Patricia M. Marvez - Hato Rey, PR

Her areas of practice include employment rights such as discrimination and retaliation claims, wrongful discharge, workers' compensation, mergers and acquisitions, and welfare benefits and ERISA litigation.

She actively litigates employment lawsuits at the administrative and judicial levels in both local and federal courts.

As part of her experience in the welfare benefits area, Ms. Marvez also provides legal counsel and representation to plan sponsors and administrators on issues affecting the administration of group health plans and compliance with applicable laws and regulations, such as ERISA, HIPAA, and COBRA.

In the area of mergers and acquisitions, she provides assistance to clients in their commencement of operations in Puerto Rico, including the labor and employment-related statutory and regulatory requirements. Also, Ms. Marvez has extensively worked on the creation, development, and revision of employee handbooks, policies, and workplace regulations.

Her representative cases include:

·Francisco Javier Vazquez Cabello et al. v. Wyeth-Ayerst Lederle, Inc., Civil No. 06-1045(JAG): Summary Judgment dismissing all claims on behalf of the Company.

·Judy Colon et.al. v. San Juan Marriott Resort and Stellaris Casino, 600 F.Supp.2d 295 (D. Puerto Rico 2008): Summary Judgment on behalf of the Company dismissing all but one claim due to issues of fact.

·Diana Soto Fonalledas v. Ritz-Carlton San Juan Hotel Spa, 640 F.3d 471 (1st Cir. 2011) : Decision upholding validity of employment arbitration agreement.

·Assisted Perry Ellis International with the labor and employment aspects of one of its store openings. 2008.

·Assisted TIGI de Puerto Rico, Inc. with the labor and employment aspects of its commencement of local operations. 2008.

·Assisted Vitamin Shoppe Industries, Inc. with all aspects of its commencement of operations in Puerto Rico, including all labor and employment aspects. 2011.

Ms. Marvez is the co-editor of the Puerto Rico chapter in the Littler Mendelson Guide to International Employment and Labor Law for 2010 and 2012 and co-editor of the Puerto Rico section of the "Getting the Deal Through: Labour & Employment" publication in 2009 and 2010.

As a contributor to the Firm's Labor Perspectives newsletter she published numerous articles, among them "Breach Notification Requirements Are Now in Effect! Are you in compliance with ARRA?" (Winter 2009-2010) and "Last Weeks of Extension Period for COBRA Premium Subsidy under ARRA" (Winter 2009-2010).

She worked as a Summer Associate for three consecutive years starting in 1999 and then joined the Firm as an attorney in 2002. While in law school Ms. Marvez worked as research assistant in the project for the revision of the Puerto Rico Civil Code.