Margarita Tinajero-Garcia has been practicing law since 2004. She received her Juris Doctor degree from the University of Illinois College of Law. During her time at the College of Law she served as Secretary of the Latino/a Law Student Association and received a CALI Excellence for the Future Award in her Juvenile Law class. In 2001 she graduated Phi Beta Kappa from the University of Illinois at Chicago with a Bachelor's degree in Criminal Justice and Psychology. As an undergraduate student she was President of the Criminal Justice Honor Society and also spent a work-study semester with the Capital Litigation Division of the Office of the State Appellate Defender.

Before establishing Tinajero & Morales, P.C., Margarita worked for an immigration law firm. Prior to that Margarita worked at a small general practice law firm. While at this general practice firm she was part of the legal defense team for one of the Defendants in the E2 Nightclub criminal case. In addition to criminal defense and immigration law, Margarita also practices family law and handles real estate transactions.

Margarita was born in Chicago. She was raised in the Pilsen neighborhood where she attended Benito Juarez High School. She is fluent in Spanish.

Professional Associations:

• Chicago Bar Association, Member
• Illinois State Bar Association, Member

Mauricio is a Chicago native who grew up in the Little Village neighborhood. He obtained his Bachelor of Arts in History and Spanish from the University of Illinois in Urbana-Champaign in 2001. He received his Juris Doctor from the University of Illinois College of Law in 2004. While at the College of Law he received a distinction of Honors in legal research and writing, served as President of the Latino/a Law Students Association, and was an extern for a federal magistrate judge.

Prior to establishing Tinajero & Morales, P.C., Mauricio was an associate at a prominent law firm in McHenry County where he practiced criminal and traffic law. He then practiced immigration law at a firm in Berwyn, Illinois. Mauricio enjoys litigation work. He has successfully tried both felony and misdemeanor cases, including obtaining a not guilty verdict in an attempted kidnapping case. He also litigates before immigration and family law tribunals. Mauricio was admitted to the Illinois Bar in 2004 and is fluent in Spanish.

Professional Associations:

• Chicago Bar Association, Member
• Illinois State Bar Association, Member
• American Immigration Lawyers Association, Member
• University of Illinois College of Law Alumni Board, Board Member