Marcela Mercado is a dedicated Monterey County personal injury attorney and co-founder of Mercado Kramer LLP, committed to helping injury victims and their families pursue justice throughout California. With a powerful personal story and a relentless work ethic, Ms. Mercado brings both compassion and tenacity to every case she handles. A native of Mazatlán, Sinaloa, Mexico, Ms. Mercado immigrated to the United States with her mother at the age of 6. Growing up speaking Spanish and working in restaurants from a young age, she developed a deep appreciation for hard work and perseverance — values that continue to define her legal practice today. Ms. Mercado worked full-time while attending San Jose State University before earning her Juris Doctor from Pepperdine University School of Law. She also obtained a Master’s degree in Alternative Dispute Resolution, equipping her with advanced skills in negotiation and creative problem-solving. She leverages this training to secure strategic, effective resolutions in even the most challenging and complex injury cases. Before founding Mercado Kramer LLP, Ms. Mercado gained valuable experience at the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office, handling high-stakes, multi-million-dollar cases. She has since successfully litigated and resolved hundreds of cases across California, earning a reputation for obtaining top settlements in matters that other attorneys are often unwilling to take on. Her practice focuses on personal injury cases involving car accidents, catastrophic injuries, Lyft and Uber accidents, motorcycle accidents, pedestrian accidents, slip and fall incidents, truck accidents, and wrongful death claims. Known for her fierce advocacy and unwavering dedication to her clients, Ms. Mercado is committed to fighting for maximum compensation and meaningful results for those she represents.

Mr. Phillips joined The Worthington Law Centre in 1995 after graduating from Monterey College of Law. He currently handles an active case load of misdemeanor and felony cases, both adult and juvenile, with additional work in administrative law issues stemming from criminal charges before the Department of Motor Vehicles, Department of Social Services, and the California Labor Board. Mr. Phillips routinely handles cases in the courts of Monterey, San Benito, Santa Clara and Santa Cruz counties, and the Federal District Court for Northern California, San Jose. Mr. Phillips is an integral part of the defense team at The Worthington Law Centre. In addition to handling his own case load, he works closely with Mr. Worthington on all of Mr. Worthington's major felony cases, focusing on the legal research, writing, and strategy that is essential to the successful conclusion of complex cases. Mr. Phillips is a member of the Bar of the Supreme Court of the United States, the California Bar Association, the American Bar Association, the Monterey County Bar Association, the Los Angeles County Bar Association, and the Bar of the United States District Court for Northern California. He is also a member of California Attorneys for Criminal Justice and California Public Defender's Association. Before becoming a lawyer, Mr. Phillips had a long and distinguished career in the United States Army. He was a Commissioned Officer from 1972 to 1992 with assignments in Europe, Latin America, and the United States. He held positions of increasing responsibility over a 20 year career as a combat arms officer, with a secondary specialty as a Foreign Area Officer (Latin America). He held a Top Secret clearance throughout service. Mr. Phillips helped author a number of security plans and contingency plans used at the national level during wartime. His final assignment was as Associate Dean, Defense Language Institute, Monterey, California. At the time of his retirement, Mr. Phillips was commissioned as a Major. During his career transition, Mr. Phillips taught elementary school in bilingual (English-Spanish) classrooms in Salinas. Mr. Phillips holds a J.D. degree from Monterey College of Law; a Master of Arts Degree, Management from Webster University, St. Louis, MO; and a Bachelor of Science Degree, National Security and Public Affairs from U.S. Military Academy, West Point, NY. In addition to his career as a trial attorney, Mr. Phillips has served as Commissioner pro tempore in the Marina and King City courts for traffic, truancy, and small claims matters. He served as prosecutor in U.S. Magistrate's Court at Fort Ord for approximately 18 months while still in the U.S. Army. He has handled Pro bono cases in the Superior Court of Monterey County. Mr. Phillips has lived in Monterey County for the past 14 years.