Irene Oria

Partner | Litigation

irene.oria@pierferd.com
+1.786.873.4603 cell
+1.786.568.8358 office
Miami | New York | Princeton

About

Ms. Oria has over 18 years of experience in complex commercial business litigation in federal and state courts and arbitration tribunals with a focus in recent years on Financial Services, Insurance and Securities Litigation, including nationwide class and multi-district litigation. She has tried jury and non-jury cases.

  • Ms. Oria represents domestic and international public and private companies and individual officers and directors in contract-related and business tort disputes; international litigation and arbitration matters involving cross-border parties and issues; insurer side complex insurance coverage and bad faith disputes, including director and officer liability matters; accounting negligence and other professional negligence defense; corporate governance disputes; SEC, Florida Attorney General and other state and federal regulatory investigations; white collar defense matters including civil and criminal RICO actions; securities fraud actions alleging violations of state and federal securities laws; employer side employment-related disputes including employment discrimination matters; litigation involving the worlds of entertainment and sports; first amendment and other constitutional litigation; product liability disputes; intellectual property disputes, particularly patent infringement actions; real estate and construction litigation matters; antitrust litigation; and False Claims Act and Qui Tam actions. In particular, Ms. Oria has extensive experience defending banks and other large financial institutions in consumer class actions alleging violations of state and federal consumer protection laws such as the FCRA, FDCPA, TCPA, ECOA, TILA, EFTA, E-Sign, FTC Holder Rule, Moss-Magnuson Warranty Act, HAMP, HOEPA, RESPA, SCRA, and state consumer protection acts. Ms. Oria routinely represents financial institutions and insurance companies in a myriad of financial and insurance fraud investigations as well as litigation and arbitration matters, particularly matters related to the Florida Deceptive and Unfair Trade Practice Act (FDUTPA) and the Florida Securities and Investor Protection Act.

    Before Pierson Ferdinand, Ms. Oria was a partner at FisherBroyles LLP. Prior to that, Ms. Oria served as an Assistant United States Attorney in the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida (Miami). During her tenure at the United States Department of Justice, Ms. Oria defended the interests of the United States in civil suits filed in the U.S. District Courts alleging statutory torts, constitutional torts, violations of civil rights and employment discrimination/harassment/retaliation laws, medical malpractice and a myriad of other claims. Prior to this, Ms. Oria served as federal judicial law clerk to the Honorable Cecilia M. Altonaga, U.S. District Judge in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida (Miami Division). Ms. Oria also has prior large law firm experience as Special Counsel at Stroock & Stroock & Lavan LLP (Miami, FL), as well as Associate at Hunton & Williams (Miami, FL); Morgan, Lewis & Bockius, LLP (Miami, FL); and Lowenstein Sandler LLP (Roseland, NJ).

Practices

  • Antitrust Counseling

  • Arbitration and Mediation

  • Banking and Financial Services

  • Civil Pretrial and Trial Services

  • Class Action Defense

  • Commercial Litigation

  • Employment and Labor

  • Insurance

  • International Disputes

  • Litigation and Risk Management

  • Products Liability Litigation and Counseling

  • Professional and Management Liability

  • Real Estate

  • Securities and Derivative Litigation

  • TCPA Defense

  • Trade Secrets and Restrictive Covenants

  • White Collar Defense & Investigations

Admissions

  • Florida

  • New Jersey

  • New York

  • U.S. District Court for the Southern, Middle and Northern District of Florida

  • U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern and Middle District of Florida

  • U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey

  • U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York

  • U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit

  • U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit

Education

  • Cornell Law School, J.D., 1999

  • Columbia College of Columbia University, B.A., 1996

Professional Associations and Leadership Roles

  • St. Thomas University School of Law Advisory Board

    • Board of Directors, 2020-Present

  • The Florida Bar

    • Standing Committee on Diversity & Inclusion, 2015-2017

  • Hispanic National Bar Association

    • Immediate Past President, Sept. 2020 – present

    • National President, Sept. 2019 – Sept. 2020

    • National President-Elect, Sept. 2018 – Sept. 2019

    • Vice President of Programs, Sept. 2017 – Sept. 2018

    • National Finance Director, Sept. 2015 – Sept. 2017

    • Regional President, Region VIII (Florida), Sept. 2014 – Sept. 2015

    • Member, 1998 – present

  • Dade County Bar Association

    • Director (Board of Directors), Group 3, June 2018 – present

  • Cuban American Bar Association

    • Member, 2001 – present

  • American Bar Association

    • Member, Section of Litigation, 2000 – present

    • Member, The Woman Advocate Committee, 2013 – present

  • U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida

    • Chair, Magistrate Judge Merit Selection Panel, 2022

    • Member, Standing Committee for Local Rules & Procedures, 2015 – present

  • Florida Association of Women Lawyers

    • Member, 2012 – present

  • Federal Bar Association, South Florida Chapter

    • Member, 2008 – present

  • Association of Assistant U.S. Attorneys for the Southern District of Florida

    • Member, 2007 – present

  • American Bar Foundation

    • Fellow, Sept. 2018 – present

  • Cornell Law School Alumni Association

    • Director, Executive Board of Directors, Oct. 2020 to present

  • Alliance for Latinx Leadership and Policy Committee

    • Committee Member, Oct. 2020 to present

Professional Recognition

  • South Florida Legal Guide’s “Top Lawyers,” 2015-2018

  • ABA Collaborative Bar Leadership Academy Fellow, 2015

  • “Top Up and Comer” in Commercial Litigation and Financial Litigation, South Florida Legal Guide, 2014-2015

  • “40 Under 40 Outstanding Lawyers of Miami-Dade County” Award, Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, 2013

  • 2013 Lawyers of Color “Hot List” (Southern Region)

Languages

  • Spanish

Experience

  • FisherBroyles, LLP

  • Stroock & Stroock & Lavan LLP

  • Hunton Andrews Kurth LLP, formerly Hunton & Williams LLP

  • Morgan, Lewis & Bockius, LLP

  • Lowenstein Sandler LLP

Representative Transactions

  • Currently defending a Fortune 500 global motor vehicle rental company in a putative consumer class action pending in Florida federal court attacking the company’s self-insurance business practices. The class representative’s claims include several alleged violations of the Florida Insurance Code, Florida’s Deceptive and Unfair Trade Practices Act (FDUTPA), the Florida Civil RICO statute, and breach of contract.

  • Representing a publicly traded property and casualty insurer in a second putative consumer class action pending in federal court in Florida which challenges certain fees and sales taxes charged on insurance products sold by car rental companies at airport counters throughout Florida. The class representative has asserted claims for unjust enrichment, breach of contract, disgorgement and restitution, and violation of Florida’s Unfair and Deceptive Trade Practices Act (FDUTPA).

  • Recently settled a federal court action on behalf of a Fortune 500 corporation and a global insurance company, thwarting the plaintiffs’ efforts to transform uninsured/underinsured motorist claims into a class action for violations of the Florida Insurance Code.

  • Represented a Fortune 100 institutional developer of a high-end condo/hotel in Hawaii in defending claims of fraud, unfair and deceptive practices, negligence and breach of contract that resulted in a complete defense verdict.

  • Successfully represented national bank in multidistrict litigation in the Southern District of Florida related to checking account overdraft fees, negotiating settlement on favorable terms.

  • Obtained a dismissal with prejudice in favor of a leading cruise line in class action litigation involving wage and hour claims by crew members.

  • Obtained dismissal with prejudice in favor of large alcoholic beverage manufacturer in antitrust litigation alleging federal antitrust and state franchise law violations.

  • Favorably settled a breach of contract dispute relating to the Copa America Fútbol tournament where represented a leading sports event marketing and management company.

  • Favorably settled accounting malpractice litigation in connection with a failed IPO in which represented one of the six largest accounting firms in the world.

  • Successfully represented leading foreign telecommunications company in enforcement of judgment proceedings

  • Successfully represented leading affinity marketing company in Florida Attorney General investigations

  • Successfully represented leading Northeast real estate brokerage firm in breach of contract/lease disputes

  • Successfully represented leading medical/health care product supplier and various other entities in product liability litigation; negotiated settlement on favorable terms

  • Successfully represented global pharmaceutical company in commercial litigation, including class action litigation

  • Successfully represented entities and individuals in confidential white collar criminal investigations

  • Successfully represented entities and individuals in internal investigations, regulatory advice and other corporate compliance matters

Presentations and Teaching Experience

  • Panelist, Super Stars in Trial Mock Trial, Technology in Trial, American Inns of Court, Miami, FL, September 28, 2018

  • Speaker, 4th Annual National Diversity Pre-Law Conference and Law Fair 2017, Miami, FL, October 13, 2017

  • Moderator, “Bad Faith Nightmares: Recent Trends & Themes In Bad and Extra-Contractual Insurance Litigation,” 2017 Hispanic National Bar Association Annual Convention, Kansas City, MO, September 7, 2017

  • Panelist, “Beware of Spoliation: Civil and Criminal Penalties for Destroying Stale Information,” HNBA 2016 Annual Convention, Chicago, IL, September 7-10, 2016

  • Moderator, “Don’t Print! Legal Writing & Reading in The Digital Age,” HNBA 2016 Corporate Counsel Conference, Las Vegas, NV, March 16-19, 2016

  • Panelist, “The Holy Grail: Pay Gap Increases and Negotiating to Decrease Inequity,” HNBA 2015 Annual Convention, Boston, MA, September 2-5, 2015

  • Panelist, “Top Issues Facing Young Hispanic Attorneys,” HNBA 2014 Annual Convention, Washington, DC, September 10-13, 2014