Maria has represented clients being sued or investigated by state attorneys general (AGs), the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), licensing boards, and other government entities for almost 30 years. She understands the procedural, substantive, and reputational complexities unique to government investigations, and helps her clients navigate the terrain and preserve their rights. She partners with her clients to understand business goals so that she can craft a tailored strategy.
Your organization may face regulator inquiry in various ways, and Maria seeks creative solutions to mitigate risk and reach a favorable resolution. She has addressed regulator interest arising from consumer complaints, guided clients through the unique pre-litigation investigations that AGs and the FTC can conduct (including negotiating the scope of government requests for business documents and interviews), litigated on behalf of clients in administrative proceedings and state and federal courts, and crafted legislative and other public policy solutions to legal challenges.
No industry sector is immune from regulator interest. Maria has extensive experience in counseling organizations on consumer protection issues, including marketing, labels and packaging, sales, service contracts, customer service, and regulatory compliance. Examples of specific regulatory areas that Maria has addressed include state and local fees; hazardous waste, electronic waste, and other environmental issues; data privacy and breaches; business licensing and regulation; telemarketing; and unclaimed property. She represents clients across a wide variety of industry sectors, including pharmaceuticals, nutrition/dietary supplements, food and beverage, data management, consumer debt, consumer lending, technology and AI, telecommunications, hospitality, automotive, retail, grocery, security, and real estate. Her clients include Fortune 100 companies, local businesses, charities, nonprofit organizations, and trade associations.
Maria has successfully negotiated a number of class action product liability settlements, most significantly representing a major health care corporation in the historic national silicone gel breast implant litigation in the United States and Canada. She also has developed the administrative framework for national settlement programs and defended class settlements against attacks on appeal and collaterally.
Maria supports the professional advancement of women at Cozen O'Connor by serving on the Executive Board of the firm’s Women’s Initiative and leading Women’s Initiative mentoring efforts.