Marycela Rivas

Was born in Los Algodones, B.C. Sonora. Her elementary and secondary school education were completed in Parker, AZ. Both of her parents were immigrants from Mexico and came to Arizona to make a better life for their family. Her family owned a Mexican Restaurant in her small town in 1991 and she started working from the age of 11, as a server. From that time on, she knew that she wanted to do something great with her life, after graduating High School she moved to Phoenix to attend college in 1999. She originally came to Phoenix to attend Cosmetology school, but was offered a position with a criminal law firm shortly after moving, to work as their runner. She was so intrigued by the work, she spent hours reading police reports, motions and notes.

A major change came for Marycela when she was working as the Supervising Paralegal for years it became just a job with no purpose. She started looking for a new position that would have a purpose and that’s when a new opportunity opened up for her as she began working for Ybarra Maldonado Law Group as a paralegal in the criminal department.

Working in the legal environment, and especially for attorneys whose mission is helping the minorities, being heavily involved with the community and everything they stand for has become her new passion.