Maria Z. Vathis

  1. People /

Maria Z. Vathis

Maria Z. Vathis

Of Counsel


Chicago
  1. People /

Maria Z. Vathis

Maria Z. Vathis

Of Counsel


Chicago

Maria Z. Vathis

Of Counsel

Chicago

T: +1 312 602 5127

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Biography

Maria Vathis is a seasoned commercial litigator with a broad range of experience with defending corporate clients in complex business litigation matters and class actions involving alleged statutory violations. Ms. Vathis manages a national portfolio of complex business litigation matters for Fortune 150 companies, and she regularly represents clients from the United States and Europe in complex business litigation lawsuits alleging breach of contract, fraud, breach of fiduciary duty and other business torts throughout the United States. She also represents fashion houses, financial institutions and loan servicers. She represents retail and fashion industry clients from the United States and Europe. Ms. Vathis litigates matters nationwide in federal and state courts. She also advises businesses on statutory compliance, including the Telephone Consumer Protection Act. Ms. Vathis also has deep and well-rounded experience with the insurance industry, including representing both insurers and insureds throughout her career, drafting coverage opinions, and drafting insurance policies. She monitored worldwide litigation for international insurers, which includes claims and litigation assessment and management of securities class actions and other complex civil litigation. In 2011, Ms. Vathis was seconded to a leading broker in the London insurance market where she advised on policy language and legal issues.

Maria is a frequent speaker at conferences in Chicago, New York, Paris, France and online. She is past national president of the Federal Bar Association (2018-2019), past president of the Hellenic Bar Association of Illinois (2018-2019), and past president of the Chicago Chapter of the Federal Bar Association (2010-2011). Maria was selected for inclusion in America’s High Stakes Litigators for Illinois in 2019-2021, recognized for outstanding leadership along with Judge Loretta Preska for Fordham University School of Law/Southern District of New York Chapter of the Federal Bar Association in 2018, and selected as the Hellenic Bar Association of Illinois’ “Lawyer of the Year” for 2017. Maria has appeared on podcasts, radio and local television. She is a board member of the Apparel Industry Board, Inc. and an advisory board member of the Creative Center for Entrepreneurship.

Civic Involvement & Honors

    • Selected for inclusion in America’s High Stakes Litigators, Illinois, 2019
    • Recognized for outstanding leadership along with Judge Loretta Preska, 100 Years of Women in Law, Fordham University School of Law/Southern District of New York Chapter of the Federal Bar Association
    • Selected “Lawyer of the Year” for 2017 by the Hellenic Bar Association of Illinois
    • Associate Board of Ambassadors of the American Cancer Society of Chicago
    • Selected as one of Greek America’s 40 Under 40 for 2012
    • Selected for inclusion in Chicago Magazine’s Super Lawyers – Rising Stars for Business Litigation (2009, 2010 and 2011 Editions)
    • Selected for inclusion in The National Trial Lawyers Top 100 Illinois Trial Lawyers for 2011

Professional Affiliations

    • Past National President, Federal Bar Association
    • Past President, Hellenic Bar Association of Illinois
    • Board Member, Hellenic Bar Association Foundation
    • Immediate Past President, Hellenic Bar Association
    • International Association of Defense Counsel
    • TIPS Board Member, American Bar Association
    • Past President of the Chicago Chapter of the Federal Bar Association
    Chicago Bar Association

Admissions

  • Illinois, 2002
  • United States Supreme Court
    United States Court of Appeals for the Second, Seventh, Eighth and Eleventh Circuit
    United States District Courts for the Northern District of Illinois and Western District of Michigan

Education

Fordham Law School - Fashion Law Institute, Certificate of Completion, 2015 

DePaul University, J.D., 2001

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, B.A., 1998

 

Related Practice Areas

  • Business & Commercial Disputes

  • Financial Services

  • Insurance: Corporate & Transactional

  • Captive Insurance

  • Insurance Regulatory

  • Insurance Insolvency & Receiverships

  • Class Actions & Mass Torts

  • Hotels and Hospitality

  • Real Estate Retail

  • InsureTech

  • Consumer Fraud

  • Insurance (Class Actions)

  • Pharmaceutical & Medical Devices (Class Actions)

  • Finance

  • Class Actions

  • Litigation & Dispute Resolution

  • Antitrust Class Actions

  • Shareholder Securities and Mergers & Acquisitions

  • Food, Ag & Nutrition (Class Actions)

  • Outdoor Industry

  • Reinsurance Transactions & Disputes

  • Complex Coverage & Claims Disputes

  • BCLP Data Breach Hotline

  • Employment Class & Collective Actions

  • Sports (Class Actions)

  • Data Privacy, Telecommunications & Collections

  • Toxic Tort

  • Enforcement

  • Litigation

  • Regulation

  • California Consumer Privacy Act

  • Insurance

  • Banking & Finance Disputes

  • Consumer Finance Disputes

  • Retail & Consumer Products

Experience

  • Lead national counsel for Top Fortune 150 company’s nationwide portfolio of breach of contract matters
  • Lead counsel representing female minority partners in a contentious partnership dispute over real estate holdings in New York
  • Lead counsel defending an accounting firm and an insurance broker in class actions alleging statutory violations
  • Lead counsel representing a business owner in a case alleging fraudulent business practices
  • Represented a well-known fast food franchise and motel franchise in class action cases alleging a statutory violation
  • Advised a leading global investment bank in connection with its annual renewal of insurance

Resources

Publications

  • "Insurance coverage and the Telephone Consumer Protection Act" (co-authored with Steven Smith and Joy Anderson), Financier Worldwide Magazine, March 2016
  • "The Cybersecurity Question: To Insure Or Not To Insure?," Law 360 (October 2013)
  • "September 11th Business Interruption Losses Must Be Offset By Federal Funds Received By Insured," Martindale-Hubbell (July 2007)
  • “Recent Developments in Property Insurance Law,” American Bar Association Tort, Trial & Insurance Practice Law Journal (May 2005)

Speaking Engagements

  • “Cutting Strings and Starting Anew: Termination and Force Majeure Clauses”, Moderator, Federal Bar Association Annual Fashion Law Conference (February 2021)
  • “Stories in Fashion: Lawyers Dish on What Not To Do”, Columbia College Chicago Fashion Studies Department (November 2020)
  • High School Civics Hack-A-Thon, Keynote Speaker on Motivation and the Importance of Kindness (June 2020)
  • “COVID-19 and its Impact on Litigation, Insurance Coverage and the Retail Industry in the United States”, Legal Desire Virtual Summit 2020, India (May 2020)
  • “Emerging Tech Issues in the Fashion Industry: Wearables and AI”, Moderator, Federal Bar Association Annual Fashion Law Conference, New York, New York (February 2020)
  • “Business of Fashion Bootcamp”, Apparel Industry Board, Inc., Chicago, Illinois (January 2020)
  • “Litigation and Litigation Funding in the United States, Panel I”, Paris Fashion Law and Innovation Conference, Paris, France (October 2019)
  • 2019 Alaska Federal Bar Association Conference, Anchorage, Alaska (August 2019)
  • Moderator, “Fashion Tech Chicago,” 2112 Incubator, Chicago, Illinois (June 2019)
  • Moderator, “The State of the Chicago Fashion Industry,” 2112 Incubator, Chicago, Illinois (May 2019)
  • Keynote Speaker, Twentieth Annual Pro Bono and Public Interest Awards Ceremony, U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois (May 2019)
  • Third Annual Civics Essay Contest Award Presentation on Cyberbullying, Federal Bar Association, United States Supreme Court, Washington, D.C. (March 2019)
  • “Women In the Law,” International Women’s Day Event, Fordham University School of Law, New York, New York (March 2019)
  • “The Importance of Attorney Health and Wellness,” Federal Bar Association, San Antonio, Texas (February 2019)
  • “Class Actions and the Fashion Industry,” Federal Bar Association Fashion Law Conference, New York, New York (February 2019)
  • Moderator, “Practical Tips for Art Law Practitioners,” Federal Bar Association Art Law Conference, New York, New York (February 2019)
  • “The Importance of Attorney Civility,” Federal Bar Association, Honolulu, Hawaii (December 2018)
  • “Fashion and Labor Considerations with #MeToo,” Federal Bar Association/French-American Bar Association, La Sorbonne, Paris France (October 2018)
  • “The State of the Chicago Fashion Industry: Panel Discussion I,” 2112 Incubator, Chicago, Illinois (October 2018)
  • Moderator, “Drafting, Negotiating, and Enforcing Intellectual Property License Agreements: Strategies and Pitfalls,” New York, New York (September 2018)
  • Moderator, “Trademark Licensing and Litigation,” Cardozo School of Law, New York, New York (April 2018)
  • Second Annual Civics Essay Contest Awards, Federal Bar Association, United States Supreme Court, Washington, D.C. (April 2018)
  • Moderator, “Trademark Licensing: Latest Litigation and Best Practices,” Federal Bar Association Fashion Law Conference, New York, New York (February 2018)
  • Moderator, “Legal Tips for Art Galleries,” Federal Bar Association Art Law Conference, Miami, Florida (December 2017)
  • “Beautiful Business - An Overview of Fashion Law,” The John Marshall Law School Fashion Law Society, Chicago, Illinois (October 2017)
  • “Product Launch for Startups and Established Brands: An Overview of U.S. Litigation,” Federal Bar Association/French-American Bar Association, Lafayette Plug and Play, Paris, France (September 2017)
  • “Master Services Agreements: What You Need to Know,” myLawCLE, Washington, D.C. (May 2017).
  • “How to Get the Business: A Continued Conversation with Givers and Getters,” Women’s Bar Association of Illinois, Chicago, Illinois (April 2017)
  • “The Importance of Civics and Community Outreach,” Federal Bar Association New Leaders Training, Washington, D.C. (April 2017)
  • Moderator, “Game Changer: The Marriage of Wearable Technology and the Fashion Industry,” Fashion Law Conference, Federal Bar Association, New York, New York (February 2017)
  • “The Hidden Danger for Retailers Doing Business in New Jersey,” Bryan Cave LLP CLE, Chicago, IL (June 2016)
  • “Fashion Law Basics:  The Lawyer Wears Prada,” myLawCLE, Washington, D.C. (May 2016)
  • “Cyber Insurance: What You Need to Know,” Bryan Cave LLP CLE, Chicago, IL (May 2016)
  • “Fashion Goes Online: FTC and Trademark Considerations,” Fashion Law Conference, Federal Bar Association CLE, New York, New York (February 2016)
  • Co-Master of Ceremonies of the Women in the Law Conference, Federal Bar Association, Washington, D.C. (June 2015)
  • “Hot Topics in Dealing with Banking Cyber Security,” The Knowledge Group, Webinar (June 2014)
  • “Telephone Consumer Protection Act Compliance,” LeadsCon Conference, Las Vegas, Nevada (March 2014)
  • “Empowering Women in the Law,” Federal Bar Association National Convention, San Juan, Puerto Rico (September 2013)
  • “Bench/Bar Relationships, Federal Bar Association Chapter Leadership Training Program, Federal Bar Association, Arlington, Virginia (April 2013)
  • “Tips on How to Be a Young Bar Association Leader,” Chapter Leadership Training Program, Federal Bar Association, Arlington, Virginia (April 2011)