Maria Paula
Maria Paula
Maria Paula Aguila represents clients in their most important business disputes, both domestically and internationally. Understanding the importance of working towards an efficient resolution from the outset, Paula designs strategies with the end in mind that improve her clients’ position at every stage of the case. She understands that each case is different and provides each client with personal attention.
Paula represents foreign and domestic clients throughout the United States and Latin America in a wide range of federal, state and international litigation and arbitration matters, including business torts, complex contracts, financial fraud, breaches of fiduciary duties, partnership dissolutions, civil RICO claims, and cross-border evidence gathering.
Paula’s work includes the successful representation of the former wife of soccer legend Diego Maradona in a business dispute against him (click here for media coverage of this case); an Uruguayan law firm and a Florida entity against a Spanish citizen for $23 million dollars; two former presidents and twelve former directors of two Puerto Rico banks in federal disputes arising from the U.S. government takeover of those banks for $257 million and $55 million (click here for media coverage of the first case); a Chinese entity in an intellectual property dispute in Orlando; a Guatemalan bank in an ICDR arbitration; and all plaintiffs in the biggest Helms-Burton Act claim brought to date in the U.S. Paula also represented Chevron in the multibillion-dollar case related to oil spill in Ecuador; a Spanish citizen and an Argentine/Brazilian national involved in the FIFA investigation; an Ecuadorian financial advisor involved in the Panama Papers investigation, among others; and filed an Amici Curiae Brief with the United States Supreme Court in relation to Argentina’s expropriation of international oil companies.
Not only does Paula deliver exceptional results to her clients, but she is actively engaged in community service organizations. Paula serves as a leader of professional organizations devoted to raising the standards for the legal profession and building cross-border relationships, including as Senior Advisor to the American Bar Association Latin America and Caribbean Committee, and as Chair of the Americas Division of the American Bar Association, where she oversees five committees with over 3,000 attorneys from around the world. Paula has consistently been recognized by her peers, being voted to the Best Lawyers in America, to Benchmark Litigation Star, and as a Florida Super Lawyer, over many years. Paula is fluent in English, Spanish and Portuguese.
spending time with her husband at the beach, painting with her daughter in her backyard, or running around with (or, more precisely, after) her son and dog in Miami Shores. She also loves sailing on Biscayne Bay and traveling abroad and experiencing different cultures.
Recognized as a Benchmark Litigation Star in the 17th edition of Benchmark Litigation (2024)Recognized in the 30th edition of The Best Lawyers in America for her expertise in Litigation – Securities (2024)Recognized in The Marquis Who’s Who in America (2023-2024)Recognized as a Florida Super Lawyer (2020-2023)Recognized in 2021 Lawyers of Distinction (2021)Recognized in the 2021 edition of Benchmark Litigation as a “Local Litigation Star” in General Commercial and Class Action (2020)Nominated to The Women, Influence & Power in Law Awards 2020 (formerly known as the National Women in Law Awards) (2020)Recognized as a Florida Super Lawyer Rising Star (2016-2018)Recognized as a Top Rated International Attorney in the 2017 edition of Florida Super Lawyers (2017)Recipient of Harvard Law School’s full scholarship to attend its Accelerated Leadership Program (2015)The ILS Global Forum on International Law, International Law Section of the Florida Bar (Miami), Speaker, Ethical Considerations in Cross-Border Negotiations and Dispute Resolution, April 2022The American Bar Association, Section of International Law Webinar, Moderator, Covid-19 in Latin America: Legal Developments and Challenges, May 2020 (Live CLE Webinar)The American Bar Association, Section of International Law, Live CLE Webinar, Speaker, Serving the Foreign Client: How Local Attorneys Can (and Should) Become Global Lawyers, December 2019 The American Bar Association, Section of International Law, Spring Meeting (New York), Moderator, International Discovery: Cooperation between Latin America and the United States in Discovery Procedures, April 2018The American Bar Association, Section of International Law, Fall Conference (Miami), Moderator, Latin America with Trump, Temer, Macri, Maduro and a New Cuba, October 2017 The American Bar Association, Section of International Law, Spring Meeting (Washington D.C.), Moderator, Panama Papers: Exposing the Powerful, April 2017The American Bar Association, Section of International Law, Spring Meeting (Washington D.C.), Speaker, International Best Practices in Mentoring to Increase Competency, Professionalism, and Ethics in the Legal Profession, April 2017The American Bar Association, Section of International Law, Fall Meeting (Tokyo), Speaker, Utilizing Professional Skills and Education from Outside the United States During the Pacific Century, October 2016The Leadership Council on Legal Diversity, Fellows Regional Roundtable (Washington D.C.), Moderator, Being an Exceptional Leader: What it Takes to Build an Outstanding Team, March 2016The Leadership Council on Legal Diversity, 2015 1L Scholars Summit (Dallas), Speaker, Secrets to Success, May 2015The Leadership Council on Legal Diversity, Fellows Regional Roundtable (Fort Lauderdale), Moderator, The Importance of Language in Understanding Diversity in the Business World, April 2015The American Bar Association, Section of International, Law Spring Meeting (Washington D.C.), Moderator, Litigating in an Evolving Landscape: A Survey of Data Privacy Laws in Latin American Countries, April 2015The Leadership Council on Legal Diversity, Fellows Regional Roundtable (Boca Raton), Moderator, The Effect a Diverse Background Has on a Career Path, March 2015The Leadership Council on Legal Diversity, Fellows Regional Roundtable (Miami), Moderator, The Growth of International Business and Its Impact on Understanding Diverse Backgrounds, February 2015Legal Learning Series, eDiscovery and Information Governance Conference (Miami), Speaker, Crafting an Effective eDiscovery Protocol, November 2014Council on Legal Education Opportunity, Pre-Law Workshop (New York), Speaker, April 2014The U.S. Supreme Court Just Made it Harder for U.S. Companies to Sue Foreign Governments in the U.S. for the Unlawful Seizure of a Company’s Assets Abroad, American Bar Association Section of International Law: Legal Developments in Latin America, June 2017Creditors’ lawsuits against the government of Puerto Rico amid PROMESA’s stay on litigation, American Bar Association Section of International Law: Legal Developments in Latin America, April 2017U.S. Supreme Court finds Puerto Rico not sovereign, American Bar Association Section of International Law: Legal Developments in Latin America, March 2016Class Arbitration, the FAA, and the Role of State Law After the Stolt-Nielsen and AT&T Mobility Decisions, Young International Arbitration Group (YIAG) e-newsletter, August 1, 2011Reconocimiento y Ejecución de Fallos Judiciales Extranjeros en Estados Unidos, Quorum Legal Publication, May 1, 2010The American Bar Association, Section of International Law, Division Chair of the Americas (2021-present)The American Bar Association, Section of International Law, Senior Advisor to the Latin America and Caribbean Committee (2021-present)The American Bar Association, Section of International Law, Chair, Latin America and Caribbean Committee (2015-2020)The American Bar Association, Section of International Law, Deputy Liaison Officer (2017-present)The American Bar Association, Section of International Law, Vice-Chair, International Litigation Committee (2017-present)The American Bar Association, Section of International Law, Vice-Chair, International Arbitration Committee (2017-present)The American Bar Association, Section of International Law, Steering Group, Transnational Practice Management Committee (2017-2020)The Leadership Council on Legal Diversity, Chair, Fellows Program Development Committee (2015-2017)The Leadership Council on Legal Diversity, Fellows Alumni Executive Council (2014-2021)The American Bar Association, Section of International Law, Steering Group, International Arbitration Committee (2012-2017)The Leadership Council on Legal Diversity, Chair, Fellows Alumni Regional Committee Chair (2014-2015)The American Bar Association, Section of International Law, Steering Group, International Energy and Natural Resources Committee (2012-2015)The American Bar Association, Section of International Law, Vice-Chair, Latin America and Caribbean Committee (2013-2014)The Leadership Council on Legal Diversity, Law Fellow (2013)National Association of Minority and Women Owned Law Firms (2012)The Inter-American Bar Association (2011-2012)London Court of International Arbitration, Young International Arbitration Group (YIAG) (2011-2012)©2023.- MPALAW. 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