Overview
Workplace Culture
At Faegre Drinker, Maria is responsible for the development and implementation of programs that monitor firm-wide progress related to:
- Workplace culture
- Diverse attorney retention and development
- Client collaboration
- Diversity law school recruitment
- Diversity pipeline programming
- Volunteer outreach
- Community partnerships
- Media messaging
Maria also acts as an internal career counselor to all non-partner attorneys, serving as a confidential resource for attorneys in navigating career decisions and other professional workplace matters.
Litigation Counsel
Maria has a long career as an employment litigator, and she continues to counsel clients on workplace issues, including providing litigation strategies for discrimination and retaliation claims, managing internal investigations, and conducting management and employee training on diversity, implicit bias, sexual harassment and workplace violence.
Prior Experience
Prior to entering private practice, Maria served as an assistant district attorney at the Philadelphia District Attorney’s Office, where she handled hundreds of preliminary hearings and trials.
Personal Interests
Maria is an ordained Reverend of the Enon Tabernacle Baptist Church in Philadelphia, a 13,000-member congregation, where she leads youth and young adult ministries.
Related Services
Credentials
Bar Admissions
New Jersey
Pennsylvania
Education
Harvard Law School
J.D. (1997)
University of Pittsburgh
B.A. magna cum laude (1994)
Insights & Events
Latest
Other Perspectives
- Archibald Cox: Conscience of a Nation — Research Editor, 1997
Leadership & Community
Pro Bono
- Enon Tabernacle Baptist Church — Legal Committee, 1997-present
Professional Associations
- Philadelphia Diversity Law Group — Executive Board
- Barristers’ Association of Philadelphia — former member of Advisory Board
Civic Activities
- Philadelphia Baptist Association — Moderator, 2014-present
- A Promise of Hope Inc. — Secretary, 2015-present
Firm Leadership
- Chief Diversity Officer
- Diversity and Inclusion Committee Chair
- Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP — Chief Diversity Officer, 2018-2020; Diversity and Inclusion Committee Chair, 2016-20; Regional Hiring Chair, 2013-17
Honors
- The Legal Intelligencer – Law Firm Innovator, 2021
- LEADERSHIP Philadelphia — Class of 2020
- The Legal Intelligencer — “Best Mentor” Professional Excellence Award, 2019
- Barristers’ Association of Philadelphia, Inc. — Justice Juanita Kidd Stout Woman of Distinction Award, 2019
- Rutgers-Camden Law School Black Law Students Association — Martin Luther King Jr. Champions of Social Justice and Equality Award, 2019
- The Philadelphia Tribune — African-American Women Achieving Award, 2014
- The Legal Intelligencer and Pennsylvania Law Weekly — Lawyer on the Fast Track, 2008
- The Legal Intelligencer — Woman on the Verge, 2006
No aspect of these recognitions has been approved by the highest court of any state.