Samantha Morales, an El Paso native, joins us from The University of Texas School of Law. She has interests in labor and employment and business litigation. She is a UTEP and LSPI alumna. She is a former mentee of the El Paso Women's Bar Association, MILE Program. During her time in law school she participated in the Mithoff Pro Bono Program, assisting Spanish-speaking families with complex legal matters related to disability rights. Samantha was a finalist in the Foley Foundation’s Mock Trial Tournament during her 1L year. She currently competes on the Interscholastic Mock Trial team and serves on the Board of Advocates. She serves on the editorial boards of the Texas Hispanic Journal of Law and Policy and the Sports and Entertainment Law Journal. Samantha is the President of the Women’s Law Caucus. She is also a member of the Travis County Women Lawyers Association and the Yeakel Inn of Court for Intellectual Property. In her free time, Samantha enjoys spending time with her family, practicing yoga, playing chess, and caring for animals.

Ironesha Jones joins us from Southern Methodist University Dedman School of Law. She is a member of the International Law Review, Women in Law, and the Association for Public Interest Law. She previously served as the 1L Representative and is now the Director of Special Events for the Black Law Students Association. Ironesha worked at the Federal Public Defender's Office for the Northern District of Texas during the summer of 2024 and throughout the fall semester where she gained hands-on experience drafting motions, plea agreements, factual resumes, sentencing objections, and memorandums. A fun fact about Ironesha is that she can sing really well and loves discovering new food spots. In her free time, she enjoys walking trails and hiking scenic routes, especially those that lead to waterfalls.

Angel Salcido Padilla joins us from Texas Tech University School of Law and is a proud El Paso native. He is the incoming President of the Hispanic Law Students Association and will be part of the inaugural class of the school’s first-ever Immigration Clinic this upcoming year. Angel has been active in advocacy competitions and, along with his teammate, won the Spring 2025 Board of Barristers Advanced Moot Court Competition. He also works as a research assistant for a Texas Tech Law professor on an employment law project with the goal of future publication. During his 2024 clerkship he had the opportunity to apply the skills he learned in law school while gaining hands-on experience in a range of civil cases. That experience not only strengthened his legal foundation but also allowed him to experience El Paso’s legal community. Angel hopes to ultimately return home to practice in El Paso to be close to his friends, family, and community. A fun fact about Angel is that he enjoys music photography and is a proud pet parent to two dogs, Gator and Loki, and a black cat named Wednesday.