Maria Mayorga grew up in Des Moines watching her parents work extremely hard to provide the necessary for their children. As entrepreneurs, they navigated many systems that were unknown to them and with very little guidance they ran successful businesses. Her dad had many dreams for his children and strongly believed that his little Maria would someday become an attorney. His vision became true in 2015 when Mayorga graduated from Drake University Law School.
Photo by Tar Macias / Hola Iowa
Mayorga grew up to be just as hardworking and passionate as her parents. She describes her path as a “non-traditional journey,” as she had to overcome many obstacles to be an attorney today. In August, she completed another milestone in her career by opening up her own practice. After five years at a general practice firm, she felt ready to run her own business like her parents had.
Without hesitation, she shared that her vision is to work more with the Latino community. “It is who I am. I speak Spanish, I am first-generation, a daughter of immigrants. I understand what others outside of our community may not understand,” she exclaimed.
As one of the few Latina attorneys, she knows her community has high expectations of her and is confident she will meet them. She identified that there is a need to equip people with knowledge so that they may protect themselves and their loved ones.
Seeking legal advice may not be the first thing our community does when they find themselves in a tough situation. As family oriented households, we tend to rely on each other for advice. Mayorga explained that seeking legal advice could prevent individuals from unknowingly worsening their situation. She wants to make sure legal advice is accessible to our community and has made her first time consultation free of charge. “Meeting with an attorney will not do any harm, it might help more than anything. These consultations are completely confidential and it is worth seeking clarity for your own peace of mind and to know your options.”
She recalls one of her father’s most common sayings, “cada acción tiene una reacción.” (for every action there is a reaction) This is relevant for anyone to be aware how laws in the United States could impact them from marital decisions, custody battles and employer employee interactions. “Many of our entrepreneurs are not aware of laws that may apply to them or affect them,” she warns.
Mayorga is primarily practicing family law and personal injury. She prides herself in being an honest and loyal individual. As a mother of two, she makes sure she has a balance between family and her work. Both very important aspects in her life. Her career did not happen overnight or without adversity. She had her son at a very young age and all the statistics pointed at her failing to finish her career. Her resilience and passion got her through school and is now serving our community in an area where we need it the most.
In Des Moines, there are not enough attorneys that speak our language, understand our cultural nuances and have lived what we have to be here today. Seeking legal advice can be scary and uncomfortable, especially if it’s our first time. However, having someone that looks like us can certainly make the process easier and seamless. Mayorga is here to make sure we find answers to all of our questions.
Mayorga Law Office is located at 312 5th St. Suite 102, West Des Moines, IA 50265. Find more information about here on her Facebook page Mayorga Law Office, PLC
Photo by Tar Macias / Hola Iowa
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