Maria Howansky is an Associate Attorney at Slater Slater Schulman with a deep-rooted passion for human rights and social justice. She frequently handles matters pertaining to the areas of pharmaceutical liability and defective medical devices.

Maria’s client-centered approach to her practice creates an empowering environment for individuals during an immensely challenging time. Understanding how complex and overwhelming the legal process can become, Maria focuses on reducing client stress through tireless support and education. From intake, she ensures her clients understand their case and prepares them for possible outcomes when creating attainable legal goals. This approach allows Maria to grow authentic working relationships that inspire trust in her abilities to always represent her clients’ best interests.

Maria is a bilingual attorney (Spanish and English) licensed to practice law in Colombia and is pending admission to the New York Bar. Prior to the firm, Maria represented clients pro bono with Grupo de Acciones Publicas (GAP) in Colombia, where she defended the rights and interests of poor communities against commercial exploitation. She successfully served dual roles as a community organizer and legal representative, focused on caring for their collective legal and environmental rights.

Additionally, Maria was a former volunteer with the Center for Social Justice and Human Understanding (CSJHU). This opportunity granted her extensive awareness of human rights across the globe and taught her how to foster the values of respect and diversity of New York City communities. Through CSJHU, Maria played an essential role in the student community by promoting the idea of respecting each person as a unique individual entitled to freedom and human rights.

Outside of the firm, Maria is an active participant in the Hispanic National Bar Association, helping to stimulate thoughtful dialogue about crucial, practical, and philosophical matters of law. Maria’s personal connection to the organization through her Colombian heritage inspires her to volunteer for events frequently. She most recently assisted with coordinating a discussion between Colombian Senators and academics regarding their recent national tax reform.

Maria graduated from law school with Honors from the Universidad del Rosario in Bogotá, Colombia. She initially joined Slater Slater Schulman as a paralegal in 2019. The following year, Maria took a leave of absence to pursue her Masters of Law (LLM) at Fordham University School of Law as a scholarship student. She returned to the firm as a Law Clerk in September 2021 to continue working alongside a team who shares her passion for helping others.