Annamarie Valdivia

Annamarie Valdivia is a senior trial attorney whose practice primarily focuses on family law, with continued select representation in criminal matters. Since October 2024, she has concentrated most her practice on complex family law litigation, drawing on more than 17 years of courtroom experience in state, federal, and tribal courts. She is actively licensed in Arizona and brings a multi-jurisdictional perspective shaped by her prior family law work and court involvement in both Arizona and Washington State.

Annamarie has substantial experience handling contested family law matters, including cases involving domestic violence, jurisdictional disputes, and high-conflict proceedings. She has successfully litigated jurisdictional issues, a critical and often outcome-determinative aspect of modern family law cases, particularly those involving interstate parties. Her background allows her to navigate procedural complexity with precision while maintaining a strong, strategic courtroom presence.

In addition to her litigation practice, Annamarie currently serves on the Family Law Practice and Procedure Committee, a three-year appointment. In this role, she studies and makes recommendations on proposed legislation, court rules, and issues raised by the Arizona judiciary, the State Bar, and the public that directly or indirectly affect the Arizona Rules of Family Law Procedure. The committee also initiates new family law rule proposals when necessary or appropriate, placing Annamarie at the forefront of developments shaping family law practice in Arizona.

Before shifting the primary focus of her practice to family law, Annamarie built an extensive litigation career representing thousands of clients in high-stakes criminal and civil matters. She has argued before the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, the Washington State Board of Governors, and the Arizona Board of Executive Clemency. Her continued work in criminal law—particularly in cases intersecting with family court issues such as domestic violence—enhances her ability to advise clients navigating parallel proceedings.

Annamarie began her legal career while in law school as a law clerk at Kuykendall & Associates, where she gained hands-on litigation experience. Upon her successful admission to the State Bar of Arizona, she was promoted to associate attorney, serving as counsel with the Mexican Capital Legal Assistance Program (MCLAP). In that role, she represented Mexican nationals facing the death penalty, marking the beginning of her career as an advocate in some of the most serious and complex cases in the legal system.

Annamarie earned her Juris Doctor and, in addition, obtained a master’s degree in Latin American Studies from the University of Arizona, where she was named a Foreign Language Area Studies (FLAS) Fellow. She received numerous academic honors, scholarships, and fellowships, including recognition as a Ronald E. McNair Scholar and an Uranga Scholar at

the University of Washington. During law school, she also interned with the Arizona Capital Representation Project and participated in the University of Arizona Civil Rights Restoration Clinic, assisting formerly incarcerated individuals in restoring their civil rights.

Her decision to emphasize family law is also informed by personal experience navigating the family court system in Washington State, giving her a practical and empathetic understanding of the stakes families face during litigation. In November 2024, Annamarie joined Mulembo Law, PLLC, leaving government practice to dedicate her skills primarily to family court representation while maintaining select criminal defense work.

Annamarie serves on the Board of Directors for the Arizona Minority Bar Association and is a graduate of the State Bar of Arizona Bar Leadership Institute. She is fluent in English and Spanish.