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.

Representative Experience

• Helped team win a defense verdict in 2-week jury trial where the plaintiff sought $17 million for a traumatic brain injury against a Fortune 500 moving and transportation company.
• Won summary judgment dismissing a medical False Claims Act case involving hundreds of thousands of claims.
• Won motions to compel arbitration in various courts throughout the United States on behalf of fintech company, saving company from the expense of jury trial and class actions.
• Won summary judgment for Fortune 500 transportation and moving company in wrongful death action seeking over $3 million in damages, saving client from the expense of a jury trial.
• Second chaired AAA arbitration for a software company involving claims of breach of contract and copyright infringement, obtaining defense verdict for client.
• Second chaired AAA arbitration for Fortune 500 transportation and moving company in personal injury lawsuit seeking over $3 million in damages.
• Assisted team in formulating arguments for coverage under an environmental clean-up policy after insurance carrier denied coverage for the accidental release of a hazardous material, resulting in a recovery to the client in excess of $1.5 million.
• Helped procure positive settlement of $750,000 with insurance carrier for+ insured client in bad faith litigation after surplus lines insurance carrier denied coverage under site pollution liability policy for a pipeline release of hydrofracturing exploration and production wastewater from a pipeline failure.
• As lead local counsel, successfully defended over fifty Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) lawsuits brought in Arizona against national consumer reporting agency.
• Managed nationwide interpleader program for national insurance company.

Appellate Matters:

• Drafted answering brief filed with the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit in False Claims Act case involving hundreds of thousands of claims, where the Ninth Circuit affirmed the trial court’s grant of summary judgment in client’s favor.
• Drafted amicus brief filed with the Supreme Court of California regarding indemnification for remediation expenses under a pollution and remediation insurance policy.
• Drafted successful response to petition for review filed with the Supreme Court of Arizona, resulting in the Court denying review of trial court order compelling arbitration and confirming arbitration award.
• Drafted supplemental brief answering certified question before the Supreme Court of Arizona regarding a member’s duty to a limited liability company, resulting in the creation of new law favorable to the client.