Mariaelena Gayo-Guitian - Fort Lauderdale, FL

Overview

Mariaelena Gayo-Guitian specializes in complex commercial bankruptcy, financial restructuring, insolvency matters, business reorganization, and creditors' rights. She regularly represents Chapter 11 debtors in possession (DIP), trustees and restructuring professionals in large complex cases throughout Florida. Mariaelena has extensive experience in handling adversary matters involving bankruptcy claims fraud claims, professional negligence, and bankruptcy avoidance actions. . She has also represented trustees and creditors in bankruptcy cases under Chapters 7 and 11.

As a complement to her bankruptcy practice, Mariaelena also has developed substantial experience and expertise in the, representation of both assignors and assignees in assignment for the benefit of creditors' in State Court proceedings.

Mariaelena is "AV" rated by Martindale-Hubbell and has been named as a Super Lawyer by Florida Super Lawyers. She is included in the South Florida Legal Guide "Top Lawyers" and Best Lawyers in America, in the area of bankruptcy, business reorganizations and creditors' rights. In addition, she was a Daily Business Reviews' 2011 finalist for "Most Effective Lawyers" and 2012 finalist for "Top Dealmakers of the Year." She is also a frequent lecturer and presenter on bankruptcy, restructuring and related issues at conferences and seminars sponsored by the American Bar Association, The Florida Bar and the Southern District of Florida Bankruptcy Bar Association.

Mariaelena is an active member of the Southern District of Florida Bankruptcy Bar Association She is a member of the American Bankruptcy Institute and advisory board member and past co-chair of the ABI's Caribbean Insolvency Symposium. She is also a member and past president of the Broward County Hispanic Bar Association. Mariaelena is a member of the International Women's Insolvency and Restructuring Confederation (IWIRC), and American Bankruptcy Association.

Mariaelena is a member of the Florida Bar and is admitted to practice before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit, Federal Circuit Court in Washington, D.C., the United States District Courts for the Middle and Southern District of Florida and the U.S. Supreme Court. She earned her Juris Doctor degree in 1988 from the University of Miami School of Law and her Bachelors in Business Administration and Political Science from the University of Miami graduating cum laude in 1985. After graduating from law school Mariaelena served as law clerk to the former Chief Bankruptcy Judge, Sidney M. Weaver, U.S. Bankruptcy Court, Southern District of Florida.