Our Story

Inspired by the hummingbird, Colibrí, a symbol of our roots and our future, Colibri Law and Policy was founded in Whittier, California, with a clear and heartfelt mission: to provide approachable, expert guidance on complex legal and policy matters. We saw that our communities, particularly middle-class and Latino families, needed a trusted, bilingual resource for critical life planning. We also recognized that public entities (cities, universities, and nonprofits) required partners who could help them develop and implement policies that truly serve the people.

Passionate Advocacy Rooted in Community

Lawyer, policy advocate, community builder, and a mom who believes we all deserve a better future.

Growing up in Southeast LA in a strong immigrant family, I watched my mom navigate a system that wasn’t built for us. I became her voice, her navigator, her advocate.

That experience fuels my work today, fighting for fair legal support, impactful policies, and opportunities to protect what matters most: our families and our communities.

Thank you for trusting me to be your legal guide and your voice. Let’s create a better future, together.

Our Values: The Foundation of Our Work

  • Approachability: We break down complex issues into clear, understandable terms.

  • Integrity: We build relationships based on trust, transparency, and the highest ethical standards.

  • Community: We are deeply invested in the well-being and success of the communities we serve.

  • Empowerment: We provide our clients with the knowledge and tools to make confident decisions.

Our passion is for protecting family legacies and building generational wealth. We are equally driven to uplift immigrant voices and champion workers' rights. We understand the unique challenges and opportunities our clients face, and we are dedicated to providing culturally-informed strategies that lead to meaningful results.

As Seen in:

About our Founder

Aida S. Macedo

  • I'm a lawyer, policy advocate, community builder, and mom who believes in fighting for what's right. My path has always been guided by a simple truth: our communities deserve better - better legal support, better policies, and better opportunities to protect what matters most.

    Colibri is an ode to my Oaxacan ancestors: my great grandmother Zenaida, my grandmother Guadalupe, and my mother Aida. They live in my spirit and fuel my advocacy for my clients.

    I come from a strong immigrant family and was in raised southeast Los Angeles. I call myself a Californian because I have lived all over California and began my career in the Central Valley.

    I have had the privilege to work under policy and legal giants like former California Supreme Court Justice Cruz Reynoso, for members of Congress, for State Elected officials, and most recently as a Chief of Staff to a City Councilmember.

    I spent my law school years working for impact litigation civil rights organizations where I learned the power of strategic policy advocacy combined with litigation strategy. I now bring a combined 20 year career in public policy and legal advocacy.

    My every day work is fueled by the families and organizational clients that I serve. Thank you so much for trusting me as your attorney and strategist.

  • Like many children of immigrants, I grew up being my family's voice. I was the interpreter, the navigator, watching my single mother face a system that wasn't built for us. Every confusing form, every misunderstood process, every moment of feeling like an outsider – it all shaped who I am and why I fight.

    I became a lawyer because I bought into something bigger: the idea that our Constitution means something. That we all deserve equal rights and equal opportunity. That our families deserve to protect what they've worked so hard to build, and our communities deserve policies that actually serve them.

  • Education

    University of California Irvine, Bachelor of Arts, Political Science & Chicana/o Latina/o Studies
    Honors:

    • Phi Beta Kappa; cum laude, Departmental Honors

    UC Davis School of Law, J.D.

    • Certificates: Public Service Law Certificate and Pro Bono Program

    • Honors:

      • Lorenzo Patiño Public Service Award

      • CRLAF Outstanding Community Service Award

      • Justice Robert T. Takasugi Public Interest Fellow

      • SF La Raza Lawyers Association Public Interest Fellow

    Awards and Recognitions

    • Rising Star of Northern California, Super Lawyers Magazine 2017 - 2023

    • Super Lawyer of Northern California 2024-2025

    • Top Women Attorneys in Northern California 2017 - 2023

    • Marshall Memorial Fellowship, The German Marshall Fund of the United States, 2019

Sandra Chavez, Associate

  • Sandra Chavez, Associate Attorney

    Sandra is an associate attorney at Colibri Law and Policy, Inc., where she focuses on estate planning, labor and employment law, and public policy matters. A proud first-generation professional and California Western School of Law graduate, Sandra passed the California Bar in 2025 and brings both dedication and lived experience to her work with community-centered clients.

    Before joining Colibri Law and Policy, Sandra served low-income workers through the Workers' Rights clinic at Neighborhood Legal Services of Los Angeles during law school, and after graduating, gained hands-on courtroom experience as a certified graduate law clerk with the San Diego County Public Defender's Office. Fluent in English and Spanish, she is committed to making legal services accessible and clear, whether by helping a family plan for the future or advocating for workers' rights. Sandra believes that everyone deserves knowledgeable, compassionate legal representation, and that starts with truly listening to the people she serves.

    Education

    University of California, Irvine – Bachelor of Arts, English and Political Science

    California State University, Los Angeles – Master of Arts, Political Science, Emphasis in Global Politics

    California Western School of Law, San Diego – Juris Doctor

    ·      Pro Bono Honors Society

    ·      American Jurisprudence Awards

    o   Trial Practice

    o   Women and Immigration