Fernando Ruiz

Fernando Ruiz is from Brownwood, Texas and earned his B.A. in Government from the University of Texas at Austin in 2006. He received his J.D. from the University of Arkansas School of Law, graduating on the dean's list for four semesters and receiving the Robert F. Fussell Top Pro Bono Student Award. He became a licensed Texas attorney in 2011. Fernando began his legal career serving the immigrant community in deportation, consular processing, and family-based immigration matters.

He later provided criminal defense representation to indigent clients in Hays, Caldwell, and Travis counties. He also served as an ad litem guardian for the Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) organization of Travis County and Northwest Arkansas, advocating for abused and neglected children. During law school, he interned with Circuit Judge Jay Finch (juvenile division), Wal-Mart Legal, and Legal Aid of Arkansas. Fernando is fluent in Spanish and is a member of the Hispanic Bar Association.