Isabella Villalta represents clients across business sectors in high-stakes civil, regulatory, and criminal matters and practices in both federal and state court. Prior to joining Waymaker, Isabella served as a law clerk in the prestigious trial unit of the Federal Public Defender’s Office for the Central District of California and for the Los Angeles County Public Defender’s Office and Orange County Public Defender’s Office in their post-conviction and Writs and Appeals units. Isabella is a mentor for first-generation undergraduates planning to pursue a career in law.

Ben Williams represents clients across business sectors in high-stakes civil, regulatory, and criminal matters and practices in both federal and state court. Before joining Waymaker, Ben served as an intern with the U.S. Department of Justice’s Fraud Section in Washington, D.C., as part of its highly selective Summer Law Intern Program (SLIP). He also interned with the Criminal Division of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of California.

A veteran of the United States Marine Corps, Ben served from 2014 to 2019 at Camp Pendleton in Southern California, where he developed the leadership, discipline, and commitment to service that informs his legal practice today. While earning his J.D., he co-founded the Armed Services Legal Association to promote advocacy and mentorship for veterans pursuing legal careers.

Becky S. James is a highly accomplished attorney with extensive experience in both criminal and civil litigation. Admitted to practice in California, Texas, and numerous federal courts, including the United States Supreme Court, she focuses her practice on civil and criminal appeals, white-collar criminal defense, and civil litigation.

Known for her extensive appellate experience, James has worked on hundreds of appeals and argued more than 50 civil and criminal appeals before federal and state appellate courts. She also frequently consults with trial teams and assists with complex motions in the trial courts. She is a Certified Appellate Specialist in California.

James was an Assistant United States Attorney in the Central District of California for nearly 13 years, where she served as Chief of the Criminal Appeals Section and Chief and Deputy Chief of the General Crimes Section. Entering private practice, James was a partner and co-chair of the national appellate practice at a major law firm before opening her own boutique law firm in Los Angeles. Moving to Texas, she served as the Chief Public Defender for the Atascosa Area Advocates Public Defender’s Office, where she managed a team serving four rural counties, before returning to private practice.

James has served as a Ninth Circuit Lawyer Representative and a member of the Ninth Circuit Conference Executive Committee and has taught appellate advocacy and white-collar crime at Loyola and Pepperdine Law Schools. Among her honors, she was named one of California’s Top White Collar Attorneys 2021 by Daily Journal and has repeatedly been named a Super Lawyer.

James earned her J.D. at Stanford Law School and her A.B. from Stanford University. Following law school, she was a law clerk for Judge Pamela Rymer on the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals.

Viviana Andazola Marquez represents clients across business sectors in high-stakes civil, regulatory, and criminal matters. At her prior firm, she gained experience in white-collar criminal defense and investigations, in addition to insurance defense.

Viviana earned her J.D. from Stanford Law School where she participated in Stanford’s Immigrants’ Rights Clinic. As a law student, Viviana was the recipient of the P.D. Soros Fellowship for New Americans and a Jack Kent Cooke Foundation Graduate Fellow. A graduate of Yale University, where she earned her B.A. in Ethnicity, Race, and Migration with distinction, Viviana was awarded the Carlos Moreno Essay Prize for the best senior essay focusing on the field of Latinx Studies. She is fluent in Spanish.

Viviana is admitted to practice in California and various federal courts.