I am a Kern County girl, born and raised. Agriculture brought my grandparents to Kern County in the 1940’s. My dad retired after a long career with Chevron and my mom is a retired paralegal. I grew up competing in local academic competitions (Oral Language, Mock Trial, We The People, etc.), learning and playing music, practicing martial arts, and volunteering for local organizations. I attended local schools and am a proud Arvin High School alum.

           After high school, I travelled south to earn my bachelor’s degree in Political Science from the University of La Verne (main campus). I attended ULV on a debate scholarship which afforded me the amazing opportunity to travel the world as a competitor on the university’s international debate team.

           After graduation, I made my way to San Diego to attend Thomas Jefferson School of Law. There, I was able to further my passion for argument and debate through courtroom litigation as a member of the trial competition team. It was also during this time that I discovered a passion for family law. As a law clerk for a boutique family law firm throughout law school, I learned to appreciate the complexity of family law. My passion for family law grew out of a desire to help people navigate through the most emotionally difficult periods of their lives. Through aggressive litigation, skilled negotiation, and compassionate guidance, it’s my goal to empower my clients to not just survive a family law dispute, but to learn, thrive, and grow from it.

            I moved home to Kern County right after law school to accept a position as a project manager and staff attorney at Greater Bakersfield Legal Assistance, Inc. There, I developed projects to assist indigent self-represented litigants in their property and family law matters. During my nearly five years working at GBLA, Inc., the accomplishments I am most proud of are assisting in securing well over a million dollars in grant funding to assist indigent litigants in the areas of property and family law and the establishment of the Landlord-Tenant Assistance Center in the courthouse that utilizes mediation to prevent homelessness.

            In 2013, I decided that it was time to claim my place in the Kern County legal community by hanging my own shingle. In 2014, I partnered with Karen Gaul Wallace to create the Gaul Wallace Garcia law firm focusing primarily on family law. After a career in family spanning more than 25 years, Ms. Gaul Wallace retired at the end of 2016, thus XM Garcia, Attorney at Law was born.

            I enjoy being an engaged member of the community and value my responsibility to give back greatly. I serve and hold leadership positions on professional boards and have coached Foothill High School’s mock trial team since 2011. When I’m not in the office or in court, I enjoy spending time with my family, travelling, raising my two dogs, singing in my car, and pretending to assist my husband (a chef) in the kitchen.

 

Professional Membership

• State Bar of California

• Kern County Bar Association; Board of Directors (2016 – present)

• Family Law Section of Kern County Bar Association; President (2015-2016)

Community Service

• Kern County Planning Commission; Commissioner (2015 – present)

• Foothill High School Mock Trial Coach (2011 – current)

• Kern County Hispanic Chamber of Commerce; Business Education Foundation Board of Directors (2015 – present)

• Kern County Veteran Stand Down; National Anthem Singer

• Immigration Justice Collaborative Panel (2016 – present)