The Underdog MARICÉ’S JOURNEY FROM LAW STUDENT TO STATE DELEGATE TO ATTORNEY
to equality for all people. “I want to be a bridge for folks who have a disadvantage,” she says. “I want to advocate for average folks who may not have the tools to navigate the systems and institutions of this country.” Her time serving as a state delegate opened her eyes to another aspect of the law. “I served on the judiciary committee when I was first elected and then on health and operations, dealing with insurance issues,” Maricé shares. “I got a glimpse of what the world is like and how complicated it was for me as an attorney to understand my coverage under my healthcare and auto insurance plans — not to mention for someone who isn’t in the legal field. It’s a different language. Just understanding insurance could be a full- time job. I got really interested in that aspect.” That spark of interest and her passion for people led Maricé into personal injury law. “In personal injury law, a person’s life completely changes. Our clients are dealing with devastating issues. They’ve paid into insurance, and their own insurance and the defendant’s insurance want to cheat them out of their benefits. If I can lend a hand to help, I want to do that,” she says. Maricé says meeting Meliha made her next step clear. “To know Meliha is to love Meliha. She oozes authenticity. She has a really beautiful heart.” According to Maricé, with Meliha’s compassion comes her strength and tenacity in fighting for her clients. This combination made working with the firm a clear choice for her.
We are so excited to have Maricé on our team. We know our clients will be, too.
Maricé Morales outside of the District Court in Silver Spring after having won a case for her client
This spring, we welcomed a new all-star to the Perez Halpern team, Maricé Morales. As Meliha shared on the cover, this attorney is a powerhouse. In 2014, Maricé became the youngest elected Latina to serve at the state level in the country. “I was an underdog,” Maricé says of her bid for a seat in the Maryland House. “I didn’t have the support of the establishment. I knocked on 22,000 doors and raised $75,000 dollars. It was a very humbling experience.” To add to the already-challenging bid, Maricé did it all as a third-year law student. Maricé has always given 100 percent to a cause worth fighting for. Influenced by her family’s experiences while immigrating to the United States, she chose the legal field in order to be a voice for underrepresented people. “My parents are immigrants, and the law has always been present in our lives,” she explains. Maricé’s mom and dad strove to become full citizens, searching for the American dream and access to equal rights. But Maricé notes that citizenship didn’t automatically lead to fair treatment. “Having grown up in an immigrant household, [equal treatment] hasn’t always been the case,” Maricé says. As she got older, she saw discrimination and racism at work. “The law touches every aspect of a person’s life. One small miscommunication can lead to the use of excessive force and violation of one’s rights,” she says. From the start, Maricé chose to fight to reinforce the basic human right
Maricé Morales at a school safety rally organized by Seniors at Leisure World
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