Your Legal Advocates
Juan J. Cruz
Juan has been defending Texas educational and state entities for nearly three decades. He has held numerous prestigious positions over the course of his career, such as becoming the first Hispanic chair of the State Bar of Texas School Law Section and a former chair of the Texas Association of School Boards Council of School Attorneys. Mr. Cruz serves as lead counsel for all clients of the Firm. He routinely provides day-to-day advice on matters affecting government entities such as school districts, cities, counties, quasi-governmental bodies, and affiliated political subdivisions. As general counsel Mr. Cruz is familiar with all facets of the management of government entities, including handling issues related to construction, procurement, employment, public information, contracts, etc. Juan is dedicated to providing gold standard legal services and remains one of the most respected attorneys in the region.
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Sonya M. Garcia
Sonya is a tenured litigator with over 28 years of experience in the legal fields of education, employment, and representation of government entities. Practicing out of our office in Laredo, she brings immense insight to our firm and clients. Prior to working for the firm, Sonya worked for the Nueces County Attorney’s office and the Webb County Attorney’s office, where she was Chief Juvenile Prosecutor but handled civil matters as well, including Webb County jail matters, TPIA compliance, statutory guidance for elected officials, drafting interlocal agreements and MOUs.
Lisa M. Paul
Lisa is a resolute litigator with over 29 years of experience in the areas of employment law, school law, and contractual proceedings. She provides outstanding value to her clients, representing them in various administrative hearings and providing professional advice regarding personnel and school operational issues. Prior to joining JCA Law, Lisa represented the City of Laredo as the First Assistant City Attorney, focusing on providing legal advice to various city departments including the Airport, Utilities, Real Estate, Engineering, Public Works, Parks and Recreation, Community Development, Library, Planning and Zoning, Risk Management, and Transit. Lisa has experience providing legal assistance to governmental entities in a wide range of matters including real estate transactions, drafting, and reviewing deeds, easements, contracts, policies, and resolutions.
Tony Resendez
Tony has over 25 years of experience in school law, public finance, employment law, and governmental relations. He serves as the leader of the San Antonio office and has served as lead general counsel for many school districts.
Mario Perez
Associate Attorney
Mario is a skilled attorney with expertise in general civil litigation, education law, and employment law. He has represented governmental entities throughout Texas, including state agencies and municipal governments, and also represents businesses and individuals in real estate, trusts, and probate matters.
Ricardo Benavides III
Associate Attorney
Rick has been practicing law for five years. Before joining JCA Law, he served as an Assistant City Attorney with the City of Laredo Attorney’s Office, where he gained valuable experience handling employment matters, advising various boards and commissions, and drafting local ordinances. Since joining the firm in 2021, he has dedicated a significant portion of his practice to representing school districts, governmental entities, and small to mid-sized businesses.
Valeria E. Reyes
Associate Attorney
Valeria has been licensed and practicing law for five years. She previously worked as Municipal Court Prosecutor and Assistant City Attorney for the City of Laredo. Her areas of practice at the firm include Labor & Employment Law, Education Law, Civil Litigation, and Government Entity Defense.
Joe Benavides
Associate Attorney
Joe’s practice spans from corporate law, civil litigation, transportation and import/export law, labor and employment law, real estate, public finance, to education law. Joe is also a Licensed U.S. Customs Broker. Before joining JCA Law, Joe worked in the Office of Senator Judith Zaffirini, where he gained firsthand experience in how the public and private sectors can work together to achieve real results. During law school, Joe served as President of the Hispanic Law Student Association, and as a Regional Director of the National Latino Law Student Association. When Joe is not helping businesses and government entities with proactive legal strategies, you will likely find him spending time with his dog, Ringo, and his wife, Fer.
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Jose De Luna
Associate Attorney
Jose graduated from the University of Houston Law Center in 2025 and has been a part of JCA Law as both a legal clerk and an associate attorney. His experience includes Education Law, Employment Law, Real Estate Law, and Government Entity Defense.
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Chris Cabrera
Associate Attorney
Prior to graduating from the University of Houston Law Center in 2025, Christopher was a medical service officer in the U.S. Air Force. His previous legal experience includes litigation in personal injury, contract disputes, and family law. His areas of practice with the firm include Labor & Employment Law, Education Law, Civil Litigation, and Government Entity Defense.
Melissa Franco de Gonzales
Of Counsel
Melissa works in the Corpus Christi area in education law, employment law, and civil litigation. She also serves on the Gregory-Portland ISD Board of Trustees.
Michelle Bartley
Of Counsel
Michelle has over 29 years of experience in general civil litigation, education law, employment law, and government entity defense. She focuses on complex litigation, particularly construction defect and commercial disputes.
Albert Long
Of Counsel
Albert is a Laredo-based litigator who represents individuals, businesses, and public entities in a wide range of civil and commercial matters. His practice includes construction, real-property, and contract disputes, as well as state and federal criminal defense, family law, probate and heirship matters, and appellate work. Albert earned his B.A. in English and Philosophy from The University of Texas at Austin and his J.D. from St. Mary's University School of Law. He is admitted to practice in the State of Texas and the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas, and U.S. Court of Appeals for thre Fifth Circuit. As the first attorney in his family, Albert chose to pursue a legal career as a way to serve his community.
Rachel Barr
Of Counsel
Rachel is an Of Counsel attorney specializing in general business law, contracts, and federal procurement law, including FAR and DFARS compliance. She brings extensive experience from both the public and private sectors, having previously served as an in-house counsel for a major defense contractor in Fort Worth, Texas. In that role, she negotiated multi-million dollar procurement deals, supported multi-billion dollar Foreign Military Sales (FMS) campaigns, navigated complex tariff issues, and provided generalized legal and compliance support across the business. Rachel’s legal career began with eight years as a paralegal in the U.S. Air Force JAG Corps, where she handled military justice, civil law, and military claims. She attended St. Mary's University School of Law in San Antonio, Texas, and graduated in the top 10% of her class. Following law school, she worked in private practice in Fort Worth, Texas, managing aviation claims, commercial insurance, and agricultural legal matters. An entrepreneur herself, Rachel also founded and operates a small equestrian business. She is licensed to practice in Texas and provides remote strategic support to the firm from Virginia. When she is not working, Rachel enjoys spending time with her husband and daughter, and riding and showing horses.