Ashley R. Vasquez, Attorney at Law
A passion for justice. A record of excellence. An advocate who fights for you.
Meet Ashley
Ashley R. Vasquez is a criminal defense and family law attorney with a passion for justice and a track record of excellence. She graduated ranked 4th in her class at the University of the Pacific, McGeorge School of Law in 2019 — where she competed in Moot Court and externed in federal court — and passed the California Bar that same year.
Criminal defense is where Ashley built her reputation. Early in her career she served as second chair in a homicide trial and played a pivotal role in a federal conspiracy trial that resulted in a not guilty verdict — the kind of trial experience many attorneys never gain in a career. She has also served as co-counsel in a complex, multi-defendant federal RICO prosecution in the Eastern District of California, work that demands command of sprawling discovery, wiretap evidence, and high-stakes federal procedure. From misdemeanors to serious felonies, from state court to federal court, she prepares every case as if it will be tried.
Her family law practice grew from the same conviction: the people in the fight deserve someone who is genuinely in their corner. Ashley handles divorce, custody and visitation, support, and restraining orders, and as a certified mediator she offers families a path that can resolve conflict without scorched-earth litigation — while remaining a proven courtroom advocate when litigation is the right answer.
Today her practice is focused on criminal defense and family law across Sacramento, Placer, El Dorado, and Yolo Counties and the federal Eastern District of California. Beyond the courtroom, she has served as Secretary of the Sacramento County Bar Association, reflecting the respect she has earned among her peers — several of whom formally endorse her work.
Inside a Federal RICO Defense
Few criminal cases are as demanding as a federal racketeering prosecution. Ashley R. Vasquez served as co-counsel for one of the defendants in a multi-defendant RICO case in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of California — the kind of prosecution most attorneys never touch in a career.
Prosecutions of this kind are typically built on years of government investigation: intercepted communications, cooperating witnesses, financial records, and tens of thousands of pages of discovery, all organized around the theory that individual acts were part of a larger criminal enterprise. Defending a single client inside that structure means separating what the evidence actually shows about that one person from what the government asserts about the group.
“In a federal RICO case, the government’s story is about an enterprise. The defense’s job is to make the case about one person — and hold the government to proof on every element.”
The work in a case like this runs on several tracks at once: motion practice under the Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure, challenging how evidence was gathered, analyzing intercepted conversations line by line, coordinating with co-defendants’ counsel where interests align, and pressing the government to prove each element against her client rather than against the enterprise as a whole.
For clients, the takeaway is simple. Whether the matter is a state misdemeanor or a federal indictment, they are represented by an attorney who has operated at the highest-stakes end of criminal practice — and who brings that same discipline, preparation, and attention to detail to every case.
Federal criminal jurisdiction covering Sacramento and much of Northern and Central California.
Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act charges brought against multiple defendants in a single indictment.
Representing one defendant’s individual interests, alongside co-counsel, within a complex, coordinated defense.
The same rigor Ashley applies to every criminal matter she handles.
To protect attorney–client privilege and client confidentiality, this account intentionally omits the case name, the parties, the specific charges, and the outcome. Results in any matter depend on the facts of that case and will differ if based on different facts.
A Record of Excellence
Education
McGeorge School of Law, J.D. 2019 — ranked 4th in her class. Moot Court competitor and federal court extern during law school. Admitted to the State Bar of California in June 2019 (#325880).
Trial Experience
Second chair in a homicide trial. Pivotal role in a federal conspiracy trial resulting in a not guilty verdict, and co-counsel in a multi-defendant federal RICO prosecution in the Eastern District of California.
Leadership & Service
Past Secretary, Sacramento County Bar Association. Certified mediator. Endorsed by fellow criminal defense and family law attorneys.
How Ashley Practices Law
Ashley believes great lawyering is equal parts preparation and humanity. Clients consistently describe the same experience: she listens first, explains the law in plain language, keeps you informed at every step, and fights relentlessly when it counts. Whether she is defending your freedom in a criminal courtroom or protecting your family's future in a custody hearing, you will always know where your case stands — and that someone is genuinely in your corner.
7+
Years Experience
4th
In Class at McGeorge
14
Five-Star Avvo Reviews
4
Counties & Federal Court
Page content last reviewed by the Law Office of Ashley R. Vasquez. Information is general and not legal advice.