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Vernetra Gavin is an associate in the firm’s litigation practice group and resident in our Pasadena office. Vernetra represents public agencies throughout California on a range of public law issues, including municipal finance, utility ratemaking, public works issues and redistricting disputes. Vernetra is licensed to practice law in both California and Texas and is a California licensed real estate agent. Before joining the firm, Vernetra, a native of Jackson, Mississippi; served as an Assistant District Attorney for the Harris County District Attorney’s Office in Houston, Texas, and honed her civil litigation skills in private law firms both in Texas and California.
Vernetra graduated cum laude from Texas Southern University, Thurgood Marshall School of Law. While in law school, among her many activities, Vernetra was inducted into the nationally recognized Order of the Barristers and won two Negotiations competitions. She was a Dean’s List Scholar, a Cali Award recipient (highest average) for Wills and Trust, and served as President of Etiquette at Law Society and Community Service Director for the Black Student Union. She was 1 of 7 law students selected from a national pool of law students to be an American Bar Association Business Law Section Diversity Clerk, where she served as a judicial extern for Honorable Nancy Allf in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Vernetra received a Bachelor’s degree in English from Jackson State University magna cum laude and holds a Master’s degree in Education and Cross-Cultural Studies from National University summa cum laude/distinction. She also attended acting school at the American Musical and Dramatic Academy in New York, New York, before relocating to Los Angeles. While living in Los Angeles, Vernetra was an educator—teaching high school English in the Pasadena Unified School District. Additionally, she worked as a television, film, and commercial actress, and produced several shorts/films via her production company, Gaviness Entertainment.
Practice Areas:
- Appellate Litigation
- Complex Litigation
- Contract Disputes
- Class Action Defense
- Municipal Finance
- Public Law
- Public Utility Ratemaking
- Public Works
- Redistricting