Isela Barrios ‘09

Professor Barrios is a partner at Hadsell Stormer Renick & Dai, LLP, where she leads the Immigration Department at the firm’s Little Tokyo office. As an experienced immigration attorney, she represents individuals and families in affirmative filings before U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) and the U.S. Department of State. Her practice focuses on guiding clients through the complexities of immigration law to secure lawful permanent residence and U.S. citizenship. Throughout her legal career, she has demonstrated a steadfast commitment to immigrant rights and public interest advocacy.

Professor Barrios earned her Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from California State University Los Angeles. She began her career as a market analyst with two of the world’s leading accounting firms. While working in the corporate sector, she developed a desire to apply her skills to a more service-oriented field, which ultimately led her to pursue a career in law. She went on to earn her Juris Doctor from Southwestern Law School, where she was actively involved in the Public Interest Law Group and the Latino Law Student Association. During law school, she completed a judicial externship with the U.S. Bankruptcy Court Central District and held clerkships with Children’s Law Center of L.A., Legal Aid Foundation of L.A., and the Los Angeles County Public Defender, further refining her legal training and deepening her commitment to public service.

In addition to her legal practice, Professor Barrios is dedicated to education and mentorship. She is an alumna of the Fulfillment Fund, a non-profit organization focused on helping inner-city students achieve academic success, where she now serves on the Programs Committee. At her firm, she co-leads the mentorship and internship program, providing guidance to the children of union members as they prepare for and pursue higher education.