Maria del Pilar (“Maya”) Zegarra

Born and raised in Peru, Maya knows first-hand the difficulties of the immigration process and how traumatic the experience can be. Maya has worked hard to create a better future for herself and for her family and is committed to helping others do the same. Maya been committed to the rights of the low income, immigrant population by participating with several non-profits, including Catholic Charities Esperanza Center and CASA de Maryland.

As a law student at the University of Baltimore School of Law, Maya served as a Rule 16 student-attorney in the Immigrant Rights Clinic and worked at Catholic Charities Esperanza Center assisting the immigration population in Maryland. During law school Maya received the Pro Bono Challenge Award and also served in various leadership positions such as the president of the Latin American Law Student Association, Productions Editor for the University of Baltimore School of Law Journal of International Law, Fellow for the Center for International and Comparative Law. For many years. Maya practiced immigration law and through her work, she represented immigrant low income clients, crime victims, and children that have been abused, neglected or abandoned by one or both of their parents.

Maya practices immigration law and through her work, Maya represents immigrant low income clients, crime victims, and children that have been abused, neglected or abandoned by one or both of their parents. Maya works as an attorney-advisor at the U.S. Department of Interior.

Maya is fluent in Spanish, conversational in German and French. She enjoys travelling and learning about new cultures and people; she has already visited Germany, China, Egypt, Japan, Thailand, Cambodia, Singapore, England, Belgium and France and is looking forward to adding many other countries to the list.