Maria Aguila

Maria Aguila, a distinguished member of the Florida Bar since 1999, is a seasoned attorney with a rich and varied background in law. She earned her Juris Doctorate law degree from the University of Richmond School of Law in 1999, complemented by a Bachelor of Arts Degree in English from the University of Miami in 1996. Her legal journey began as an associate attorney at Boyer, Tanzler & Boyer, P.A., where she contributed her skills to the firm's civil litigation personal injury cases.

Maria's commitment to the legal profession extended to her role as the Director/Senior Trial Court Law Clerk for the Judicial Staff Attorney’s (JSA) Office for the Fourth Judicial Circuit. In this capacity, she provided invaluable legal guidance and drafted orders for judges in civil and commercial litigation, as well as criminal cases. Subsequently, she served as a Fair Housing senior attorney at Jacksonville Area Legal Aid, taking on federal and state Fair Housing and landlord/tenant cases.

During her time in law school, Maria interned at the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida in Jacksonville, Florida, and the Attorney General’s office for the Commonwealth of Virginia in Richmond, Virginia, showcasing her early commitment to public service and legal excellence.

As an educator, Maria Aguila imparted her legal knowledge as an Adjunct Professor at Florida Coastal School of Law and the paralegal studies program at Florida State College at Jacksonville. Her teaching portfolio included courses in family law, torts, and introduction to legal studies. She further demonstrated her commitment to legal education by serving on the FSCJ Paralegal Studies Advisory Committee.

From October 2014 to September 2016, Maria served as a General Magistrate for the Fourth Judicial Circuit, presiding over all aspects of family law cases and domestic violence post-judgment hearings. Her contributions to the legal community go beyond the courtroom, as she is the Past Chair of the Jacksonville Bar Association Diversity Committee, one of the founders and Board Officers of the Jacksonville Asian American Bar Association, current Program Chair of the Catholic Lawyers Guild and Chair of the Education Committee for AILA Central Florida Chapter. She also serves on the Board of Directors for AREAA (Asian Real Estate Association of America) Greater Jacksonville chapter and the Fil-Am Chamber of Commerce. She is one of the original founding members of the Fil-Am Chamber of Commerce.

Maria's dedication to service and excellence has been recognized through numerous awards, including the 2022 Excellence in Community Service Fil-Am Chamber of Commerce, the 2015 Law & Spirituality Award, the 2008 Mayor’s Asian American Advisory Board Pro Bono Service Award, the 2008 Federal Law Enforcement Training Center Certificate of Appreciation, the 2012 Fourth Circuit Senior Trial Court Law Clerk, and the 2004 Fourth Circuit Public Service Award. Additionally, she served as a former Legal Advisor for the Philippine Nurses Association of Northeast Florida and has represented over 30 R-1 religious worker priests and nuns for the Diocese of St. Augustine.