Ana S. Mendieta, Esq.

Ave Maria School of Law - Juris Doctor ‘17

Ana S. Mendieta graduated with a Licenture in Law from the Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Honduras. Soon after graduation she initiated her legal career when she began to work for the Honduran Department of Justice, serving as a Special Agent under the supervision of the Attorney General. There, she led investigations which resulted in the prosecution of a number of individuals involved in criminal activities ranging from violent crimes to white collar crime.

After a successful tenure with the Office of the Attorney General, Ms. Mendieta moved on to the Supreme Court of Justice of Honduras where she served as a clerk to the Chief Justice and as the Executive Director of the Judicial Gazette of the Supreme Court. Through these positions, Ms. Mendieta edited, compiled, and published the first yearly judicial and administrative report of the Supreme Court. She also edited and published the Judicial Gazette, which comprised briefs on decisions of the Supreme Court; as well as other topics of national interest relating to judicial reforms taking place in Honduras. Reform was made in the areas of women and children's rights; and the newly established law on criminal procedure in Honduras. 

In the United States, Ms. Mendieta served as a volunteer for the Guardian Ad Litem Program for the Twentieth Judicial Circuit in Collier County Florida. As an officer of the court, she was appointed to represent the best interest of the child in dependency hearings. Being a multilingual advocate, many of the children represented were the progeny of immigration center detainees. Realizing the amount of aid she was able to provide to the children and their families was limited – due to her status as a volunteer – Ms. Mendieta decided to pursue a law degree in the United States, which she obtained from the Ave Maria School of Law, in Naples, Florida.

Understanding the demand there is for fair, just, and affordable legal representation to low-income immigrants, and with over 15 years of experience in immigration services, Ms. Mendieta continues to assist those in need.

Leonel E. Mendieta, Esq.

University of Pittsburgh School of Law - Juris Doctor ‘18

Mr. Mendieta joins The Mendieta Law Firm, PLLC having developed a diverse skill set through his academic accomplishments, supplemented with practical experience in different legal settings and fields - from working for corporate counsel to representing indigent clients in tax and immigration court.

Mr. Mendieta started his legal career as an intern at the Bank of New York Mellon’s in-house legal department where he gained practical experience in contract drafting and review, corporate compliance, and risk assessment. He went on to serve as a judicial intern for the Honorable John L. Musmanno, Senior Judge of the Superior Court of Pennsylvania, where he conducted extensive legal research in criminal and constitutional law and drafted and published a number of summary opinions on appeals brought before the Court.

Finally, as a legal intern for both The Mendieta Law Firm, PLLC (TMLF) and the University of Pittsburgh School of Law’s Low-Income Taxpayer Clinic, Mr. Mendieta found his passion for assisting those in need. At TMLF, Mr. Mendieta served clients facing deportation as well as those needing assistance in navigating through the complex immigration system, fully supporting the firm’s mission statement, “Building a Better America, One Immigrant at a Time!” The Low-Income Taxpayer Clinic allowed Mr. Mendieta to continue to represent clients in Tax Court and in negotiations with IRS Chief Counsel. These experiences were the most fulfilling for Mr. Mendieta as he found purpose in the work he did, and the results of his efforts were immediately visible in the relief and elation of the clients he successfully represented.

Most recently, as in-house counsel for PVR Technologies, Inc., an information technology consulting firm based in Philadelphia, PA, he was tasked with drafting, reviewing, negotiating, and maintaining the company’s Employment Agreements, Master Service Agreements, Individual Professional Services Contracts as well as preparing and processing Immigrant and Non-Immigrant Visa Petitions for the company’s foreign workforce.

Mr. Mendieta now returns to The Mendieta Law Firm, PLLC to head our new Miami office, located in the heart of Coral Gables, bringing his specialty in business immigration to assist clients in employment-based and investor visas.