Change Catalyst
Law Business Strategist
Community Creator
Hi I’m Anne-Marie.
I’m the founder and principal of Modern Juris, which provides training, tools, and support to help lawyers build financially sustainable businesses designed to serve the latent legal market. By cultivating a collaborative learning community within Modern Juris, I seek to break down barriers to legal access, build new business models in law, and create systemic change.
Before founding Modern Juris in 2020, I directed the Texas Opportunity & Justice Incubator (TOJI) at the State Bar of Texas. I led TOJI from its April 2017 launch and quickly scaled the program to become the largest legal incubator in Texas (and possibly the world). For this work, I received a State Bar of Texas Presidential Citation. In 2019, I guided TOJI’s statewide expansion and transition to virtual delivery. Prior to TOJI, I directed the Access to Law Initiative, the California Western School of Law (CWSL) incubator program.
I have been a frequent CLE speaker and organizer for over a decade. In addition, I was an adjunct professor teaching Federal Income Tax at CWSL, Taxation of the Business Entity at the University of California San Diego Extension, and an Introduction to Taxes for the Solo/Small Firm Attorney for Solo Practice University®.
In 2009, I started Rábago Business & Tax Law, APC. Over the following seven years, I advised hundreds of small business owners on tax and legal compliance matters, including other solo and small firm attorneys. For this work, I was named an American Bar Association (ABA) Section of Taxation John S. Nolan Fellow in 2014 and a San Diego Super Lawyers® Rising Star in 2016 and 2017.
In 2022, Fastcase honored me as one of the top 50 courageous innovators, techies, visionaries, and leaders spotlighted by the annual Fastcase 50 Award. I am a Fellow of the American Bar Foundation and a Member of the ABA. I serve as Vice Chair of the Membership Board and Co-Chair the ABA GPSolo Division Programs Board. I also serve on the Executive Committee of the Association for Continuing Legal Education (ACLEA).
After completing my J.D. at CWSL, I earned an LL.M. in Taxation from Northwestern University Pritzker School of Law. I am licensed to practice law in California and Texas.
Before stepping into the legal industry, I held various professional roles, including fundraising for two regional theatre companies, managing a 1.2 million-dollar store for an international retail chain, recruiting and corporate training for a Fortune 100 financial services company, and international tax consulting for a big-4 public accounting firm.
I am an avid craft beer enthusiast in my spare time and enjoy world travel adventures with my husband.