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. She 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. Maria also represents fashion houses, financial institutions and loan servicers. She represents retail and fashion industry clients from the United States and Europe. Maria litigates matters nationwide in federal and state courts. She also advises businesses on statutory compliance, including the Telephone Consumer Protection Act. Maria 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, Maria 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.

Attorney Justin Vaughn is a problem-solver; a strategic ability that has served him well since he began his legal career as a licensed attorney in state and federal courts in 1994. A successful litigator and transaction attorney, he prides himself on his commitment to his clients and the legal profession as a whole. He views his role as both a legal advisor and educator, providing comprehensive advice and information to his clients to help them in the decision-making process. Justin represents clients with the highest level of integrity, delivering results that exceed his clients’ expectations. Licensed to practice in both Colorado and Arizona, Justin has appeared in numerous state, federal and tribal courts. He earned a Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in Justice Studies from Arizona State University in 1991, and graduated from Arizona State University College of Law in 1994 at the top of his class in contract law.

Pilar Villaverde Vasquez, Esq. is an associate attorney at Suarez Law focusing in the areas of probate, guardianship, elder law, estate planning, and special needs trusts. Prior to joining the firm in 2014, Pilar served as a judicial intern to: the Honorable Judge Maria Sampedro-Iglesia, 11th Judicial Circuit Court, Juvenile Division and the Unified Family Court/Complex Litigation Division in 2012; the Honorable Judge William M. Hoeveler, U.S. District Court, Southern District Court of Florida in 2013; and the Honorable Judge Michael A. Genden 11th Judicial Circuit Court, Probate Division towards the end of 2013. She earned her B.B.A. degree from Florida International University in 2010, her J.D. degree from St. Thomas University School of Law in 2014 and her Elder Law Certificate in 2014. While in law school, Ms. Villaverde was a member of the Elder Law Society, a Senator to the Student Bar Association and an Ambassador for Student Admissions. Ms. Villaverde also earned an award for providing more than 300 pro bono hours during her time at St. Thomas University School of Law. She is licensed to practice in the State of Florida and is fluent in Spanish.

Area of Practice: Employment Law Jill Vecchi, a senior associate in Mara Law Firm, is a 2010 graduate of University of California, Riverside with a degree in Communications. She graduated in 2014 from Santa Clara University School of Law with a JD in 2014 and distinction in Mediation Theory and Practice. Ms. Vecchi joined the firm in 2015, specializing in the counseling and representation of employees in nearly every phase of California employment law, including, wage and hour class and representative actions, wrongful termination, discrimination, and sexual harassment. California Employment Attorney Jill Vecchi primary focus in the firm has been on the class representation at the trial and appellate level of workers throughout the state of California in their fight for fair and lawful wages and working conditions. During her tenure with the firm, Ms. Vecchi has recovered tens of millions of dollars for California workers in wage and hour class and representative actions.