Julia Aparicio-Mercado
A California civil litigator with more than 20 years of experience representing employees in state and federal court. Julia is of counsel to LA Injury Attorneys and bilingual in written and spoken Spanish.
- 20+ years in civil litigation
- Loyola Law School, J.D.
- Admitted in California since 2006
- Habla español
About Julia
Julia Aparicio-Mercado is a California civil litigator with more than 20 years of experience representing employees in workplace disputes involving civil rights and wage and hour violations. She has represented clients in California state court, federal district court, and union Skelly hearings, and she is committed to seeing justice done for every client she represents.
Since 2009 she has owned Aparicio-Mercado Law L.C., a practice focused on employment law and civil litigation. She is now of counsel to LA Injury Attorneys.
Julia's career reflects a longstanding commitment to public service, civil rights, and access to justice. As an undergraduate she worked with the East Bay Sanctuary Covenant assisting refugee clients, and she later volunteered with El Rescate's immigration clinic and with Levitt & Quinn on family law matters for low-income clients. More recently she has volunteered as an attorney with Counsel for Justice's Veterans Legal Services Project, assisting with eviction defense, and served on the Los Feliz Neighborhood Council's Education Committee.
Julia is bilingual in written and spoken Spanish.
What Julia brings to our team
Julia adds two decades of courtroom experience and a career built on representing individuals against larger organizations.
Two decades of litigation
Julia has spent more than 20 years litigating on behalf of individuals in California state court, federal district court, and union Skelly hearings.
Ongoing trial training
She has completed trial advocacy programs through the California Employment Lawyers Association Trial College and the Los Angeles County Bar Association Trial Advocacy Project.
Representation in Spanish
Julia is bilingual in written and spoken Spanish, so Spanish-speaking clients can talk with her directly.
Areas of experience
Julia's practice has focused on representing employees in discrimination, retaliation, and wage and hour cases.
Discrimination and harassment
Title VII and California Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA) cases, including discrimination, unequal pay, harassment, retaliation, and wrongful termination based on race, religious creed, color, national origin, ancestry, physical or mental disability, medical condition, marital status, sex, gender, gender identity, gender expression, age (over 40), and sexual orientation.
Wage and hour
California Labor Code cases, including missed and interrupted meal and rest breaks, unpaid regular and overtime wages, unpaid reimbursements, reporting time and split shift pay, and wait time penalties.
Whistleblower protection
Whistleblower retaliation claims under California Labor Code Section 1102.5.
Public service
Volunteer work in immigration, family law, and veterans' eviction defense for low-income clients.
Many of Julia's clients come to her feeling ripped off by their employers. Wage theft can be a misdemeanor, and Julia believes wage and hour cases deserve the same seriousness in civil court as a criminal prosecution, because it matters when employers take food off the tables of their workers.
Education and training
Julia earned her Juris Doctor from Loyola Law School, Los Angeles, in May 2004. During law school she was an extern with the Los Angeles Immigration Court, Executive Office for Immigration Review, where she drafted orders and memoranda and gained insight into how judges view the cases before them.
She earned her Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from the University of California, Berkeley, in 1999, and studied at the Universidad Autónoma de Guadalajara through an international exchange program in fall 1997.
Questions about Julia Aparicio-Mercado
What is Julia Aparicio-Mercado's background?
Julia is a California civil litigator with more than 20 years of experience representing employees in civil rights and wage and hour disputes. She has owned her own practice, Aparicio-Mercado Law L.C., since 2009 and is of counsel to LA Injury Attorneys.
What does "of counsel" mean?
An of counsel attorney works closely with a firm on an ongoing basis without being a partner or associate. Julia brings her own litigation experience to our team while continuing her own practice.
Does Julia speak Spanish?
Yes. Julia is bilingual in written and spoken Spanish. Hablamos español.
Where did Julia go to school?
She earned her law degree from Loyola Law School, Los Angeles, in 2004 and her bachelor's degree in Political Science from UC Berkeley in 1999. She also studied at the Universidad Autónoma de Guadalajara through an exchange program.
Which courts is Julia admitted to practice in?
Julia has been a member of the State Bar of California since June 2006 and is admitted to the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California.
How do I contact LA Injury Attorneys?
Call (866) 292-3051, which is answered 24/7, or request a free case review and someone from our office will call you back.
Meet the rest of our team
Julia works alongside attorneys with decades of experience. See all attorneys.