In Episode 19 of Verdicts & Vogue, host Cristina Perez Hesano sits down with powerhouse litigator Erika Contreras, the first female and first Latina partner at Panish | Shea | Boyle | Ravipudi — a nationally recognized personal injury trial firm with offices in Los Angeles, Las Vegas, and Phoenix. In this episode, Erika opens up about her inspiring rise from underserved beginnings to becoming one of the most respected voices in catastrophic injury litigation.

Erika begins by sharing her story as a first-generation Mexican American raised in the Pico-Union neighborhood of Los Angeles. With immigrant parents and limited resources, she grew up without access to mentors or information about college or professional careers. Yet even as a child, she held onto the idea of becoming an attorney — a spark first lit by watching a lawyer leave for work every morning in a suit and briefcase at her mom’s job.

Everything changed when Erika joined the YMCA Youth & Government program as a teenager. A charter bus full of inner-city kids traveled to Sacramento, where she experienced the State Capitol for the first time. Walking through the historic halls, watching mock legislative sessions, and learning how laws are shaped became the defining moment that transformed a childhood impression into a real vision of her future.

Cristina and Erika then dive into what it means to be a true litigation firm versus a pre-litigation practice. Erika explains the importance of filing cases early, moving them forward through depositions, expert work, and statutory demands, and keeping pressure on insurance carriers. She breaks down how litigation protects clients, ensures accurate case valuation, and gives plaintiffs the leverage necessary to achieve fair outcomes.

The episode’s most emotional moment comes when Erika recounts one of the most impactful cases of her career — the wrongful death of a 14-year-old girl with asthma who collapsed and died after multiple school staff members failed to act. Erika takes listeners through the series of preventable errors, the heartbreak of working with the family, and the weight of handling a case involving a child the same age as her own daughter at the time.

But the case also shows the power of litigation beyond financial compensation. Erika successfully achieved non-economic policy changes that now protect thousands of children, including:
• Mandatory teacher review of every student’s medical file
• Required training from medical professionals to recognize early signs of distress
• Safety protocols to prevent similar failures
• A school-approved memorial honoring the child’s life

These changes demonstrate how litigation can create lasting community safety — not just verdicts. Cristina and Erika reflect on the sacred responsibility attorneys carry when representing families, especially when children are involved, and how advocacy can transform systems that fail the most vulnerable.

The episode closes with Cristina bringing the story full circle, highlighting how Erika’s childhood curiosity transformed into a lifelong commitment to justice. From a young girl inspired by the image of a lawyer to a Latina partner changing the landscape of personal injury litigation, Erika’s journey is one of resilience, purpose, and leadership.

Part 2 continues Erika’s story — revealing exactly how she turned her dream into reality and the pivotal moments that shaped her legal career.