Mariana Hernández Gutiérrez works as Special Counsel of the firm. Her practice emphasizes on administrative procedures and regulation, access to public information, contracts, commercial law and business transactions (including arbitration agreements, surety bond contracts and indemnity agreements), condominium law and organization, real estate transactions, construction law, general corporate matters and trust agreements.

She obtained her Juris Doctor (J.D.) in 2007 from the University of Puerto Rico School of Law, with the distinction Magna Cum Laude. She passed the general bar exam with the second highest score in a group of more than 500.  From 2007 to 2008 she clerked for Judge Germán Brau Ramírez at the Puerto Rico Court of Appeals. In 2010 she obtained a masters in law degree (LL.M.) from Columbia Law School in New York City, concentrating on commercial contracts and receiving the distinction of Harlan Fiske Stone Scholar.

From 2008 to 2012 her practice concentrated mainly on litigation in trial and appellate courts, as well as on addressing non-adjudicative controversies related to surety bond contracts, indemnity agreements, construction law, insurance, condominiums and other commercial agreements.

From January 2013 to October 2014, she was advisor to the Governor of Puerto Rico in legal and legislative matters. As such, she was in charge of drafting multiple executive orders, interagency agreements and legislative bills; advised the Governor, the Chief of Staff and the Secretary of Public Affairs in diverse legal, legislative and policy issues; negotiated with members of the House and the Senate over bills presented by the Governor; and served as legal counsel to the Puerto Rico State Historic Preservation Office (a public entity attached to the Governor’s Office), drafting and negotiating lease agreements for spaces in the Ballajá Infantry Barracks Building. Among the legislative proposals on which Ms. Hernández-Gutiérrez advised the Governor is Act 57-2014, as amended, known as the Puerto Rico Energy Transformation and Relief Act.

In October 2014 she was appointed as General Counsel for the Puerto Rico Energy Commission (PREC). As General Counsel she was responsible for advising the Chairman in legal, legislative, administrative and strategic planning affairs; advising the agency’s Governing Body on substantive and procedural matters, including case management; appearing as counsel for the Commission in cases before state appellate courts; supervising the work of the Legal Department staff, hearing examiners and consultants on regulation and litigation; and drafting rules and regulations, contracts, interagency agreements and comments for the Legislature. Ms. Hernández-Gutiérrez held this position until December 31, 2015.

In addition to practicing law in the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, Ms. Hernández Gutiérrez is also an adjunct professor at the University of Puerto Rico School of Law, teaching courses in Legal Research and Writing, Advanced Legal Writing, and Administrative Practice and Procedure.