Attorneys

Partner

Mark Guerrero

Mark has a wealth of experience in litigation and has been a trial attorney his entire career. He started his legal career in 2001 at Mithoff & Jacks LLP, a boutique plaintiff's law firm, where he represented individuals and families who were victims of personal injury and wrongful death. Mark's cases included catastrophic car accidents, complex medical malpractice cases, and injuries and deaths sustained as a result of faulty products. He also represented victims in environmental tort cases. Mark next used his skills as a litigator at the national law firm Fish & Richardson PC where he represented individuals and businesses involved in commercial disputes, many involving intellectual property. In 2012, Mark became an Assistant United States Attorney, where he defended government physicians and other health care providers involved in medical malpractice cases and defended government employees accused of negligence in car accidents.  

After leaving the United States Attorney's Office in 2017, Mark founded Guerrero & Whittle PLLC. Mark's diverse experience allows him to litigate complex cases effectively. During his career, Mark has practiced in state courts across Texas and in federal courts in and out of Texas. Mark has the unique perspective of having represented both injured parties and defending those accused of negligent behavior. Likewise, he has brought and defended commercial disputes.  

A lifelong Texan, Mark was raised in Corpus Christi and has lived in Austin since 1993. Prior to law school, Mark served as Field Director for United States Congressman Lloyd Doggett. Mark is active in local charitable organizations and outside of work, he enjoys eating too much, skiing, and travel.

Education

UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS
SCHOOL OF LAW
Doctor of Jurisprudence, 2001

UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS
B.A., Government, 1996
 

Licensure

Licensed in Texas. Admitted to the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit and the United States District Courts for the Western and Northern Districts of Texas.

Activities, Affiliations & Honors

•Capital Area Trial Laywers Association (CATLA)
•Texas Trial Lawyers Association (TTLA)
•American Association for Justice (AAJ)
•Austin Bar Association
•Austin LGBT Bar Association
•Texas Bar Foundation, Fellow

Experience

•Assistant United States Attorney, Western District of Texas, 2012-2017
•Law Office of Mark Guerrero, 2009-2012
•Fish & Richardson PC, 2008-2009
•Mithoff & Jacks LLP/Jacks Law Firm, 2001-2008

Partner

Mary Whittle

Mary is a seasoned trial lawyer who has tried cases in state and federal court. She provides results-driven advice designed to put her clients in the best position to resolve a dispute on their terms. She has a breadth of experience, having worked as a government lawyer, a private practitioner, and as an attorney for the nation’s premier non-profit environmental law firm.

Mary started her legal career in 2001 as a trial attorney at the United States Department of Justice in Washington D.C., where she successfully litigated a variety of complex cases around the country. She worked closely with client agencies to understand how a case might impact their mission and the importance of setting a precedent, receiving multiple commendations, including a nomination for the prestigious John Marshall Award - the highest award offered to government attorneys. In private practice as a partner at Perry & Haas, Mary was one of a team of lawyers who represented families in six of the major cases arising out of the BP Texas City Refinery explosion, achieving substantial settlements for all the clients in only four months from the explosion. Mary established her own solo practice from 2011-2013, partnering with other law firms in complex civil litigation matters and providing expertise in environmental law. In 2013, Mary joined Earthjustice in Philadelphia, where she represented national environmental organizations, tribes, and community groups in precedent-setting matters before various federal district and appellate courts, including in direct enforcement actions against some of the nation’s largest and most powerful utilities and industry groups.

After leaving Earthjustice in 2017, Mary founded Guerrero & Whittle PLLC. Mary enjoys taking on high-stakes cases and sticking with them through trial and appeal when warranted. She is also adept at resolving complex matters, coming up with creative solutions that meet her clients’ needs in negotiation, mediation, or arbitration. Mary was born and raised in Texas, lived and worked in Washington D.C. and Pennsylvania, and eventually convinced her husband to move to Austin to raise their three children. She is an advocate for children with special needs and learning differences, having two dyslexic children of her own, and she loves being outdoors with her family and dogs. 

Education

UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS SCHOOL OF LAW & LYNDON BAINES JOHNSON SCHOOL OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS
Doctor of Jurisprudence & Master of Public Affairs, 2001

AMHERST COLLEGE
B.A., Biology, cum laude, 1997

Licensure

Licensed in Texas. Admitted to the United States Supreme Court, the United States Courts of Appeals (Fifth, Sixth, Seventh, Eighth, Tenth, and District of Columbia Circuits), and the United States District Courts (Western District of Texas, Northern District of Texas, Eastern District of Michigan and District of Columbia).  Also licensed in the District of Columbia and Pennsylvania (inactive).  

Activities, Affiliations & Honors

•Capital Area Trial Lawyers Association (CATLA)
•Texas Trial Lawyers Association (TTLA)
•American Association for Justice (AAJ)
•Austin Bar Association
•Texas Bar Foundation, Fellow

Experience

•Earthjustice, 2013-2017
•The Law Office of Mary M. Whittle, 2011-2013
•United States Department of Justice, Environment & Natural Resources Division, Environmental Defense Section, 2007-2011
•Perry & Haas, 2005-2006
•United States Department of Justice, Environment & Natural Resources Division, Wildlife & Marine Resources Section, 2001-2005

OF Counsel

Ketan Kharod

Ketan takes pride in his reputation of giving pragmatic advice and providing zealous representation to his clients, particularly those who are unfamiliar with the judicial system. As a solo practitioner and at his prior firm, Ketan represented individuals in personal injury lawsuits in dozens of state and federal courts throughout the country, representing plaintiffs injured by asbestos exposure, drugs and medical devices, and serious motor vehicle injuries. Ketan also has represented whistleblowers who dared report waste, fraud, and abuse of public funds (e.g., Medicare and Medicaid), thereby saving taxpayers millions of dollars under the False Claims Act and its state counterparts. Prior to entering private practice, he served as a law clerk to the Honorable Sam Sparks of the United States District Court for the Western District of Texas in Austin.

After moving to Austin in 1997, Ketan received his Doctor of Jurisprudence with honors from the University of Texas School of Law, where he was an Associate Editor of the Texas Law Review and a Board Member of Texas Law Fellowships. Ketan is also a credentialed mediator. 

Ketan is a community ambassador and former board president of Asian Family Support Services of Austin (AFSSA), which assists survivors of domestic violence, trafficking, and sexual assault. He also serves on the City Council for the City of Sunset Valley, Texas. Aside from work, Ketan enjoys the joys and challenges of raising three children along with his wife, Supriya, and being a fully-committed Longhorn fan, which has its own joys and challenges.

Education

UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS SCHOOL OF LAW
Doctor of Jurisprudence, with honors, 2000

GEORGETOWN PUBLIC POLICY INSTITUTE
Master of Public Policy, 1995

GEORGETOWN UNIVERSITY
B.A., Government, cum laude, 1994 

Licensure

Licensed in Texas. Admitted to the United States District Court for the Western District of Texas.

Activities, Affiliations & Honors

•Texas Trial Lawyers Association (TTLA)
•Capital Area Trial Lawyers Association (CATLA)
•American Association of Justice (AAJ)
•Taxpayers Against Fraud Education Fund
•Austin Bar Association
•Austin Asian American Bar Association
•South Asian Bar Association of Austin
•State Bar of Texas, Asian Pacific Interest Section
•Community Leadership Circle Award (2017), UT-Austin Division of Diversity and Community Engagement
•Pro Bono Award (2016), State Bar of Texas, Asian Pacific Interest Section
•Community Engagement Award (2015), Indian American Coalition of Texas

Experience

•Kharod Law Firm, 2008-2017
•Waters & Kraus, 2005-2017
•Hendler Law Firm, 2002-2004
•United States District Court, Western District of Texas, Clerk for the Honorable Sam Sparks, 2000-2002

OF Counsel

Juliana Sciaraffa

Since 2011, Juliana’s law practice has focused on business and real estate transactions serving clients in Austin, Central Texas, and the Hill Country. Juliana knows that each client has unique and specific needs. Her goal is to provide all clients, regardless of the nature and scope of services they need, exceptional personal service. Whether the client is a first-time business owner or a developer of a large real estate projects, she takes the time to listen carefully to each client’s needs to best help them reach their goals.

Juliana is proud of her small-town roots in Boerne, Texas. She’s lived in Austin with her husband, her elementary-aged son, and a menagerie of animals since 2008. Prior to law school, Juliana worked for the The Nature Conservancy supporting conservation work in Mexico. Outside of work, she enjoys travelling, surfing badly, and finding ways to get messy in the garden. 

(512) 605-2292 direct
gaby@gwjustice.com

Paralegal

Gaby Deras

Gaby has two roles as both Paralegal and Office Manager. She is generally in charge of keeping all the attorneys in line, which is an exceedingly difficult job. She joined the firm in 2019 after graduating with her paralegal certificate.

Education

AUSTIN COMMUNITY COLLEGE
Paralegal Program, 2019