Ava, a graduate of Duke University (1982) and the University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law (1986), heads the Baltimore litigation practice group and is co-chair of McGuireWoods’ Consumer and Retail Banking Industry Team. She serves on the firm’s seven-member Associate’s Committee, the firm’s board of partners and is the former managing partner of the Baltimore office.

She represents businesses in complex commercial and civil litigation in state and federal courts. Her

clients are from a broad range of industries, including financial, retail, telecommunications and petroleum/energy. She has more than 25 years of experience litigating and resolving disputes to support her clients’ strategic goals and objectives.

Ava has acted as lead counsel in numerous trial and litigation matters. She has represented businesses in defeating class action litigation and resolving contractual disputes, shareholder disputes, lender liability, construction, products liability, check fraud and claims arising under the Fair Credit Reporting Act, Truth in Lending Act, Equal Credit Opportunity Act, Uniform Commercial Code, in state, federal and appellate courts. She served as one of the lead counsel on the appellate and trial teams in a matter that secured reversal of over one billion dollars in compensatory and punitive damages jury verdicts on behalf of a multi-national oil company in a toxic tort matter, and she obtained an almost $9 million jury verdict on behalf of a petroleum/energy company arising from the breach of a supply contract. She has successfully defended financial institutions in a myriad of cases, including a multimillion-dollar claim against a financial institution involving alleged violations of the Fair Credit Reporting Act, and the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act at both trial and appellate court levels, and an over 50 million dollar check fraud matter.

Ava frequently speaks on litigation, leadership and diversity issues. She sits on the Board of Visitors of the King Carey School of Law, Board of Directors of the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, and the Enoch Pratt Free Library, and is a Past President of the Citizens Planning and Housing Association.