Attorneys

Tracy Gastelum is Special Counsel in the Long Beach Office and a member of the Students and Special Education, and Litigation practice groups. Tracy is a passionate, self-motivated and result-driven former Los Angeles County Deputy District Attorney with over 15 years of trial and negotiation experience in fast-paced, high-stakes, criminal and quasi-administrative courtrooms, specializing in juvenile law, mental health law and the rehabilitation of offenders, tailored to risk factors and cognitive capacity often reflected in special education services. Tracy has extensive experience working in collaboration with multiple public entities, such as Department of Child and Family Services, County Counsel, Department of Mental Health, Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, Department of Probation, law enforcement agencies and school districts.

Additionally, Tracy has been a professor at both public and private universities and colleges, including Chicago School of Professional Psychology in the PhD program, Marymount California University in the criminal justice program and El Camino Community College in the American Bar Association approved paralegal program. As a professor, she has navigated through policies governing teachers and students, which became the impetus to segway into the arena of education law as a fierce advocate with a wide perspective, safeguarding quality education through the representation of school districts.

Tracy’s skillset and experience have inspired her to move into a new chapter of her professional career and development and apply what she’s learned as an educator and former prosecutor to representing California public school districts. She has two passions: public service and education. For 15 years, she dedicated her life to representing the People of the State of California and advocating for improved public safety as a civil servant prosecutor with the largest prosecutorial agency in the world. In that capacity, she has developed trial, negotiation, research, writing and effective legal strategy skills through a strong work ethic, determination and attention to detail. Her tenacity led to being named the Los Angeles County Prosecutor of the Month in Special Operations, developing county-wide policy, and protocol, and facilitating county and state-wide trainings and presentations with various public entities. Additionally, as a professor, she melds her passion and drive to improve the justice system, while inspiring college students to transcend obstacles through knowledge and education. She aspires to dedicate the next half of her career developing her skillset and craft as an education law attorney, advocating for quality education, representing school districts and other public agencies and/or private sector clients.

In her spare time, Tracy serves as the South Bay Leadership Chair for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, as an advocate for families touched by cancer.

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