Maria A. Boelen

She | Her | Hers

Associate

Chicago
T +1.312.416.8174
F +1.312.416.6201

Overview

Maria Boelen’s litigation practice serves a wide variety of clients in both state and federal trial and appellate courts, as well as in arbitrations. She has experience litigating matters related to data breaches and privacy, consumer class actions, employment discrimination, noncompete and trade secrets, antitrust, real estate and land use, bankruptcy and general commercial litigation.

Maria has represented tech companies, healthcare organizations, national and international retailers and manufacturers, real estate investors, financial services companies and various other businesses. Her broad experience enables Maria to advise clients by applying a comprehensive and well-rounded perspective to their respective issues.

Select Experience

  • Represented multiple companies in high-profile putative class actions arising from large data breaches affecting personal identifiable information belonging to millions of individuals, including a large healthcare organization and national and international retailers.
  • Successfully defended large retailer in litigation brought by issuing banks following a payment card data breach. The District of Minnesota dismissed all claims following multiple motions to dismiss and a petition for interlocutory appeal.
  • Represented multiple retailers, hotels and healthcare organizations in putative class actions alleging violations of the Illinois Biometric Information Privacy Act (BIPA) based on employers’ alleged use of finger scanning technology for timekeeping purposes.
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Experience

  • Represented multiple companies in high-profile putative class actions arising from large data breaches affecting personal identifiable information belonging to millions of individuals, including a large healthcare organization and national and international retailers.
  • Successfully defended large retailer in litigation brought by issuing banks following a payment card data breach. The District of Minnesota dismissed all claims following multiple motions to dismiss and a petition for interlocutory appeal.
  • Represented multiple retailers, hotels and healthcare organizations in putative class actions alleging violations of the Illinois Biometric Information Privacy Act (BIPA) based on employers’ alleged use of finger scanning technology for timekeeping purposes.
  • Successfully represented a national manufacturer in an AAA arbitration involving breach of contract claims against a vendor. After a five-day hearing, the arbitrator dismissed the vendor’s misappropriation of trade secrets claims and awarded damages to the manufacturer for breach of contract.
  • Represented multiple companies in litigation with competitors relating to former employees’ alleged use of confidential and trade secret information.
  • Successfully defended a Fortune 200 company against discrimination and retaliation claims brought by a former employee. The Northern District of Illinois entered summary judgment disposing of all claims.
  • Experience both defending employers and representing employees in cases alleging violations of Title VII, including pattern and practice racial discrimination punitive class actions and individual discrimination, FMLA and retaliation claims.
  • Authored Illinois Appellate Court brief arguing that state property law claims against a national railroad company were not preempted by federal law.
  • Defended multiple creditors against preference and fraudulent transfer claims in adversary proceedings filed by bankruptcy trustees.

Recognitions and Memberships

Memberships

  • Illinois State Bar Association
  • American Bar Association

Prior Positions

  • Edwin F. Mandel Legal Aid Clinic, Employment Discrimination Project: Law Student Intern
  • U.S. District Court, Northern District of Illinois: Judicial Extern
  • Minnesota House of Representatives: Legislative Assistant Intern

Admissions

  • U.S. Court of Appeals, Seventh Circuit
  • U.S. Court of Appeals, Eighth Circuit
  • U.S. District Court, Northern District of Illinois
  • U.S. District Court, Central District of Illinois
  • U.S. District Court, Southern District of Indiana
  • Illinois

Education

  • J.D., University of Chicago Law School, 2016; University of Chicago Law Review, Staff Member; Domestic Violence Project, President
  • B.A., Hamline University, 2008, magna cum laude