Marco Vasquez Jr. is an attorney with the Institute for Justice. During law school, Marco worked as a summer clerk in IJ’s Texas office.
Before re-joining IJ, Marco worked at Paul Hastings LLP in Dallas, where he tried multiple jury trials and worked on a number of appeals. Before his time at Paul Hastings, Marco clerked for three federal judges: L. Steven Grasz of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit, Drew B. Tipton of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas, and Christine A. Nowak of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas.
Marco received his J.D. from the University of Texas School of Law in 2019 and his B.A. in Political Science with an emphasis in International Relations from the University of California, San Diego in 2014. He is originally from Arizona.
Marco is licensed to practice in Texas.
Marco's Cases
Immunity and Accountability | Rule of Law
Dallas Bar Owner Asks Supreme Court to Let His Suit Over Bogus Prosecution Move Forward
A Dallas bar owner asks the Supreme Court to deny immunity to the police detective who led a bogus investigation against him.
Economic Liberty | Food Freedom
Institute for Justice Partners with Wildtype and UPSIDE Foods to Sue Texas to End Ban on Sale of Cultivated Meat
Wildtype and UPSIDE Foods challenge Texas's ban on cultivated meat. Texas’ ban is about one thing: protecting in-state agricultural interest from innovative, out-of-state competition.
Eminent Domain | Private Property
Stiffed by a Pipeline Company Wielding Eminent Domain, Plains Ranchers Appeal to U.S. Supreme Court
North Dakota ranchers fought a pipeline company with eminent domain power for the fair value of their land. But an appeals court said the company did not have to pay the ranchers' attorney fees. That places property owners in a Catch-22 when it comes to getting a fair price: accept a low-ball offer for their land or fight for a fair price out of their own pocket.
Immunity and Accountability | Other Property Rights Abuses | Private Property
Courts Say City Owes Her Over $200,000; But Now She Has to Sue Again to Get Paid
Courts say Okay, Oklahoma owes Melisa Robinson for damaging her property. But the city won't pay. That violates her Fifth Amendment right to just compensation.
4th Amendment Project | Civil Forfeiture | Private Property
Air Travelers Sue DEA and TSA Over Airport Cash Seizures
Retired railroad engineer Terry Rolin’s life savings were seized by the government, but he hasn’t been charged with any crime. Now he and his daughter are working with IJ to get his money back and fight back against unconstitutional civil forfeitures.
Marco's News, Articles & Publications
Marco's Podcasts
July 17, 2026
Short Circuit 437 | Privately Racing the Nondelegation Doctrine
An old friend rejoins the show, the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Act of 2020. It’s been trotting around the federal courts of appeals for a […]
Listen NowJanuary 16, 2026
Short Circuit 411 | Don’t Forget Your Receipt
When you pay your bail money it’s a good practice to get a receipt. A woman in Mississippi found that out the hard way when […]
Listen NowJuly 04, 2025
Short Circuit 383 | Rock ‘n’ Roll Yoga
Is speaking to a yoga class speech? The Ninth Circuit recently proclaimed that the answer to that question is actually “yes.” But before you turn […]
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