Maricris (Cris) focuses her practice on representing corporate and individual clients in complex commercial trial and appellate litigation in both state and federal courts. She has defended educational institutions in complex civil rights litigation.
Prior to joining McGuireWoods, Cris served as a law clerk to the Honorable Chief Justice S. Bernard Goodwyn of the Supreme Court of Virginia. Before immigrating to the United States, Cris served as a senior legislative officer in the Senate of the Philippines. She also holds trial experience as an associate in a Philippine law firm, where she assisted in defending a Philippine oil company from threatened closure.
Cris earned two Juris Doctor degrees—she earned her U.S. Juris Doctor degree from Regent University School of Law and she earned her Philippine Juris Doctor degree from the University of the Philippines-Diliman. Prior to attending law school in the United States, Cris also received training in international environmental law from American University Washington College of Law. In law school, she served as the Executive Editor of the Regent University Law Review and was awarded Best Note in the 2019 Honorable Leroy R. Hassell, Sr. Writing Competition. While completing her U.S. law degree, Cris was a judicial intern to the Honorable Judge Robert J. Krask of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia.
Cris is a proud military spouse to an active duty U.S. Navy Chief Petty Officer.
- District of Columbia
- Virginia
- Philippines
- Panelist, "Palliative Extubation: Current Practices and Future Direction," Future Trends in Palliative and Hospice Care, Hosted by the University of the Philippines - Philippine General Hospital and Otsuka Philippines, Pharmaceutical Inc., October 1, 2022
- Panelist, "An Insider’s Guide to Judicial Clerkships," Virginia Bar Association – Appellate Practice Section, September 22, 2021
- Hon. Chief Justice S. Bernard Goodwyn, Supreme Court of Virginia, 2020-2022
-
Regent University School of LawJD
with Honors, Executive Editor, Regent University Law Review
2020 - University of the PhilippinesJD2011
- University of the PhilippinesBAPsychology2007
- Filipino
- Visayan/Cebuano
- Author, McGuireWoods Updates D.C. Employment Law Guide, April 23, 2024
- Author, Fifth Circuit Continues Nationwide Preliminary Injunction Against “Almost Certainly Unlawful” Borrower Defense Rule, McGuireWoods Legal Alert, April 10, 2024
- Author, Lessons From Wood Group’s Success in ERISA Defense Over Target-Date Funds, McGuireWoods Legal Alert, March 7, 2024
- Author, SCOTUS Permits Military Academy to Use Race as a Factor in Student Admissions — for Now, McGuireWoods Legal Alert, February 9, 2024
- Author, District of Columbia Enacts New Pay Transparency Law, McGuireWoods Legal Alert, January 12, 2024
- Author, California Expands Protections for Employees Who Use Recreational Cannabis, McGuireWoods Legal Alert, October 25, 2023
- Author, U.S. Supreme Court to Decide Whether School Board Members May Block Parents on Social Media, McGuireWoods Legal Alert, May 24, 2023
- Author, Department of Education Proposes Stricter Gainful Employment Regulations, McGuireWoods Legal Alert, May 22, 2023
- Author, Evolving Legal Framework Regarding Transgender Students, McGuireWoods Legal Alert, April 12, 2023
- Author, Circuit Court Strikes Down Liquidated-Damages Agreement in Trade Secret Case, McGuireWoods Legal Alert, January 27, 2023
- Author, 10th Circuit Rules on Class Action to Compel Creation of Girls-Only High School Football Team, McGuireWoods Legal Alert, January 12, 2023