Mary is a leading practitioner in financial services litigation, representing banks, lenders, and non-bank financial institutions in complex litigation cases across the U.S. Well-versed in local practices, she also handles numerous commercial litigation matters in the state, federal, and appellate courts of Virginia, Maryland, and the District of Columbia. As a neutral on the American Arbitration Association's roster of arbitrators, Mary is regularly appointed as arbitrator in consumer, commercial, and large complex cases.
Mary focuses her practice on litigation and strategy in lender liability, check and bank operation, class action, consumer finance, fiduciary matters, and creditor's rights disputes. While Mary litigates extensively in the federal and state trial and appellate courts in Virginia, Maryland, and the District of Columbia, and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit, she represents banking clients in cases of all sizes nationwide.
She has handled every type of litigation impacting financial services and consumers, including claims under the Uniform Commercial Code, Fair Credit Reporting Act, Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act, Truth in Lending Act, Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, Fair Housing Act, Gramm-Leach Bliley Act, Bank Secrecy Act, Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organization Act, and state consumer protection statutes.
Clients seek Mary's counseling on compliance matters affecting retail banks and other financial institutions, including matters such as garnishments and pre-litigation disputes. She applies "lessons learned" from litigation to help her clients with all aspects of their daily banking practices. Mary considers workable approaches to dispute resolution in every litigation matter, and is creative and flexible in creating workable fee arrangements.
In addition to financial services, Mary has broad commercial litigation experience. She regularly handles real property disputes involving matters such as letters of intent, easements, joint ventures, and option agreements. She also handles business tort, intellectual property, identity theft, and privacy matters, including matters pertaining to trade secret theft, covenants not to compete, and other sensitive corporate disputes. Mary has substantial experience in fiduciary and trust matters. Mary is proud of her ties to Virginia. She clerked for the Honorable Claude M. Hilton, has practiced in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia for more than 30 years, and she is a well-known practitioner in the Rocket Docket.
Mary has been accepted into the Roster of Arbitrators of the American Arbitration Association (AAA). Viewed as leaders in the practice of alternative dispute resolution (ADR), AAA arbitrators are required to receive ongoing education in the art and science of arbitration and demonstrate knowledge, prowess, mastery, and proficiency in a particular field.
Mary is committed to cultivating professionalism and education on the rule of law and serves on the Board of Directors of the Virginia Law Foundation. She is a former member of the Board of Governors of the Virginia Bar Association, a permanent member of the Judicial Conference of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit, and a master in the Pauline Newman Inn of Court.
Financial Institution Litigation
Commercial Litigation
Fiduciary and Estate Litigation
Real Property Litigation
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