Small Firm. Big Results.Relentless Representation.
Founded in 1987. Two attorneys, a paralegal and case manager, and an administrative assistant. That is the whole practice, and it is deliberate.
Most people who call us have never hired a lawyer before. They have been hurt, an insurance adjuster has already phoned them, and they are not sure whether what happened is “worth” a case. That conversation is free, and it is the one we would rather have too early than too late.
How we work
The Law Offices of William R. Van Order is a small, boutique practice built on trust, accessibility, and personal attention. We keep the caseload small enough that an attorney reads your file rather than a summary of it, and small enough that you can reach the person handling your matter.
On the personal injury side, that means gathering the record early (the report, the photographs, the treating records, the wage documentation) before an adjuster has framed the story. On the estate planning side, it means sitting down with a family and building something they actually understand.
Where we work
The firm has three offices: Hemet, which serves as the case-management base for the practice; La Jolla, at 888 Prospect Street; and Palm Springs. The La Jolla and Palm Springs offices see clients by appointment. All three work the same files, and modern case management means the location you meet at does not determine who handles your matter.
What we do not do
We do not advertise settlement figures, and we do not promise outcomes. Every claim turns on its own facts: liability, coverage, treatment, and how well the record was built. What we can tell you is what a case like yours generally involves, what the deadlines are, and whether it makes sense to pursue.
At a glance
- Practicing since 1987
- Two attorneys, four-person firm
- Personal injury and estate planning
- La Jolla, Hemet and Palm Springs
- California only
Our history
1987: The practice opens
William R. Van Order founds the practice in Riverside County, focused on representing injured people against insurance carriers.
Hemet: A home base
The office at 145 S. Carmalita Street becomes the firm's home base and remains the center of case management today.
2017: A second attorney
Conor P. O'Brien, who joined the firm as a law clerk in 2016, is admitted to the State Bar of California and joins as an attorney.
What guides the practice
Direct attorney involvement
Your case is personally managed by the handling attorney and supported by a dedicated legal team.
Build the record early
Reports, photographs, treating records and wage documentation, gathered before the adjuster frames the story.
Reachable
A small firm means the person handling your matter can actually take your call.
Straight answers
If a claim is weak, we say so at the consultation rather than after a year of work.
Local detail matters
Where something happened is usually what decides it: the road, the grade, the ownership of the walkway.
No attorney’s fee unless we recover
For personal injury matters, you pay no attorney’s fees unless we obtain a recovery. Clients may remain responsible for certain case costs as provided in the written fee agreement.
The people you will deal with
Two attorneys, a paralegal and case manager, and an administrative assistant handling medical records.
Professional affiliations
Professional memberships held by a member of our legal team.
NALA, The Paralegal Association
Riverside County Bar Association and California Young Lawyers Association
Membership in a professional organization is not a certification of skill or a guarantee of results. Neither attorney is certified as a specialist by the California Board of Legal Specialization.
Injured in La Jolla or Coastal San Diego?
Put an experienced and relentless legal team on your side. Schedule your free consultation today.
For personal injury matters, there is no attorney's fee unless we obtain a recovery on your behalf. Clients may remain responsible for certain case costs as provided in the written fee agreement.
(858) 531-2019
By appointment only