As a child, Marissa Marquez had to navigate an educational system not designed for kids like her.
A native Spanish speaker raised primarily by a grandmother without a high school diploma, Marquez learned English in school and worked her way into the gifted and talented program, eventually graduating eighth in her high school class of about 800 students.
Now labor and employment counsel at Houston Methodist Hospital, her life work and volunteerism “reflect a through line” in her life, “from her earliest experiences as a bilingual student to her current leadership roles, of using her skills and lived experience to uplift others,” said Jackson Walker partner Sang Shin.
Marquez is this year’s award recipient of the Senior Counsel of the Year for a Nonprofit or Governmental Agency presented by the Association of Corporate Counsel Houston Chapter and The Texas Lawbook.
“Marissa Marquez exemplifies the highest standard of in-house legal leadership, combining exceptional professional achievement with a lifelong commitment to service, advocacy and community impact,” said Sing, who nominated her. Her early experiences navigating systems not designed for her “shaped her ability to translate complex legal requirements into clear, actionable guidance for diverse audiences.”
At Houston Methodist, Marquez manages an immigration team of four as well as one full-time employee responsible for handling Americans with Disabilities Act accommodation requests. She serves as the department’s employment law expert, conducting research on complex issues, involving the ADA, Title VII, the Family Medical Leave Act and wage-and-hour laws.
Premium Subscriber Q&A: Marissa Marquez shares what she looks for in hiring outside counsel and describes how AI is impacting her work.
Marquez proactively manages risk related matters as a team member while strengthening cross-functional collaboration, reinforcing the legal department’s role as a strategic partner with outside counsel and various departments within the system, said Michelle Mathews and Dan Patton of the Houston boutique law firm Scott Patton.
“We are most impressed with Marissa’s ability to create highly functional systems for an organization the size of Houston Methodist,” Mathews said. “She has implemented key processes which aid in managing employment matters far along in litigation.”
Mathews, Patton and other lawyers praised Marquez for remaining calm under pressure — a trait Marquez attributes in part to growing up in a large family.
“Marissa likes to look at an issue before it becomes a problem,” said Foley senior counsel Michael Ryan. “She wants to know why things are being done they way they are. Marissa’s biggest success is that she resolves issues to prevent them from becoming litigation.”
Born in Laredo, Marquez was one of 18 grandchildren on her mother’s side and 10 grandchildren on her father’s side.
After Marquez’s mother became pregnant at 18, her parents married and moved to Huntsville, where her father worked as a prison guard. After her parents divorced, Marquez returned to Laredo with her mother and grew up in a multigenerational household alongside her grandparents, aunts and uncles. She spent many summers visiting her father, who had moved to Houston.
“I think growing up in a large family taught me to value different perspectives and to be open to other ideas, which I think has positively impacted the work I do as in-house counsel,” Marquez said. “I also think growing up in a large family helped me with being able to adapt to various situations.”
Determined to become self-sufficient, Marquez thought a law degree would serve her well.
After graduating from Baylor University with a degree in English literature, she attended the University of Texas School of Law, where she quickly gravitated toward public-interest work.
She received a UT fellowship that funded work creating programs with the nonprofit Texas Court Appointed Special Advocates for Children, which trains volunteers to advocate for children who have experienced abuse and neglect. She later enrolled in UT Law’s Children’s Rights Clinic, serving as a student attorney ad litem in child abuse cases.
After graduating in 2007, Marquez enrolled in the federal Public Service Loan Forgiveness program and accepted a position at an Austin firm handling personal injury and Social Security disability cases. There, she gained courtroom experience doing hearings before Social Security administrative law judges.
She later joined the Texas Workforce Commission as legal counsel in the Commissioner Representing Employers Office, where she deepened her knowledge of about employment and human resources law.
Over the years, Marquez built a resume that included Gonzales & Gonzales Attorneys at Law in Austin, Wayne Wright Personal Injury Lawyers, the City of Houston’s Office of Inspector General, Texas Children’s Hospital and Legacy Community Health.
Along the way, she continued volunteering with organizations including the Texas Civil Rights Project’s Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals Immigration Clinic and Volunteer Legal Services of Central Texas.
By the time she jumped to Houston Methodist in 2021, Marquez had “built a distinguished record of leadership across several prominent organizations,” Shin said.
She arrived at Houston Methodist during surges of Covid-19 variants and was tasked with managing a dramatic increase in ADA accommodation requests, which rose from about 60 per month to as many as 100, Shin said.
“Her ability to balance legal rigor with humanity during this unprecedented time exemplifies her exceptional leadership,” Shin said.
More recently, Marquez has navigated a rapidly changing legal landscape that includes executive orders affecting employment and HR policies, shifts in immigration law, evolving Equal Employment Opportunity Commission guidance and emerging issues surrounding artificial intelligence in the workplace.
Mathews and Patton said Marquez makes a concerted effort to stay ahead of legal developments and educate the Houston Methodist system.
“Marissa is the epitome of a detailed lawyer,” Mathews said. “As an in-house leader, she ensures the system receives clear communication and guidance for various initiatives and legal updates.”
Foley partner Rachel Powitzky Steely agrees that Marquez has “truly great communication skills.”
“Marissa pinpoints an issue and is not afraid to admit when she doesn’t know something,” Steely said. “Everyone knows and respects Marissa because she is extremely sincere in her desire to help people and that benefits Houston Methodist tremendously.”
Marquez said the most rewarding part of her job is helping others.
“My best days are when anyone from Houston Methodist Hospital says our conversation helped them in some way or helped them learn something new or are simply feeling better about the situation I assisted them with,” Marquez said.
Colleagues describe Marquez as equally committed to serving her community as she is to serving her clients and colleagues. She has served on the boards of Texas CASA, the League of Women Voters — Houston and The Texas Lyceum, which fosters informed, civil dialogue on critical issues facing Texans.
“Beyond her daily responsibilities, Marissa is a tireless educator and mentor,” Shin said. “Marissa’s commitment to service extends far beyond her role at Houston Methodist.”
Fun Facts: Marissa Marquez
- Favorite book: The House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros. I was a big reader, so I loved books. And it was the first time I read a book that kind of looked like me and the women in my family and I thought that was so cool — a Hispanic woman, an author. The stories reminded me of growing up in Laredo, Texas.
- Favorite movie: The 1988 movie, Big. It reminds you of the importance of having a childlike curiosity, staying true to yourself and balancing responsibility with playfulness. And yes, I can recite the Shimmy Shimmy Cocoa Pop rap song from the movie.
- Favorite drink: Alcoholic — French 75. Non-alcoholic — a good sparkling water.
- Favorite restaurant: Hugo’s Mexican restaurant because the food reminds me of growing up in Laredo and their vegetarian options are delicious.
- Favorite vacation: Mexico City last summer with my husband. We both had never been and enjoyed it very much. We want to go back.
- Hero in life: My maternal and paternal grandparents. It all started with them building a life through sacrifice, courage and perseverance for our families. They faced obstacles I will never fully understand, yet they kept moving forward so their family could have more opportunities. Everything they did came from love, strength and the hope of creating a better future. Their resilience inspires and their story reminds me of the strong roots I come from.