Maria is a commercial litigator, representing clients in complex commercial disputes and business torts. With a diverse legal background spanning from prestigious clerkships to an AmLaw 100 firm to in-house counsel roles, Maria brings a unique perspective and a wealth of experience to the table. She has experience litigating in arbitrations and federal and state courts while representing clients in various industries, including hospitality, healthcare, insurance, construction, banking, and financial services.
Prior to joining MCCA, Maria was in house counsel and the head of US merchant litigation at a publicly traded fintech company, managing hundreds of cases and disputes a year for non-employment-based claims including breach of contract, securities, anti-trust, consumer protection, fraud, and Electronic Fund Transfer Act (EFTA)/Reg E. She executed litigation strategies that ensured the company’s interests and business objectives were represented in the best, most cost‐effective manner. She also advised internal stakeholders regarding litigation risk associated with new product launches or changes to internal policies and procedures. She became the internal subject matter expert in cases involving the Mastercard Alert to Control High-Risk Merchants (MATCH) list, enforceability of online user agreements, enforceability of arbitration agreements, and card network disputes.
Before her corporate tenure, Maria worked at an AmLaw 100 firm in the commercial litigation group, representing clients in cases involving breach of contract, insurance bad faith, Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA), Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA), False Claims Act, and copyright infringement actions. She also was able to utilize her appellate advocacy skills, drafting appellate briefs before the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, Supreme Court of Arizona, Arizona Court of Appeals, and other appellate courts in California and Illinois.
Maria clerked for the Honorable Ann A. Scott Timmer on the Arizona Supreme Court. Her experience working for a state appellate court, combined with her experience as an extern for the Honorable David C. Bury on the United States District Court for the District of Arizona, provides her with a high-level understanding of every stage of litigation, as well as valuable insight into the reasoning and thought processes that go into judicial decisions.