Meet Our Team
Claudia Jovel-Martinez,
Managing Attorney
Attorney Claudia Jovel Martinez's legal practice is focused on immigration law. She defends and represents immigrants who face deportation from the United States, as well as those who need legal guidance for special immigrant juvenile status, asylum, family-based petitions, voluntary departure, orders of removal, and other forms of immigration relief.
Attorney Martinez began her legal career in 2004 as a legal advocate at MetroWest Legal Services, where she represented low-income tenants and victims of domestic violence in the Housing and Family Law Units. She handled eviction defense cases involving state public housing, along with federal subsidized, site-based, and private tenancies while providing clients with legal representation at proceedings for family law matters.
A few years later, Attorney Martinez transitioned to corporate legal work at Accenture, focusing on employment law, contract negotiation, and employee relations. In 2011, she practiced corporate law for Wolters Kluwer/Datacert, a multi-national software company. There, she handled international and transactional risk management, maintenance and evaluation of internal legal issues, and intellectual property disputes. She provided legal services to departments and business units with respect to transactional and commercial matters around the country, including software licensing contracts, overseas subsidiaries, master service agreements, information technology agreements, property and equipment leases, and other commercial arrangements.
Attorney Martinez's previous experience includes an Attorney role at the Special Counsel for Offenders at the Texas Department of Criminal Justice, counsel for federal bankruptcy, and Human Resources counsel at major corporations like Halliburton and Deloitte, where she focused on federal labor law, compensation analysis, workforce reductions, employee retention, and talent management.
Claudia received her B.A. from Columbia University in New York City and graduated from the Catholic University Columbus School of Law, specializing in International Law in Washington D.C. She was a Legal Intern at the U.S. Department of Commerce Minority Business Development Agency and the Permanent Observer Mission of the Holy See to the United Nations (the Vatican).
She was raised in New York and is a native of El Salvador. She is licensed to practice law in the state of Texas and is also admitted to the U.S. District Court for the Southern District.
Diana Gallegos,
Marketing Director
Diana is the marketing director at Jovel Matinez Law, PLLC. She directs all marketing and sales strategies. Since joining in 2019, Ms. Gallegos has implemented a number of measures to increase market share and expand Jovel Martinez Law, PLLC.
Diana is a civil rights activist who has been featured in numerous media outlets (TV, Print & Radio) including ABC13, Univision, Telemundo, KPRC2, KHOU, Houston Voyage and Canal de las Estrellas. Her hard work and dedication were recognized by Voyage Houston in June 2020.
Before joining us, Diana held a senior paralegal position with several small law practitioners including our team. She is specialized in removal defense immigration law, personal injury, family-based immigration, legal document drafting, digital court reporting, document translations and interpretations before USCIS.
Ms. Gallegos feels identified with the immigration community, due to her personal experience as an immigrant. She plans to utilize her professional, creative, interpersonal, and communication skills to contribute to the success of the firm.
Erika is a native of Laredo, Texas with 12 years Prosecutorial Criminal and Immigration experience as a legal assistant.
Mrs. Hernandez began as a student aid for the United States Border Patrol, Laredo South Sector, where she spent the better part of two years learning immigration policies andenforcement. She then transitioned to the United States Attorney’s Office, Southern District of Texas, Laredo Division, where she served as a Legal Assistant for over nine years with the Department of Justice assigned to the criminal section and the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force, where she continued to expand her knowledge in prosecutorial immigration and criminal law.
Mrs. Hernandez moved from working at a Federal Sector to a private sector when she relocated with her family to the Houston Metropolis Area.
Erika later joined an immigration and criminal defense firm in the Houston area, where she learned the defensive aspect of Criminal and Immigration Law.
Mrs. Hernandez is now part of the Jovel Martinez Law PLLC family. She is enthusiastic about expanding her already extensive knowledge of Criminal and Immigrationlaws, policies and procedures.
Angelica’s passion to help and serve the community, the families that want to reunite with their love ones, men and women that want a better future for their families; for this and much more Angelica does not call this her job but her chance to put her heart on what she loves most doing.