Heather A. DeGrave is an attorney in the law firm of Walters Levine, where she practices in the areas of construction, collections and business litigation.PROFESSIONAL ACHIEVEMENTSHeather is a pivotal member of the Firm's civil litigation team. Her experience in commercial collections litigation and construction related litigation includes the institution of lien foreclosure actions and the protection of creditors' rights in bankruptcy and mortgage foreclosure actions. She has also advised construction clients on construction lien and bond law and has assisted in the drafting and review of contracts, subcontracts and credit applications. Heather also regularly speaks on collections and construction related topics for the National Association of Credit Management and the National Business Institute.Heather is admitted to practice before all state courts in Florida, the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida, the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Middle District of Florida, the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida, and the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Florida.EDUCATION AND SCHOLASTICSHeather received her Bachelor of Arts degree in International Studies, magna cum laude, from Oglethorpe University with a minor in Spanish. While at Oglethorpe, she studied abroad at the Universidad de Salamanca, in Salamanca, Spain. Heather received her law degree from the Georgetown University Law Center. While in law school, she was a member of the Georgetown Journal of Legal Ethics and of the Alternative Dispute Resolution team as well as a law fellow in the Legal Research and Writing Department. As a visiting student at the Stetson University College of Law, she received the Victor O. Wehle Award for Trial Advocacy.COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENTHeather is a member of the board of directors of the National Association of Women in Construction – Tampa Chapter and the Junior League of Sarasota. Heather is also a member of Harvest United Methodist Church and has served on its trustees committee. Heather is also a member of the Hillsborough County Bar Association, the Sarasota County Bar Association, the Manateeand Hillsborough Chapters of the Florida Association for Women Lawyers, and the Gulf Coast Builders Exchange.Recently, Heather and her husband became foster parents and are currently caring for a foster child.
