About Claribel Palacios
Claribel Palacios Maduena built a legal path that crosses classrooms in California and Spain. She studied political science and international relations at the University of California, San Diego and spent time at the Universidad Complutense de Madrid before earning a J.D. from Loyola Law School, Los Angeles in 2009. While at Loyola she worked as a clinical extern in the Juvenile Justice Clinic, an experience that placed her in courtrooms and in direct client work during law school.
After passing the California bar, Maduena joined the Law Offices of Mike Razi as an associate in 2010. She moved from associate work into private practice and opened her own firm in 2013. The Law Office of Claribel P. Maduena, PC lists her as principal lawyer, and she has handled both clinic-based and private representation since launching the practice.
Volunteer work is part of her record. In 2014 she served as a volunteer lawyer in immigration clinics at La Raza Centro Legal and also appeared as Lawyer of the Day for the Justice and Diversity Center of the Bar Association of San Francisco. Those roles placed her in front of client intake and case triage, and they complemented her private practice work by keeping regular contact with community legal needs.
Maduena holds certification as a Specialist in Immigration and Nationality Law from the State Bar of California. She is a member of the American Immigration Lawyers Association and its Northern California chapter, affiliations she has maintained since 2014. Those memberships connect her to continuing education and practitioner networks focused on immigration law.
Her practice history spans public-interest placements, private firm work, and the management responsibilities of running a small law office. She has experience in clinic settings, pro bono intake, and day-to-day client representation. Colleagues and clients have encountered her in hearings, consultations, and administrative filings, reflecting a practice built around immigration processes and courtroom appearances when necessary.
Maduena’s office handles client matters from an individual-practice perspective. She manages case strategy, client communications, and the administrative side of running a practice. The combination of a clinical law school background, early associate experience, volunteer clinic work, and a specialist certification informs how she approaches matters today. She currently practices immigration and nationality law at the Law Office of Claribel P. Maduena, PC.
