Law firm hires Sheldon native Van Holland | News

SHELDON—Ever since Avery Van Holland earned her law degree, she knew she wanted to return home to Sheldon.

She even knew what firm she wanted to work for as well.

Van Holland got her wish. Not only was she able to return home, she was hired to practice law at Heidman Law Firm in Tom Whorley’s office in Sheldon.

“I’ve very excited to be here,” Van Holland said. “I’m originally from Sheldon, so I wanted to get back to the area and I’m learning from the best.”

She did not have any lawyers in her family, but she knew practicing law was what she wanted to do from a young age. Despite her interest, Van Holland had never met Whorley, a longtime lawyer in Sheldon, when she was in Sheldon.

It was not until she was attending the University of Iowa College of Law in Iowa City when met Whorley.

Van Holland ended up interning in Whorley’s firm the two summers she was in law school.

“It was clear to me since I started that I wanted to work here full time after I graduated,” she said. “I learned a lot about how to interact with clients and how to talk to people and meet with people and help them through difficult times in their lives. I loved that I was able to work in so many different areas of law. I’ve done a little bit of everything which has been fun to get to know what I enjoy.”

Whorley said Van Holland is a great addition to his firm.

“She clerked for us for two summers, and she did a tremendous job,” he said. “She’s a very bright young lady, and we are really looking forward to integrating her into our Sheldon office. She was born and raised here and knows a lot of people her, and it makes for a great fit for us.”

Before earning her law degree from the University of Iowa, The 2015 graduate of Western Christian High School in Hull attended Trinity Christian College in Palos Heights, IL. Van Holland received an offer to work in Whorley’s firm during her second summer of law school.

Van Holland started at the firm on Aug. 15 and worked as sort of an intern since she had not taken the bar exam yet. Then in early September, she received the results and found out she passed on the first attempt.

“That was the best feeling,” she said. “I knew the day the results would be announced, so I just kept refreshing my webpage. Then I saw my name on the list, and I was very relieved.”

Van Holland is an associate attorney for Heidman Law Firm. She is part of the firm’s transactional group, practicing in the areas of estate planning, wills and trusts, probate, real estate, business law, family law and agricultural law.

“In a small town, we kind of help whoever walks in the door with whatever they need,” Van Holland said. “I’m not an expert in anything yet, but I am kind of learning to know a lot of different things.”

Liam Mangan of Sioux City, Schuyler Pals of Orange City and Steven Wilson of Marion also were hired by Heidman Law Firm as associate attorneys this summer. They split their time between the Sioux City office and Sheldon office.

While she is looking forward to having her hands in many different areas of law, Van Holland’s favorite area is estate planning.

“In high school, I worked at a nursing home and then in college I worked at a funeral home, so I’ve always leaned toward dealing with people are in the end of their lives and dealing with families and people who are going through that,” Van Holland said. “So, it kind of carried over into law.”

Whorley said Van Holland is a quick study, and that’s a great asset to have in his office.

“She understands the law and that is very apparent,” he said. “We wanted her to join our firm full time, and we are happy she accepted.”