Marcelo A. Dieguez, Founding Partner

A career that started in the courts

Marcelo's legal training began inside the court system. In 2001 he worked at the California Court of Appeal, Fourth Appellate District, and served as a judicial intern to the Honorable Paul Boland of the Los Angeles Superior Court. After earning his J.D. from Loyola Law School in 2002, he spent two years as an associate at the business law firm Stradling Yocca Carlson & Rauth before his work at Diefer Law Group, P.C., where he is a founding partner.

Trial-ready by habit

Across more than two decades of practice, Marcelo has argued cases to verdict in front of juries and in front of judges alone, in state and federal courtrooms. That record matters at the negotiating table: insurers and defense counsel weigh an offer differently when the lawyer across from them has a history of trying cases.

Marcelo is part of the firm's personal injury team, representing people hurt in crashes and other accidents in Riverside County. He brings the same trial preparation to those cases that he has brought to every case he has taken to court.

Outside the office, Marcelo sails, plays soccer and spends as much time as he can with his wife and son.

Credentials

• Education: J.D., Loyola Law School, Los Angeles (2002); B.A., Political Science, with High Honors, University of California, Santa Barbara (1999)
• Admissions: State Bar of California, 2002 (No. 221951); U.S. District Court, Central District of California, 2002
• Experience: Founding Partner, Diefer Law Group, P.C.; Associate, Stradling Yocca Carlson & Rauth (2002–2004); California Court of Appeal, Fourth Appellate District (2001); Judicial Intern to the Hon. Paul Boland, Los Angeles Superior Court (2001)
• Memberships: American Bar Association (2002–present); Orange County Bar Association (2002–present)
• Recognition: Super Lawyers, selected annually since 2021; Super Lawyers Rising Star (2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2021); Avvo Clients' Choice Award (2012, 2013, 2019); Martindale-Hubbell Client Champion – Silver (2018); Martindale-Hubbell Client Distinction Award (2013, 2015)
• Publications: "The Trend Toward Assisted Alternative Dispute Resolution Methods," ACI (2011)

State Bar of California profile (No. 221951)