Education

• Southern Methodist University – Dedman School of Law, J.D., 2006

• Texas State University, M.Ed. – Special Education, magna cum laude, 2000

• Texas A&M University, B.B.A., magna cum laude, 1992

Admitted to Practice

• Texas, 2006

• United States District Courts for the Northern, Southern, and Western Districts of Texas

Work Experience

• Co-Owner, Spivey Valenciano, PLLC, May 2012 to present

• Associate, Cox Smith Matthews Incorporated, 2006-2012

• Special Education Case Manager and Classroom Teacher, 1994-2003

Professional Recognition

• San Antonio’s Outstanding Women in Law 2022, 2023, as featured in Scene in S.A. Magazine

• Texas Super Lawyer, 2022, a Thompson Reuters Service

• Top Women Attorneys in Texas 2023, as selected by Texas Monthly

• Texas Super Lawyers – 2014, 2015, 2016 Texas Rising Star, a Thompson Reuters Service

• Top Lawyers in Eminent Domain 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022 (5-15 years category), as featured in Scene in S.A. Magazine

• Judicial Intern, The Texas Supreme Court, The Honorable Wallace B. Jefferson, Summer 2005

Professional and Community Activities

• Bexar County LEAD Academy, a Committee of the Bexar County Women’s Bar Foundation (Steering Committee Member 2020 - Present)

• Real Estate Section of the San Antonio Bar Association (Secretary 2021-2022; Treasurer 2022-2023)

• Federal Bar Association – San Antonio Chapter Immediate Past President

• Federal Bar Association - San Antonio Chapter Board Member and Officer (Secretary 2015-2016; Treasurer 2016-2017; Vice President 2017 – 2018; President Elect 2018-2019; President 2019-2020)

• Bexar County Women's Bar Association, Member

• South Texas Property Rights Association, Member

• Volunteer Mediator – Bexar County Dispute Resolution Center (2016-2018)

• North San Antonio Chamber of Commerce, Leadership Lab 2012

• San Antonio Bar Association, Member

• San Antonio Young Lawyers Association, Director, 2007-2009

• Blattman Elementary School, First Vice President, 2007-2008

Publications/Speaking Events

• Co-Author, Federal Court Update, San Antonio Lawyer Magazine (Bi-Monthly Publication; March 2011 to Present)

• “Recognizing the Ever-Growing Presence of Women Owning Property” as published in the Legal Mojo Column of WALS Now, a publication by the Women and the Law Section of the State Bar of Texas (June 2022)

• “Nor is Condemnation a Trivial Affair" as published in the At Side Bar Column of the Federal Lawyer Magazine (Bi-Monthly Publication; Volume 68/Issue 4, 2021)

• “Where Property Owners Hit a Wall: A Push to Relax the Unity of Title Factor in Eminent Domain Actions" as published in the At Side Bar Column of the Federal Lawyer Magazine (Bi-Monthly Publication; May/June 2020 Issue)

• Co-Editor, San Antonio Federal Bar Association’s Newsletter (2017 to Present)

• Proof Editor, The Federal Lawyer Magazine (Bi-Monthly Publication; August 2019 to Present)

• Guest Speaker, San Antonio Chapter of the Federal Bar Association and the Paralegal Division of the State Bar of Texas, District 5, at 2014 Fox Tech Law and Research Magnet Program Mentoring Lunch (April 2014)

• “Antitrust and Consumer Protection,” SMU Law Review, Volume 65 No. 2, A. Michael Ferrill, Leslie Sara Hyman and Soledad Valenciano (March 2012)

• “Ethics and Conflicts of Interest,” Regular Presenter, Federal Bar Association Federal Court Practice Seminar, San Antonio Texas (February 2009 to Present)

• Ethics Presentation to Del Rio Division Association of Federal Attorneys (January 2012)

• “Towers, Trenches and TxDot: Strategies from the Landowner’s Perspective” (with Jim Spivey to San Antonio Real Estate Discussion Group, January 2012)

• “Antitrust and Consumer Protection,” SMU Law Review, Volume 64 No. 1, A. Michael Ferrill, Leslie Sara Hyman and Soledad Valenciano (October 2011)

• “Recent Developments in Eminent Domain Proceedings” (with Jim Spivey at 10th Annual Gas and Power Institute, Houston, Texas, September 2011)

• “Coming Soon to a Town Near You: Eminent Domain, the CREZ Project, the Shale Oil and Gas Boom and Other Takings” (with Jim Spivey to San Antonio Bar Association Natural Resources Section, September 2011)

• “Recent Developments in Eminent Domain Proceedings: Shale Oil, CREZ, Senate Bill 18 and a Proposed Taking by the U.S. Army” (September 2011)

• “Antitrust and Consumer Protection,” SMU Law Review, Volume 63 No. 2, A. Michael Ferrill, Leslie Sara Hyman and Soledad Valenciano (March 2010)

• “Anatomy of a Civil Trial XII,” Panel Discussion, Bexar County Local Rules (April 2008)

Languages

Soledad is fluent in Spanish.

Interests

Soledad loves her dog Zeus, barre yoga, reading, trying to keep her plants alive, Texas A&M events, and (most of all) spending time with her three children.