Clarena Arbelaez is a Los Angeles, California-based staff attorney with the Immigrant Defenders Law Center’s Post-Conviction Relief Program. Since 2022, she has represented veterans before criminal and immigration courts, USCIS, California's Pardon Office, and the Office of the US Pardon Attorney. California attorney Clarena Arbelaez also prepares clients for hearings and immigration proceedings tied to post-conviction relief.
Ms. Arbelaez works with deported veterans and other non-US citizens seeking relief from defective convictions. Her work includes case analysis, legal research, motion drafting, and filings for courts and federal agencies. She has litigated more than 20 motions to vacate convictions in Los Angeles, Riverside, Orange, and San Diego Counties.
Earlier in her career, Ms. Arbelaez worked as an independent contractor in Los Angeles. She coordinated law office operations, reviewed statutes and court opinions, and represented clients in court and administrative hearings. She previously spent several years with the Law Offices of David A. Elden, APC, where she supported criminal defense litigation and trial preparation.
Ms. Arbelaez earned her juris doctor from Purdue Global Law School in 2021. She is admitted to the California bar and is fluent in Spanish.