Overview
Maria focuses her practice on corporate restructuring, commercial bankruptcy, business counseling, and creditors’ rights matters. As an associate in the firm’s Strategic Advisory and Restructuring Department, she frequently counsels businesses and fiduciaries in chapter 11 bankruptcy proceedings, state or federal receiverships, out of court workouts, or other insolvency proceedings and commercial matters. Maria also represents secured and unsecured creditors in these proceedings, and handles litigation arising out of and related to bankruptcy or receivership cases. Maria also has experience representing purchasers of assets of distressed businesses and liquidating trustees in various bankruptcy and distressed matters. Maria also previously served as counsel for a national distressed debt buyer, where she analyzed, negotiated, and litigated claims against the company under the Fair Debt Collections Practices Act, the Fair Credit Reporting Act, and numerous other statutes in bankruptcy, federal and state courts across the country.
Maria earned her J.D., cum laude, from Case Western Reserve University School of Law in 2014. She received a Bachelor of Music degree, summa cum laude, in 2011 from Vanderbilt University.
Representative Cases & Matters
- Discovery Tours, Inc. – represented chapter 7 trustee, investigated and prosecuted avoidance actions (Bankr. N.D. Ohio)
- Digital Media Solutions v. South University of Ohio, et al. – represented a secured creditor and service provider for a private university system in a federal receivership and workout (N.D. Ohio)
- First Energy Solutions Corp. - co-counsel to Wilmington Savings Fund Society FSB and ad hoc group of pass-through certificate holders (Bankr. N.D. Ohio)
- Elements Behavioral Health – represented joint venture in providing DIP financing and acquiring leading operator of addiction treatment facility out of bankruptcy (Bankr. D. Del.)
- Data Cooling Technologies LLC, et al. – represented a producer of cooling systems in a chapter 11 case, represented the liquidating trustee in the prosecution of certain avoidance actions(Bankr. N.D. Ohio) Central Grocers, Inc. – represented wholesale cooperative and its subsidiaries, including Strack and Van Til Super Market, Inc., in their chapter 11 bankruptcy cases in Chicago, Illinois
- CI Direct/Suarez Corporation Industries, et al. – represented the official committee of unsecured creditors, represented the liquidating trustee in the prosecution of certain avoidance actions (Bankr. N.D. Ohio) Unique Ventures Group, LLC - represented chapter 11 trustee as special sale and franchise counsel in the successful 363 sale of 28 Perkins® Family Restaurants franchises. (Bankr. W.D. Pa.)
- Auburn Armature – represented the secured lender and debtor-in-possession lender in chapter 11 bankruptcy (Bankr. N.D.N.Y.)
- Coshocton County Memorial Hospital Association - represented a 56-bed acute care community hospital in a successful 363 asset sale and chapter 11 case; represented liquidating trustee in the prosecution of certain avoidance actions (Bankr. N.D. Ohio)
- Gulf Chemical Metallurgical Company, et al. - represented a leading producer of ferroalloys in chapter 11 bankruptcy. (Bankr. W.D. Pa.)
- QSL of Medina, Inc., et al. - represented franchisor of Quaker Steak & Lube® brand in successful 363 asset sale, plan of liquidation, and significant litigation with franchisee (Bankr. N.D. Ohio)
- Review and development of franchise agreements, area development agreements, and other franchise documents for certain franchisees and franchisors
Honors & Recognition
Chambers USA, Recognized Leader in Bankruptcy/Restructuring (2021)
Selected for inclusion in Ohio Rising Stars (2020-2022)
Midwest Regional Bankruptcy Seminar Distinguished Bankruptcy Law Student Award
CMBA Sicherman Excellence in Bankruptcy Award
CALI Award, Case Western Civil Litigation Clinic
Credentials
Education
Case Western Reserve University School of Law
Vanderbilt University
Admissions – Court
- U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Ohio
- U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Ohio
Admissions – State
- Ohio
Professional & Civic
Professional Activities
Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Association – Commercial Law and Bankruptcy Section Committee
Turnaround Management Association - NextGen Advisory Board
International Women Insolvency & Restructuring Confederation (IWIRC) – Northeast Ohio Steering Board
Community Involvement
Legal Aid Society of Cleveland – pro bono volunteer
Building Hope in the City - Board Member
News & Insights
External News & Publications
"Passage of the Small Business Reorganization Act Could Dramatically Change a Majority of Chapter 11 Bankruptcies (For the Better)," TMA Turnaround Times - Ohio (May/June 2019)
"Sixth Circuit Rules that the “Insured Versus Insured” Exception Applies to Liquidating Trustees," TMA Turnaround Times - Ohio (September/October 2017)