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Practice Focus
Maria’s practice concentrates on the rapidly changing areas of technology and intellectual property litigation, transactions and counseling. She also provides strategic counseling and general corporate representation to start-up and emerging companies. A significant portion of Maria’s practice involves advising clients on matters involving domain names, consumer privacy, electronic contracting, intellectual property protection, licensing and transferring, web site development and maintenance, web site audits, co-branding, strategic alliances, hosting, data protection and electronic communications in the workplace.
Maria's practice also includes litigation involving non-competition agreements, theft of trade secrets, unfair and deceptive business practices, and trademark and copyright infringement in both state and federal courts. She also practices before the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board of the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.
Maria lectures and writes regularly on intellectual property, Internet, e-commerce, electronic communications and related topics.
- Counsel to a number of businesses in connection with privacy and data security regulation and compliance, including consumer privacy, data security breaches, and e-commerce-related issues.
- Counsel to software and web site developers with regard to development, license and maintenance agreements.
- Counsel a number of businesses in connection with the recovery of domain names from cybersquatters and on domain name strategies, domain name acquisition and the protection of intellectual property rights on the Internet, including through international proceedings of ICANN.
- Counsel to a number of businesses in connection with privacy and data security regulation and compliance, including consumer privacy, data security breaches, and e-commerce-related issues.
- Counsel to software and web site developers with regard to development, license and maintenance agreements.
- Counsel a number of businesses in connection with the recovery of domain names from cybersquatters and on domain name strategies, domain name acquisition and the protection of intellectual property rights on the Internet, including through international proceedings of ICANN.
- Counsel to a national financial institution in connection with multiple litigation matters.
- Counsel to businesses with regard to online sweepstakes and contests.
- Counsel to authors, software developers and others in protecting their copyrighted works against unauthorized copying and distribution.
- Counsel to a manufacturer of vitamin, mineral and nutritional supplement products in developing and improving intellectual property protection and enforcing intellectual property rights.
- Counsel to a number of businesses with regard to technology, software and/or content development and licensing transactions.
- Counsel to a manufacturer of yogurt and yogurt-related products in connection with negotiation of technology-related agreements and protection of intellectual property and trade secrets and other confidential information.
- Counsel to a number of start-ups and small businesses with respect to intellectual property and Internet and e-commerce related issues.
- Counsel a number of businesses with regard to strategies to protect their trade secrets and other confidential and/or propriety information.
Education
B. A., Wellesley College
J. D., Boston College Law School
Honors
Maria was the recipient of The Boston Lawyers Group Award as the first Latina to become a partner in a member firm in 1996. The Massachusetts Association of Hispanic Attorneys recognized her in 2003 with its Las Primeras Award for her unique contributions, vision and leadership within the Latino community in Massachusetts. In 2005 – 2006, Maria was selected by Law & Politics as a Massachusetts “Super Lawyer,” and in 2007 a New England “Super Lawyer,” both in the field of Intellectual Property. She was selected as one of the "Top Ten Women Lawyers in Boston" by Women's Business Boston in 2007. She received the 2007 “Diversity Heroes Award” given by Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly and the Massachusetts Bar Association at their annual “Excellence in the Law” event, which celebrates achievement and distinction in the profession.
Memberships and Admissions
Maria is admitted to practice in Massachusetts. She is a former Trustee of the Boston Bar Foundation, and a member of the Boston Bar Foundation Society of Fellows. Maria chaired the Boston Bar Journal's Board of Editors (2001-2004) and served as a member of the Council of the Boston Bar Association (1999-2002). She is a member of the Boston Bar Association, the Women's Bar Association, the Massachusetts Association of Hispanic Attorneys, and the Hispanic National Bar Association, where she formerly chaired its Internet/E-Commerce Committee.
Community Involvement
Maria has been active in a number of community organizations, including The YMCA of Greater Boston, where she has volunteered as a tutor/mentor in its Education & Training Program, and as a panelist in Bar-sponsored programs. She is Past-President and a former member of the Board of Directors of the South Shore Women's Business Network in Massachusetts. Maria is currently serving on the Wellesley Development and Outreach Council, an advisory council to the Board of Trustees, the President and the Office of Resources and Public Affairs of Wellesley College. She is also a member of the Advisory Board of the Boston Chapter of the Association of Latino Professionals in Finance and Accounting, ALPHA. She is a former member of the Board of Directors of the International Institute of Boston/International Institute of New Hampshire.
Maria is a native of Managua, Nicaragua, and is fluent in Spanish.
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