NLD Member Spotlight: Claudia Ignacio

Claudia Ignacio, recipient of this year’s SDCBA Service by a New Lawyer Award, is a young trailblazer in the San Diego legal community. As a tax attorney with Hone Maxwell, LLP, her practice includes a wide array of local, state, and international tax consulting matters; defending clients in audits with state and federal tax agencies; and assisting in collection issues.

Originally from Mexico City, Claudia and her family immigrated to the United States when she was 14. Three years later, her mom passed away, leaving Claudia to raise her four siblings (the youngest being three at the time). She remembers finding strength she did not know she had to keep her family going. It was not a question of if, it was a matter of how. She recalls taking each morning in stride and telling herself she could make it through.

Claudia earned a bachelor’s degree at California State University, San Marcos, where she worked full-time and founded the school’s Pre-Law Society. After graduating, she worked as a paralegal for attorneys in immigration, bankruptcy, family law and civil litigation.

After raising her siblings, she decided to pursue a law career and enrolled at California Western School of Law. During law school, Claudia served as president of the La Raza Law Student Association and sat on several school committees.

Life As a Tax Lawyer

Claudia, now starting her fourth year in practice, was motivated to become a tax lawyer by reading immigration forms and tax returns as a paralegal post-college. This piqued her interest in understanding taxes better — so much so that she enrolled in community college courses on federal and state taxes. She eventually did a whole internship related to taxes. The more she learned, the more intrigued she became. At the time, she did not realize she was reading black-letter tax law, including California Tax Codes and IRS regulations.

She says tax law is a great way to learn about someone’s life because you really need to understand someone’s life to figure out what type of credits or deductions may apply. She gets to ask questions to determine how a person can benefit most. She describes tax law as a puzzle you have to put together based on a person or entity’s occupation, condition, status, goals, and other factors.

Claudia quipped that preparing taxes is not just entering numbers in a form — the person filing taxes has worked hard for their money the entire year and deserves to have the proper tax benefits and deductions. As she explains, we are so quick to judge and evaluate the food we eat, the customer service we receive, or how we are exercising, but we rarely question how taxes are calculated or if we are claiming all the possible benefits and deductions.

Advice for New Lawyers and Law Students

You do not necessarily have to be good at math to be a good tax lawyer; good writing and analytical skills are more important. Claudia hopes to encourage more people to look into the field of tax law. Tax law is so broad, she explains, because there are lawyers who look at taxes from an estate planning perspective, from a compliance perspective, and even an international perspective. Everyone pays taxes and it intersects with so many other fields.

Claudia reminds new lawyers and law students that mental health is key to be successful, and it is okay to do something for yourself. She recently spoke to law students whose families were giving them a hard time because they had not seen them since law school. She advised that although we unfortunately are in a demanding profession, it is important to set boundaries both in and out of your career. Setting boundaries has made her stronger. Of course, we want to do everything we can for our family, our clients, and the community, but you have to maintain a healthy balance in order to be successful in this profession.

Volunteer Service

One of Claudia’s passions is helping those in her community. She does not see herself without her community — it goes hand and hand with who she is. She says that helping others brings balance and joy separate from her day-to-day practice.

As a director-at-large and committee member for the San Diego La Raza Association, Claudia supports equality, empowerment, and justice for Latino attorneys and the Latino community in San Diego. She volunteers for the SDCBA’s Mock Trial Competition for high school students and is an active member of the California Women Lawyers Association.

She also serves as a mentor to students in elementary, high school, college, and law school. Most recently, she started helping first-generation college students through the nonprofit Reality Changers, where she inspires students through tutoring, mentorship, and helping students realize they can accomplish their dreams.

Claudia has received many accolades for her leadership and community service, including this year’s SDCBA Service by a New Lawyer Award. This distinction is awarded annually to a new lawyer who, during their first seven years in practice, has demonstrated a significant commitment to serving the legal profession, the justice system, or the SDCBA through legal education, mentoring, or community service.

Claudia is personally inspired by Justice Sonia Sotomayor, who once said, “I think it’s important to move people beyond just dreaming into doing. They have to be able to see that you are just like them, and you made it.”