Marlena approaches each matter with curiosity, attention to detail, and a strong commitment to understanding her clients’ businesses and objectives. She particularly enjoys the opportunity to learn something new every day and to develop creative, effective strategies for complex disputes. Her experience includes trying multiple state court cases to favorable verdicts, successfully defeating a Rule 12(b)(2) motion to dismiss in federal court, and prevailing at the pleadings stage through a jurisdictional challenge that resulted in the dismissal of a plaintiff’s lawsuit in Texas district court. 

Before joining McCathern, Shokouhi, Evans Marlena practiced at Clark Hill, Walters Balido & Crain, Hanshaw Kennedy Hafen, and Johnston Clem Gifford. She also served as a Litigator for the Texas Medical Board. Her prior experience has given her the opportunity to handle matters across diverse industries and to develop strong written and oral advocacy skills.

Marlena earned her B.A., magna cum laude, in American Studies and Latin American Studies from Fordham University in 2017, where she was a Phi Beta Kappa member and Curran Center for American Catholic Studies Scholar. She received her J.D., cum laude, from Southern Methodist University’s Dedman School of Law in 2020. While in law school, she served as Vice President of the Healthcare Law Society and American Constitution Society, Executive Editor of the International Law Review Association Online Forum, and was also a Student Bar Association Mentor. She served as a Judicial Intern to Magistrate Judge Christine Nowak of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas.

Marlena is licensed to practice law in Texas and is a member of the Dallas Bar Association and the Collin County Women Lawyers Association.

Outside of her legal practice, Marlena enjoys spending time with her Texas Heeler, Hoss Gutierrez Cartwright and her Siamese cat, Frank Sinatra Gutierrez. She also enjoys running, reading the works of C.S. Lewis and Ernest Hemingway, and propagating houseplants.