Mario Ernesto Lopez, Esq.

Born in San Francisco, and raised in Marin County, Mario is the proud son of immigrants from Guatemala and El Salvador, and is the inaugural Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Initiatives at UC Hastings Law.

As a member of the Chancellor and Dean’s Office, and Chair of the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Working Group, Mario oversees campus-wide diversity initiatives, including diversity partnerships, implementing campus climate recommendations, first-generation programming, the California Scholars Program, and diversity recruitment. Additionally, Mario is a strategic partner with various departments, including the Provost & Academic Dean’s Office, Enrollment Management, Career Development Office, LEOP, Human Resources, Student Services, and Advancement.

Prior to his current role, Mario served as the Associate Director of Admissions, Diversity Initiatives, & Community Partnerships at UC Hastings Law and worked for 10 years in the financial services sector from 16-26 earning his investment licenses, and served on various school, community, and government boards prior to law school. During his time as a student at UC Hastings Law, Mario was on the UC Hastings Trial Team, fundraising chair for La Raza Law Students Association, and interned for President Obama at the White House in the National Economic Council during his third year of law school, where he also served in a leadership role as the co-chair of the Legal Professional Interest Group. Recently, Mario was awarded the 2022 UC Hastings Latinx Law Students Association alumni of the year, as well as the UC Hastings Legal Education Opportunity Program (LEOP) Luminary Award.

Mario earned his Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from the University of California, Davis, earned his Juris Doctor from UC Hastings Law, and is a member of the California Bar. Outside of work, Mario is a 10-time marathon finisher, is a sports aficionado, fluent in Spanish, and enjoys international travel and cooking.