BIOGRAPHY
Mariana grew up in Guadalajara, Mexico until immigrating to outside Boston with her parents. She attended and graduated from University of Vermont (UVM) in 2014 with a bachelor’s degree in political science and history. She then worked in Wealth Management and Banking in Boston before going back to UVM for a master’s in social work and public policy. During her time in graduate school, Mariana worked as a social worker with refugee families before attending law school.
In 2021, Mariana graduated Vermont Law School. While at Vermont Law, she served in leadership positions for the Law School Student Senate, Latinx American Law Students Association, and Student Ambassador Program. Throughout law school, Mariana worked for two years as a student attorney at Vermont Law School’s Environmental Justice Clinic. Mariana also worked conducting document review for a Washington, D.C. litigation firm.
Mariana spent her summers interning at a national non-profit litigation firm and recruiting prospective Latinx students. She successfully doubled Latinx enrollment at Vermont Law during her time there. Following her graduation from law school in 2021, Mariana spent three years clerking for the Commissioners as well as the Honorable Bernard Veljacic at Division Two of the Washington Court of Appeals.
Mariana has experience in criminal law, environmental law, contract disputes, and appeals.
Mariana lives in Puyallup with her husband and three cats. Mariana enjoys hiking, biking, snowshoeing, learning to crochet, playing games, playing and watching fútbol, petting other people’s pets, and practicing Pilates.
PROFESSIONAL HISTORY
EDUCATION
J.D., Vermont Law School, 2021
Honors and Activities:
Social Justice Mission Scholar Recipient
Bellenger/Green Paper Competition, Winner 2021
Inaugural Student Clinician, Environmental Justice Clinic 2020-21
Law School Student Senate, Student Representative 1L/2L/3L
Latinx American Law Students Association, Secretary, President
Student Ambassador Program, Latinx Recruitment
Published Journal Note—Vermont Journal of Environmental Law, “This Land Is My Land, This Land Is Your Land, But Where Is The Environmental Justice?”
B.A., Political Science & History, University of Vermont, 2014
Honors and Activities:
Dean’s List
Amnesty International, Student Member and Volunteer
ALANA Student Center
M.S.W. focus in Public Policy, University of Vermont, 2018, Summa Cum Laude
Honors and Activities:
Dean’s List
Alpha Phi Honors Society- Mu Eta Chapter
Hispanic Scholarship Fund Scholar- Recipient
Golden Key Honor Society
JURISDICTIONS ADMITTED
Washington State
W.D. Washington
PROFESSIONAL & BAR ASSOCIATION MEMBERSHIPS
Washington State Bar Association
Tacoma-Pierce County Bar Association — Golf Committee, Member
National Hispanic Bar Association
Latina/o Bar Association of Washington
PROFESSIONAL HISTORY
Washington Court of Appeals, Division Two, Judicial Law Clerk to Commissioners Aurora Bearse, Eric Scmidt, and Karl Triebel, 2021-2023
Washington Court of Appeals, Division Two, Judicial Law Clerk to the Honorable Bernard Veljacic, 2023-2024
Washington Supreme Court Commissioners Office, Judicial Extern, 2021
McCool Law PLLC, Part-time E-Discovery, 2020-21
Earthjustice, Summer Associate, 2020
Environmental Justice Clinic, Advanced Student Attorney, 2019-2020
VOLUNTEER ACTIVITIES
Hermanas in the Law — Mentor
Latinicidad, Inc. — Mentor
Aldea PJC
The Appellate Project
Amnesty International
Tacoma YMC Mock Trial Tournament — Grader
