Lisa Rodriguez’s father was a part of one of the first Spanish-speaking Latino families in Camden. With a Puerto Rican and Cuban background, her father knew the importance of being involved in your community at a young age. “His parents started the first Puerto Rican community and social club and because of that he was involved in the politics in the city of Camden,” Rodriguez stated.

And just as her father’s parents before her, Rodriguez father greatly influenced who she is today, “It was a big part of who he was, and as a result it kind of defined our family. It seemed natural to follow in his footsteps,” Rodriguez said.

Her father was an inspiration to Rodriguez’ own choice to use her education and talents to give back “He was on the ground during the riots in the sixties and he while he was in private practice, he was also a public advocate and the public defender of New Jersey, so he always lived with the obligation to give back,” Rodriguez stated.

With her own talents and desire to excel, combined with her father’s blueprint for serving his community, Rodriguez pursued the field of class action lawsuits in a firm she started with two other partners in New Jersey, Trujillo Rodriguez & Richards LLC. The firm ran for 17 years, and where she practiced prior to become a managing partner of the Cherry Hill office for Schnaeder where she works today.