Larry Lazzara, a Scottsdale personal injury attorney and founding partner of Lazzara Law Firm, rescued seven swimmers caught in severe rip currents during a two-week vacation in Belmar, New Jersey. The rescues occurred just two days into his return to the Belmar Beach Patrol, where he had served as a top rescue swimmer in his late teens and early twenties before leaving in 2004 to pursue a legal career. Now, twenty-one years later, Lazzara found himself back on the lifeguard stand when the most aggressive rip currents of the summer struck. Alongside fellow patrol members, he helped bring thirteen victims to safety, seven of whom he pulled directly from the water.
The incident has drawn attention not only for its heroism but for what it reveals about the instincts that Lazzara brings to his legal practice. As a personal injury attorney, Lazzara represents individuals harmed by accidents, negligence, and the failures of others. The same composure under pressure that guided his actions in the water is what he says defines his approach to advocating for injured Arizonans. "When you see someone in danger, you act - there is no calculation, no delay," Lazzara said. "That same urgency is what I bring to every client who walks through the door after suffering a serious injury."
Lazzara's return to the beach patrol came after years of legal success. He has been recognized among Arizona's leading personal injury attorneys, earning multiple "Attorney of the Year" awards and top honors in his field. He was also recently featured in the Washington Post as one of the most influential attorneys in the country. His firm, Learn more, operates on the principle that clients are not just case files but people navigating some of the most disorienting periods of their lives. The firm's work requires moving quickly, gathering evidence before it disappears, and building cases while clients recover - a sense of urgency that mirrors Lazzara's response in the water.
The rescue has sparked discussion in legal and community circles about the relationship between personal character and professional values. For Lazzara Law Firm, the incident served as an authentic demonstration of what the firm stands for: protecting people who cannot fully protect themselves, whether in open water or in a legal dispute against an insurance company or negligent party. Lazzara's background has shaped his understanding of what it means to be seriously hurt and face an uncertain road ahead. Many of his clients have been in accidents they did not see coming, left to manage medical bills, lost income, and a legal system they were never prepared to navigate. The firm's approach centers on removing those burdens and giving injured Arizonans a fighting chance when the stakes are highest.
These selfless acts reflect the core values of Lazzara Law Firm - standing beside people in crisis and fighting to protect them when it matters most. As Lazzara continues his legal career, the rescue stands as a testament to the instincts that drive both his personal and professional life.
