rep. 3, 2004 UT App 42 (Utah App. 2004)
- Hardy v. Hardy, 776 P. 2d 917 (Utah App. 1989)
Classes/Seminars
- AFCC Training in Advanced Issues in Child Custody: Complex Family Violence, Alienation, Child Sexual Abuse, and Attachment, 2009
Pro Bono Activities
- Utah Legal Services, 1989 - Present

