Maria E. Andrade

Maria E. Andrade is an immigration attorney with over 25 years of experience. Recognized as an expert by state and federal courts, her practice focuses on complex removal defense, criminal immigration matters, asylum and protection claims, and federal litigation. Ms. Andrade is a frequent speaker on immigration law across the country. She holds leadership positions with the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA) and the Federal Bar Association (FBA) and was a former director of the National Immigration Project of the National Lawyer's Guild.

Committed to access to justice, Ms. Andrade's legal career began with advocating for farmworkers in Eastern Oregon. She then gained experience in civil rights litigation while working at Public Advocates in San Francisco. In 2018, Ms. Andrade founded Immigrant Justice Idaho (IJI) to provide legal services and educational programs for low-income individuals, serving as its Executive Director through 2023. While there, she grew the IJI budget six-fold and established its national reputation. Returning to private practice, Ms. Andrade provides expert services and support to lawyers and organizations with technical advice, business planning, writing and training.

Ms. Andrade is a graduate of the University of Notre Dame (J.D.) and Loyola Marymount University (B.A.).

Education

University of Notre Dame, J.D.

Loyola Marymount University, B.A.