María José Maldonado

Career

Understanding regulation matters. Anticipating where it may become a risk, a conflict or a strategic decision requires another perspective. María José works precisely at that intersection.

A specialist in constitutional, administrative and regulatory law, she has more than ten years of experience across the public and private sectors, with a career particularly connected to highly regulated markets such as fuels and securities.

Before joining Mazara Abogados in 2025, she held positions of responsibility in public institutions, including the Deputy Legal Consultancy of the Ministry of Industry, Commerce and MSMEs (MICM), the Enforcement Proceedings Division and Litigation Division of the Superintendencia del Mercado de Valores (SIMV), and legal roles at the Constitutional Court.

At Mazara, she manages the Litigation and Conflict Management team, directing judicial and out-of-court defense strategies in civil, commercial and administrative matters, arbitration and complex economic crime cases. Her management approach also focuses on modernizing practice operations, document control, metrics and technological tools for more efficient legal management.

Practice areas

Administrative Law | Constitutional Law | Compliance | Economic Regulation | Enforcement | Strategic Litigation | Anti-Money Laundering & Counter-Terrorist Financing | Public Procurement

Sectors & industries

Capital Markets | Energy | Hydrocarbons | Banking & Financial Services | MSMEs | Foreign Trade | Insurance

Representative experience

She has participated in drafting, reviewing and implementing sector regulations, legislative proposals, rules and resolutions.

She developed the first frequently asked questions guide on administrative enforcement proceedings before the SIMV and contributed to regulatory instruments on investor protection, changes of control, mergers, supervision, administrative intervention, dissolution and liquidation of securities market participants.

She also participated in fuel-sector regulations and served on implementation teams for ISO 37301 Compliance Management Systems and ISO 37001 Anti-Bribery Management Systems certifications at two regulatory bodies.

Education

Law degree, Summa Cum Laude — PUCMM.

Specialist in Compliance — George Washington University.

Master's degree in Administrative Law and Municipal Management — Universidad de Castilla-La Mancha.

Master's degree in Constitutional Law and Fundamental Freedoms — Université Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne.

Master's degree in Constitutional Law — UNIBE.

Languages

Spanish — Native | English — Intermediate | French — Advanced

Memberships

Colegio de Abogados de la República Dominicana.

Member of the Scientific Committee of Instituto Global de Altos Estudios en Ciencias Sociales (IGLOBAL) and its Directorate of Scientific Research and Publications.

Social impact, pro bono & volunteering

She has developed service initiatives involving education, social support and volunteering, including participation in Mazara Abogados' programs, free legal assistance at LEX-UNIBE and external social and community projects.

Teaching, speaking & publications

She has taught postgraduate courses in Constitutional Law and Constitutional Procedure and participated in academic and curriculum transformation projects. She has authored research on regulation, administrative due process and constitutional law.

Awards & recognition

Summa Cum Laude — Law degree.

Outstanding Student and Exceptional Grades Award — Universidad de Castilla-La Mancha.

Personal

She enjoys cinema, cooking, spending time with family and travel. She is also interested in mentoring and developing young talent.