My Why

What powers my practice

Growing up, I saw many unfair things happen to people because they didn’t understand the rules. That experience shaped my view of the law—not as rigid procedures, but as a living language that can drive change and hold power accountable. That belief bridges my love of language with a commitment to fairness and is what continues to ground me in my practice today. I find fulfillment in the quiet work of transforming complexity into clarity—crafting documents that are both legally sound and strategically effective. I see my career as a platform to support and uplift others, and I volunteer with organizations that promote education and community development. Ultimately, I use the law to empower others by helping them navigate complex systems with confidence and to open doors to greater opportunity.

Credentials

  • University of Illinois College of Law, Juris Doctor (J.D.), 1998, magna cum laude
  • University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Bachelor of Science (B.S.), Ecology, Ethology & Evolution, 1995

  • Illinois
  • United States District Court, Northern District of Illinois

  • Notable Leaders in Accounting, Consulting and Law, Crain’s Chicago Business, 2024
  • 50 Powerful Hispanics in Corporate, Negocios Now, 2024
  • Notable Leader in Employment & Labor Law, Crain’s Chicago Business, 2023
  • Top 10 Influential Illinois Lawyers Shaping Employee Benefits & Executive Compensation, Business Today News, 2023
  • Notable Gen X Leaders in Accounting, Consulting and Law, Crain’s Chicago Business, 2021-2022
  • Notable Nonprofit Board Leader, Crain’s Chicago Business, 2022
  • Notable LGBTQ Executives, Crain’s Chicago Business, 2020, 2021
  • Chicago’s Most Notable Minority Lawyers, Crain’s Chicago Business, 2018, 2019, 2020
  • Nation’s Best List, Lawyers of Color, 2019
  • Included in Who’s Who in Hispanic Chicago, Negocios Now, 2018-2020
  • Leading Employee Benefits & Compensation Lawyer, Chambers USA, 2019-present
  • Recognized Practitioner, Employee Benefits & Compensation, Chambers USA, 2016, 2017, 2018
  • Selected to Employee Benefits Super Lawyers, Super Lawyers®, 2018-2022
  • Most Influential Minority Lawyers in Chicago, Crain’s Custom Media, 2017
  • Top Latino Lawyers, Latino Leaders magazine, 2016-2020
  • Law360 Rainmaker, 2016

  • Spanish

Engagement

  • Vice Chair of the Fiduciary Responsibility, Administration, and Litigation Committee, American Bar Association Section of Real Property, Trust and Estate Law, 2024-2025
  • Host Committee Member, National Black Pre-Law Conference and Law Fair, 2022
  • Fellow, Leadership Council on Legal Diversity, 2018
  • Fellow, The Fellows of the American Bar Foundation, 2018-Present
  • Board Member, Hispanic Lawyers Association of Illinois Charities, 2018-Present
  • Chair and Co-chair, Michael Best Access & Engagement Committee, 2014-Present
  • Member, Leadership Advisory Council of the Wisconsin LGBT Chamber of Commerce, 2017-Present
  • Advisor on Employee Benefits, Program Committee of the Board of Directors, American Law Institute Continuing Legal Education, 2008-2016
  • Financial Director, Zeta Corporation, 1998-2011

Bar Associations

  • Member, American Bar Association
  • Member, Asian American Bar Association
  • Member, Hispanic National Bar Association
  • Member, Hispanic Lawyers Association of Illinois
  • Member, Lesbian and Gay Bar Association of Chicago

  • Member, Economic Club of Chicago, 2015-Present
  • Board of Directors, Gads Hill Center, 2015-Present
  • Board of Trustees, Field Museum, 2020-Present
  • Board of Trustees, Northeastern Illinois University, 2023-Present

Insights

See Everything