María Dolores Trelles-Hernández joined the Firm in 2007 and became a Member in 2014. Ms. Trelles-Hernández has litigated at the trial and appellate levels in both the Puerto Rico and Federal courts in connection with a wide array of civil and commercial matters, as well as intellectual property matters, mainly regarding trademarks and copyrights.
Ms. Trelles-Hernández is also part of the Firm’s Intellectual Property Practice Group and is involved in trademark prosecution before the P.R. Trademark Office and the U.S.P.T.O. as well as in litigation and arbitration in connection therewith.
Prior to joining the Firm, Ms. Trelles Hernández clerked for the Chief Justice of the P.R. Supreme Court, Hon. Federico Hernández Denton, as well as for Senior Judge Salvador E. Casellas of the U.S. District Court for the District of Puerto Rico.
Engagements:
- Federal litigation, representative cases: Commonwealth of Puerto Rico v. Shell Oil Co. et al, multi district litigation pending before the SDNY, Civil No. 07-10470 (co-counsel, along with Norton Rose Fulbright, for Chevron Phillips Chemical Puerto Rico Core, Inc. and ConocoPhillips in case concerning allegations of contamination with MTBE; provide advice on Puerto Rico law issues); Mercado-Salinas et al v. Bart Enterprises International, LTD, Civil no. 09-1509 (client: Mercado-Salinas; complex breach of contract and intellectual property case; settled after prevailing on motions in limine); Molinelli et al v. University of Puerto Rico, Civil No. 16-55 (client: UPR; copyright infringement case involving complex issues regarding the so called teacher’s exception; successfully opposed preliminary injunction and prevailed on summary judgment); Giraud Padró et al v. Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation et al, Civil No. 10-2041 (client: Puerto Rico Coffee Roasters; case concerning attempt at annulling significant sale of coffee business assets; Fed. R. Civ. P. 12(b)(6) motion granted); Guerra Delgado et al v. Banco Popular et al, Civil No. 11-1535, Appeal No. 13-2065 (clients: Banco Popular, BPNA; ERISA case, summary judgment granted; affirmed on appeal); ACEMLA de Puerto Rico, Inc. et al v. Banco Popular de Puerto Rico et al, Civil No. 13-1822, (clients: Banco Popular and Fundación Banco Popular; granting summary judgment on copyright infringement claims spanning over 20 years and further granting attorneys’ fees to defendants); Negrón Basmeson v. Universal Music Publishing et al, Civil No. 13-1077 (clients: Editorial Televisa and Televisa S.A. de C.V.; granting motion to dismiss for lack of jurisdiction).
- Assumed legal representation for the first time at post-judgment and appellate stages, representative cases: TMTV Corp. v. Mass Productions, Inc., Civil No. 00-1338 and Civil No. 12-1420 (federal case; clients: Mass Productions Inc., Logroño and Santini); Banco Popular v. Angel Rodríguez et al, Civil No. HSCI2008 01096, and Appeal No. KLCE2015-00530 (Puerto Rico courts; client: Banco Popular); Valle-Arce v. Puerto Rico Ports Authority, Civil No. 07-2071 and Appeal No. 13-2206 (federal case; client: PRPA); Gran Airport Support Services & General v. Autoridad de los Puertos, Civil No. F PE2010-0872 and Appeal No. KLAN201600698 (Puerto Rico courts; client: PRPA).
- Represent PREPARC in various bond validation cases.