Maya Gortarez is an Associate in the Inland Empire office at Manning Kass. She is a member of the Governmental Entity Liability team.

Ms. Gortarez received her Bachelor of Arts in English from the University of California, Riverside, where she graduated a member of the Chancellor’s List for outstanding academic achievement, a member of University Honors, and received the Honors Excellence in Research Award. She earned her Master of Arts in English from California Baptist University, where she conducted research focused on Victorian Era Literature. Ms. Gortarez received her Juris Doctor from the University of La Verne, College of Law and Public Service, where she was named to the Academic Dean’s List and received the Paul Egly Endowed Scholarship. During law school, she served as Treasurer for the Women’s Law Society, was a member and mentor with the Latino Law Student Association, and was selected as a CalBar Legal Aid Leaders Fellow at the Legal Aid Society of San Bernardino.

Before joining the firm, Ms. Gortarez served as a Deputy Public Defender for the Law Offices of the Public Defender in the County of Riverside, formulating legal strategies, conducting extensive statutory research, and preparing criminal defense cases under strict court deadlines. She also worked as an associate attorney at The Law Offices of Phillip Sparks, APC, managing and advising on a high-volume caseload in special education law, drafting legal memoranda, and advocating for student accommodations and rights.

Ms. Gortarez is admitted to the State Bar of California. She is a member of the Riverside County Bar Association and a member and scholarship recipient of the Hispanic Bar Association of the Inland Empire.