Amanda's life story is a powerful example of resilience, dedication to justice, and a commitment to making a meaningful difference in the world.

In her high school valedictory speech, Amanda spoke about the importance of having good mental health and the need for individuals to reach out for help when they are struggling with their mental health.

After high school, Amanda attended Yale University, where she took full advantage of the learning opportunities available to her, both from the faculty and her fellow students. Amanda’s commitment to excellence continued at the University of San Diego School of Law, where she earned a competitive spot on Law Review and graduated with honors.

After law school, Amanda clerked for a Federal Judge in Honolulu, Hawaii. As a judicial law clerk, Amanda gained invaluable insight into the inner workings of the judicial system, learning firsthand about the decision-making processes that judges undergo when making legal rulings and issuing opinions.

After her clerkship ended, Amanda took a position as a litigation attorney with one of the premier law firms in Southern California. While in private practice, Amanda received a commendation from the City of Los Angeles for her pro bono work representing a Black female student who had been excluded from her biology class at a local community college after being told by the professor that she could not take his class because she was blind. The professor terminated her enrollment in the class even though she had brought her own note-taker with her to the class.

Driven by a passion for justice and a belief in equal access to education for all, Amanda obtained a significant monetary settlement for her client as a result of the professor’s violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act and a commitment from the college that the student would have unobstructed access to any and all classes she wished to take in the future.

After her work as a civil litigator in private practice, Amanda accepted a position with N.O.A.A. as a Special Prosecutor. There, she was entrusted with the critical responsibility of protecting endangered marine life in California and Hawaii. In recognition of her years of service as a Special Prosecutor, and the significant strides she made in documenting and prosecuting violations of the Endangered Species Act, Amanda received a special commendation as an honorary Special Agent from the N.M.F.S. Office of Law Enforcement.

In 2019, Amanda shifted the focus of her work as a litigation attorney to assisting cities and counties with obtaining the appointment of a Receiver to fix up properties with serious Health and Safety Code violations. While employed at Silver & Wright, Amanda received numerous accolades from clients for her approach to handling these types of cases, which emphasized negotiation and, where necessary, aggressive litigation to bring about the abatement of unsafe property conditions.

After a few years, Amanda left Silver & Wright to take a position as an attorney for a Receiver who was appointed by the Court to fix up properties with serious Health and Safety Code violations. As the Receiver’s counsel, Amanda brought a novel, holistic, and compassionate approach to handling cases involving significant code violations, expanding the focus of the Receiver to include the impact of abating the code violations on the property owner.

Amanda’s work stands out because she doesn’t just seek compliance—she strives for meaningful, compassionate solutions. Amanda’s approach ensures that property owners who are struggling with mental illness, hoarding, and other health and physical challenges are offered support and services to protect their interests in their property.

Through her efforts, Amanda has secured funding for homeowners to stay in hotels while their property is rehabilitated and financial assistance for clean-up activities through California’s Home Safe Program. Amanda has also coordinated with Adult Protective Services to ensure vulnerable individuals are offered care and support while their homes are rehabilitated and with the Legal Aid Society to provide property owners with an attorney free of charge.

Amanda is deeply passionate about building a compassionate, thoughtful code enforcement program—one that recognizes the dignity of individuals and the complexities of their situations. She seeks to create a more humane way to address Health and Safety Code violations while also providing support and resources for homeowners who are struggling. Her work has the potential to transform how code enforcement cases are handled, one property and one community at a time.

If you share Amanda's vision and would like to partner with her in this mission, she invites you to reach out. You can email her directly at amanda@amandarwheeland.esq or schedule a complimentary 30-minute consultation on her calendar.

Together, we can create lasting, positive change—one case, one property, and one community at a time!