Legal Aid at Work
Maria Tapia-Hernandez is an accomplished legal professional currently serving as an Adjunct Professor of Law at the University of San Diego School of Law, specializing in the Workers' Rights Clinic since January 2023. With extensive experience, Maria Tapia-Hernandez has held prominent positions such as Senior Staff Attorney at Legal Aid at Work since September 2020 and Associate Attorney at Amezola Legal Group, APC from April 2019 to January 2020. Previous roles include Staff Attorney for the San Diego Volunteer Lawyer Program, Inc., and a focus on workers' rights as a San Diego Workers' Rights Attorney at Legal Aid at Work from July 2016 to November 2018. Maria Tapia-Hernandez began legal training as a Certified Summer Law Clerk at Legal Aid of Napa Valley and the Immigration Center for Women and Children, alongside earlier experience as an Administrative Assistant at Legal Aid of Napa Valley. Educational credentials include a Doctor of Law (J.D.) from the University of California, College of the Law, San Francisco, and a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology from the University of California, Berkeley.
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Legal Aid at Work
Legal Aid at Work promotes the rights and economic self-sufficiency of low-wage workers and marginalized communities through free legal services, education, and advocacy at the local, state, and national level. Using the law as a tool, we help low-wage workers create the best possible future for themselves and their families. As one of the few legal aid organizations providing direct community legal services as well as representation in court, impact litigation, and policy advocacy, we address the full spectrum of employment-related issues for our clients including: -- Unpaid minimum or overtime wages; -- Denial of medical / family leave; -- Denial of disability accommodations; and -- Discrimination on the basis of race, national origin, immigration status, language, gender, sexual orientation, or disability. Legal Aid at Work focuses on six program areas: disability rights; gender equity; national origin, immigration, and language rights; racial equality; wage and hour enforcement litigation; and community legal services. We help our clients and our community by providing a wide range of services, including limited and full legal representation; pre-litigation resolutions; representation before administrative and governmental entities; expert testimony before legislative bodies; and technical support.