Mary Angeline Espiritu

Having moved to Texas at the age of seven, Mary Ann Espiritu has deep roots in the Lone Star State. She learned the value of hard work from her parents, who emigrated from the Philippines in 1967. As the oldest of three, she is a master at the art of negotiation and a strong leader—and she traces her drive to help others to her father, who practiced medicine for 30 years. Mary Ann was raised in a small town in southeast Texas; she earned her bachelor’s degree in sociology from the University of Texas in Austin and went on to graduate from the University of Toledo College of Law. She has been licensed to practice in the state of Texas since 2001. After five years of working for the Government, she switched to defense work in 2006. Those five years working for the state have given her keen insight into the mind of a state’s attorney; that knowledge is essential to providing clients the best possible defense against government charges. Her desire to secure the best possible outcome for her clients also makes her a strong advocate for ongoing education. Mary Ann has been trained on the administration of Field Sobriety Tests and the Intoxilyzer. She has twice attended the American Chemical Society’s Gas Chromatography school. Gas chromatography is a common method used to test for alcohol in the blood; her familiarity with this technique has proven invaluable when defending clients against alcohol-related offenses. Like many good attorneys, Mary Ann is smart, driven and determined—but what makes her an outstanding attorney is her empathy. In her words, “I understand that there are situations where people make bad choices. That doesn’t make them bad people. I see the good in each person and will aggressively defend them.” When she is not working on behalf of her clients, she enjoys Austin’s diverse live music scene. She is also an accomplished musician herself, having played, at various times, the piano, flute, alto sax and violin.