Bio

Thi (pronounced Tee) is a proud Vietnamese-American immigrant, who has called Houston home for more than 95% of her life. As the stereotypical child of immigrant parents, Thi pressured herself to only consider a career in either the medical or legal field. After several rotations at the West Houston Medical Center and Memorial Hermann Southwest, she quickly realized bodily fluids made her queasy, ruling out the medical profession. She went on to earn her Bachelor of Arts in Political Science with a Minor in Global Business from the University of Houston. During undergrad, she worked as a Legal Assistant for several years assisting clients with pharmaceutical and medical liability. This is where she met Daniel Valdez, her now husband and founder of Valdez Legal Advocacy, PLLC.

She continued to work in product liability for a short stent while pursuing her law degree at the Thurgood Marshall School of Law. She ultimately left in her third year to work with a local real estate developer revitalizing the East End of Houston. Here, she learned the ins and outs of real estate investment and development.

After being admitted into the State Bar of Texas, she went on to work with a local financial institution as their Compliance Officer. She helped the company transition from a third-party servicer to a fully chartered state financial institution. During her time as the Compliance Officer, Thi developed and streamlined policies and procedures to help the company maintain its charter and provide safer financial services to its customers. In this position, Thi continued to work closely with real estate; she learned the different methods of utilizing real estate to invest, along with the restrictions legislatures have placed on real estate investing.

In Thi’s opinion, real estate is the most secure asset a person can acquire, whether it’s for personal use or held as an investment, so it’s vital to get yourself a piece and protect it at all costs. Even if the structure burns down, there will always be value in the land itself. For that reason, Thi transitioned to work with VLA as their Managing Attorney in October of 2022, so that she can dedicate more of her practice to working with real estate clients. Whether it’s understanding how to protect your family home, or securing your interest in real estate, Thi is your girl!

Though Thi was not physically present when Daniel opened the firm, she helped lay the foundation upon which the firm was built: compassion, professionalism, and relatability. She believes compassion is an essential element in the practice of law because clients only seek legal assistance in their most troubling moments. For Thi, it is important to dedicate the time to see things from the client’s perspective and guide them toward the most reasonable legal resolution. The practice of law is not simply interpreting the law, it’s about developing relationships and building rapport with clients, court officials, opposing and co-counsel, alike. Without mutual respect from all parties, the practice of law becomes very difficult. Thi will work tirelessly to earn and retain the respect of her peers and clients.

For Thi, relatability is the most important pillar of VLA, because VLA was founded to be a resource. The idea was always, if we cannot help you with your legal matter, we want to point you in the right direction and share with you all the resources that we have gathered in our collective fifteen (15) years of practice. As an immigrant, Thi does not take for granted the liberties this country has granted to her and her family, therefore she is dedicated to helping clients understand and protect the rights they have in any legal situation.

In her spare time, Thi finds herself flexing her creative spirit by running a floral business, Hoa’s Hoas, and woodworking, paintings, and calligraphy. She enjoys doing Pilates at Boost Pilates, cooking elaborate meals for her family and friends, and spending time with her family of fur babies. Above all else, she loves traveling with her husband.