About Barraza Law
We want to be the law firm that brings solutions and improvement to our clients' lives. We focus our efforts on immigration, misdemeanor defense, and personal injury.
We consider individual needs in legal matters and provide state of the art strategies to deliver results. This includes bilingual availability and affordable prices. Also we care, in special, for those clients with language or cultural barriers in the US.
Our core values include Ethics, Empathy, Understanding, and Communication
Omar Barraza
A bilingual attorney, Omar received his Bachelor of Arts in Government / Public Policy Analysis in 1994 from Pomona College in California followed by a Master's Degree in Public Administration from Seattle University in 1998.
Omar is a passionate advocate for equity and social justice with nearly twenty years of experience working in affordable housing, government, and civil rights agencies prior to becoming an attorney. Mr. Barraza serves on the Board of Directors of Northwest Justice Project, the primary legal aid service provider in the State of Washington. Omar is a founding board member of A Touch of Love Foundation, an all-volunteer international relief agency that provides essential services to those in need, particularly children, in India, Ghana, Argentina, and the Dominican Republic. His community involvement includes service on the board of the Tenants Union of Washington State and previous service on the board of the Alliance of People with DisAbilities.
PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS
- Washington State Bar Association, Member 43589
- United States District Court, Western District of Washington
- United States District Court, Eastern District of Washington
United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit - American Immigration Lawyers Association, Member
- American Bar Association, Member
- King County Bar Association, Member
- Latina/o Bar Association of Washington, Member
LANGUAGES
Fluent in Spanish
EDUCATION
Seattle University School of Law, Seattle, Washington
Juris Doctorate, cum laude, December 2010
Seattle University, Washington
Master of Arts, Public Administration, December 1998
Pomona College, Claremont, California
Bachelor of Arts, Government/Public Policy Analysis, May 1994
AWARDS
- SOMOS Seattle 2023 Legacy Award
- Eastside Legal Assistance Program 2020 Pro Bono Attorney of the Year
- Univision Seattle Employer of the Year, 1st Annual Business Awards, 2019
- Santa Barbara Braille Institute Youth Service Award, 1991
- Ojai Valley Chamber of Commerce Youth of the Year, 1989
COMMUNITY ACTIVITIES
- Consumer Education and Training Services (CENTS) 2022-Present
- Board of Directors, A Touch Of Love Foundation, 1994 - Present
- King County Community Advisory Committee for
Law Enforcement Oversight (CACLEO), 2019-2022 - Board of Directors, Northwest Justice Project 2015-2023
- President, Board of Directors, Northwest Justice Project 2017-2018
- Prior service on the Board of Directors, Duwamish River Cleanup Coalition
- Prior service on the Board of Directors, Tenants Union of Washington
EXPERIENCE
Barraza Law, PLLC, Seattle, Washington.
Attorney at Law, May 2011 – Present.
• Principal and owner of a small law firm dedicated to helping immigrants obtain legal status.
• Assist hundreds of immigrants to obtain Deferred Action Status; permanent residency; U visa, T Visa, and VAWA relief; inadmissibility waivers; asylum; naturalization; and other life-changing immigration benefits.
• Co-counsel in Lucero v. Cenlar FSB in which the Western District of Washington entered judgment in favor of the homeowner, including on her outrage claim.
• Co-counsel in Firs Home Owners Association v. Fife Motel Inc. et al. under the Washington Land Use Protection Act in which home owners obtained a $420,000 settlement and retained their homes for nearly three years past the scheduled closure date of their mobile home community.
Shaw Law Group, P.L.L.C., Seattle, Washington.
• Of Counsel, May 2011 – December 2018.
• Rule 9 Legal Intern, September 2009 – May 2011.
King County Office of Civil Rights, Seattle, Washington.
Civil Rights Specialist II, March 2008 – March 2010 and June 2010 – December 2011.
• Perform intake of fair housing complaints; investigate employment and housing discrimination complaints; negotiate settlements and conciliations; monitor settlement agreements; prepare and disseminate outreach materials to consumers, provide technical assistance to housing providers, and conduct housing-related civil rights training and seminars.
Fair Housing Center of Washington, Tacoma, Washington.
Investigator/Educator, November 2006 – March 2008 and July 1995 – July 1997.
Testing Coordinator, November 2002 – September 2006.
• Conducted housing discrimination investigations in rental, sales and mortgage transactions and prepared prima facie allegations for referral to federal and state enforcement agencies.
• Served as lead author of the Analysis of Impediments to Fair Housing Choice report for the State of Washington, Thurston County, and the cities of Bellingham, Olympia and Everett, Washington.
• Contributed to the drafting of reports for King County and the cities of Seattle, Kent, Auburn, Mount Vernon, and Bremerton, Washington.
University of Washington, Seattle, Washington.
Research Study Coordinator – Lead, March 2005 – October 2006.
• Field Interviewer, November 2006 – February 2008 and November 2004 – March 2005. Coordinated up to 12 hourly employees to conduct up-to 100 in-field epidemiological research interviews per month for the Developmental Pathways Project, a longitudinal study funded by the National Institutes of Mental Health focused on understanding adolescent depression.
Seattle Housing Authority, Seattle, Washington.
Occupancy Manager, October 2000 – October 2001.
Occupancy Supervisor, July 1997 – October 2000.
• Administered rent determination programs for up to 9,000 units of SHA-owned and Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher in support of the annual disbursement of over $50 million in federal housing subsidies; managed up to five teams of up to 50 staff.
National Association of Housing and Redevelopment Officials Certifications
• Section 8 Management Certification, 2001
• Public Housing Manager Certificate, 1998
• Housing Specialist Certification, 1997
Inland Fair Housing and Mediation Board, Upland, California.
Fair Housing Coordinator, January 1993 – July 1995.
• Drafted agency’s first successful HUD Fair Housing Initiatives Program grant.
• Established fair housing testing program to investigate sales and rental complaints.
United States Department of Justice, Washington, District of Columbia.
Civil Rights Division, Housing and Civil Enforcement Section.
Volunteer Intern, September 1992 – December 1992.
• Conducted legal research and assisted fair housing enforcement attorneys; completed DOJ training to conduct fair housing testing investigations; and prepared an analysis of DOJ’s landmark fair lending enforcement action, U.S. v. Decatur Federal Savings and Loan.
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