Maria E. Andrade

Maria E. Andrade is the founder of Andrade Legal and one of Idaho’s most respected immigration attorneys. She focuses her practice on federal immigration litigation, deportation defense, bond hearings, motions to reopen, employment visas, and complex family-based immigration cases. With decades of experience, she is known for her tireless advocacy and skilled representation in high-stakes matters.

Maria earned her Bachelor of Arts from Loyola Marymount University in 1990 and her Juris Doctor from the University of Notre Dame Law School in 1995. She is admitted to practice in Idaho, Oregon, and California, as well as before the U.S. Courts of Appeals for the Fifth, Ninth, and Tenth Circuits. Her strong academic and professional background provides the foundation for her career-long dedication to immigrant rights.

Before founding Andrade Legal in 2001, Maria gained extensive experience at Legal Aid Services of Oregon, Public Advocates, Inc., and as Managing Attorney for the Oregon Law Center in Ontario, Oregon. Since then, Andrade Legal has grown into Idaho’s largest immigration law firm. In 2018, she also launched Immigrant Justice Idaho, where she served as Executive Director and Senior Legal and Policy Advisor, furthering her mission to expand access to justice for low-income clients.

In addition to her legal work, Maria is deeply involved in professional service. She has served on national committees and boards with the American Immigration Lawyers Association, the National Immigration Project of the National Lawyers Guild, and the Federal Defender Service of Idaho.

A frequent speaker on immigration law and policy, Maria E. Andrade mentors attorneys, advises nonprofit organizations, and supports community responses to immigration enforcement. Her leadership and expertise have shaped both local and national approaches to immigration advocacy.

Law Office Affiliations

• Principal Attorney, Andrade Legal
• Board of Directors, Federal Defender Service of Idaho
• Board of Directors, National Immigration Project of National Lawyers Guild
• Member, American Immigration Lawyers Association (Steering Committee of Federal Litigation Section)
• Member, American Immigration Law Foundation (Legal Action Center Advisory Committee)
• Member, Idaho Criminal Defense Lawyers Association

Licensed State

• Idaho
• Oregon
• California

Education

• University of Notre Dame Law School
  Juris Doctor (JD)
• Loyola Marymount University, Los Angeles
  Bachelor of Arts

Awards & Badges