Chelsea Estes

Staff Attorney

Chelsea joined the Free to Thrive team because she is passionate about fighting injustice within the criminal legal system. Chelsea first learned about the criminalization of human trafficking survivors during her time as an attorney at Federal Defenders of San Diego, Inc. There, she witnessed the prosecution of human trafficking survivors facing years in prison as a result. The devastating impact of this approach on clients who were victims of trafficking themselves inspired Chelsea to take part in Free to Thrive’s mission to advocate for survivors, educate others, and promote progress.

Chelsea was born and raised in Oklahoma, where she went to college and law school. She graduated from The University of Oklahoma in 2010 with a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism, and then from Oklahoma City University School of Law in 2013 with a Juris Doctor. In 2014, she earned her LL.M. degree in Trial Advocacy from California Western School of Law. In 2015, she joined Federal Defenders of San Diego, Inc. as a trial attorney and continued in that role until 2020, when she moved into the appellate unit, where she practiced until 2021.

Chelsea’s best days start with yoga, coffee, the Wordle, and snuggles with her little boy.