Research Assistant D C

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AMBER L. VARGAS

*** * ** ** • Washington, DC *0002 • 210-***-**** • *************@*****.***

BAR ADMISSION

• District of Columbia: January 26, 2021

• Maryland: March 16, 2022

EDUCATION

The Judge Advocate General’s Legal Center and School, Charlottesville, Virginia Army Basic Officer Leadership Course Certification, May 2025 St. Mary’s University School of Law, San Antonio, Texas Doctor of Jurisprudence, May 2020

• Warrior Defense Project, Research Fellow, May 2018 – May 2020 o Provided legal assistance to service members falsely accused of misconduct or facing gross punishment

• Research Assistant to Professor Fajardo, October 2019 – May 2020 o Conducted research to update The Texas Consumer Law Handbook

• Hispanic Law Students Association, Member, Fall 2017 – Spring 2020 o 2018 HLSA Law Alumni Association Scholarship, Recipient

• Pro Bono and Public Service Certificate, May 2020 o Participated in over 100 pro bono hours

The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas

Bachelor of Arts, International Relations and Global Studies, May 2015

• Business Foundations Certificate, McCombs School of Business, August 2015

• Culture and Language Liberal Arts Program, Universidad de Cantabria, Santander, Spain, Summer 2014

EXPERIENCE

U.S. Army, 412th TEC, Vicksburg, MS

Judge Advocate General Reservist, May 2025– Present, 30 hrs./month with 2 weeks annual training

• Focus on administrative law and military justice The Griffith Law Group, PLLC, Washington, D.C.

Associate Litigation Attorney, January 2023 – January 2025, 40+ hrs./week

• Represent and advise clients in matters involving commercial litigation with an emphasis on employment law, business law, and transactional matters

• Propound and respond to written discovery

• Oral advocacy and courtroom experience includes second chair in a criminal bench trial, and appearing for status conferences, pretrial, and motions hearings in D.C. Superior Court and Prince George’s County Circuit Court, MD

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• Extensive writing experience includes an appellate brief, memorandums, pleadings, and a successful motion for summary judgment

Friedman, Framme & Thrush, PA, Owings Mills, Maryland Associate Attorney, March 2022 – January 2023, 40 hrs./week

• Conducted consults and advised on a multitude of legal matters, most significantly, family law, collection, and general contract disputes

• Conducted significant legal research on miscellaneous general legal matters

• Drafted various, applications, motions, and proposed orders in D.C. Superior Court and MD Circuit Court

Stateside Associates, Arlington, Virginia

Regulatory Counsel, Healthcare Team, January 2021 – February 2022, 40 hrs./week

• Monitored and tracked complex state rule promulgation and regulation implementation

• Provided public policy research of state laws, regulations, and guidance for clients

• Co-led a federal contract researching current Affordable Care Act compliance in all 50 states Law Offices of Jason M. Rammel, Spring Branch, Texas Law Clerk, May 2019 – January 2021, 30 hrs./week

• Conducted in depth research on legal matters related to real estate, probate, and governmental law

• Drafted estate planning documents, deeds, city ordinances and resolutions, and motions to dismiss

• Assisted with probate proceedings, interviewed witnesses in ad litem matters, and attended hearings

Clemens & Spencer P.C., San Antonio, Texas

Law Clerk, May 2018 – May 2019, 30 hrs./week

• Researched issues regarding bankruptcy, business associations, legal malpractice, tort, and contract law

• Drafted an appellate brief, reply motions, and a successful motion for summary judgment

• Attended hearings on motions and pretrial hearings with supervising attorneys Judge Caroline “Polly” Jackson Spencer, Ret., San Antonio, Texas Intern, May 2018 – December 2018, 15 hrs./week

• Researched and revised articles regarding probate and guardianships

• Edited the probate and guardianship chapter in the Texas Judicial Bench Book, published 2018

• Attended and advised on probate hearings with Judge Spencer presiding Ikard Golden Jones P.C., Austin, Texas

Legal Assistant, November 2015 – July 2017, 40 hrs./week

• Conducted research and drafted various applications, motions, and proposed orders in probate court

• Drafted wills, ancillary documents, discovery requests and responses 3

• Participated in client meetings and observed court hearings on various motions and probate proceedings

COMMUNITY ACTIVITIES

• Member of the Hispanic Bar Association, Washington, DC Chapter, October 2020 – Present o Co-Chair Membership Committee, Hispanic Bar Association, Washington, DC, February 2023 – Present

o 2024 HBA DC Rising Star Award Recipient

• Communications Chair, Texas Exes, Washington D.C. Chapter, September 2022 – June 2024 o Draft communications with the Chapter through weekly newsletters and social media

• Intern at the Bexar County Probate Court No. 2, San Antonio, Texas, January 2020 – May 2020 o Reviewed cases and researched issues presented to the court

• Intern at the ABA Death Penalty Representation Project, Washington D.C., March 2020 o Researched and updated articles on clemency for the project’s website

• Intern at Bexar County District Attorney’s Office, Juvenile Division, May 2019 – June 2019 o Review cases and prepare files to be turned over to the defense ABILITIES AND INTERESTS

• Spanish (conversational), sports/running, traveling, volunteering

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