About Isabel de la
Isabel de la Riva trained as a lawyer after completing undergraduate studies in Houston. She earned a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and English from the University of Houston in 1994. She then moved on to St. Mary’s University School of Law, where she received her Juris Doctor in 1999.
Her career spans private practice, firm leadership and mediation. In 2005 she opened de la Riva & Associates and ran the firm as its owner and principal attorney. The practice handled a range of matters that reflected the practical concerns of business owners and individuals. Over time she expanded her work to include alternative dispute resolution and consulting on business-related legal problems.
In 2020 she launched dlR Solutions — Business and Legal Strategies — and listed her role as mediator and lawyer there. The new venture shifted some emphasis from traditional litigation toward mediation and strategic legal advice for clients who prefer negotiated outcomes. She has combined courtroom experience from earlier years with a practice style that often prioritizes resolving disputes outside of full-scale litigation.
Her professional life has been rooted in Texas. She is licensed to practice in the state and has spent her career building a local practice network. Colleagues and clients who have worked with her note that she applies practical judgment to complex factual situations and aims to shape solutions that address both legal risk and business realities.
Isabel’s background in psychology and English informs how she approaches client problems. The psychology training aids in assessing motivations and negotiating positions. The English studies support clear, concise drafting and careful review of agreements and pleadings. Those skills have been evident in her work as a mediator, where communication and careful framing of issues matter.
She continues to operate dlR Solutions, where she serves as a mediator and provides business and legal strategy services to clients in Texas. Her current practice centers on mediation and advisory work for business and individual clients.
