Bio

María Cecilia is a partner at CorralRosales and has over 30 years of experience in Intellectual Property, Arbitration, and Regulatory Law. She has been internationally recognized as one of the 250 most influential women in Intellectual Property (IP STARS 2019–2025) and has extensive experience in litigation, arbitration, and mediation in international forums. She has led global committees at INTA, AIPPI, ASIPI, MARQUES, and ECTA, becoming the first Ecuadorian to hold multiple leadership positions.

Under her leadership, CorralRosales has become a local and regional benchmark in Intellectual Property and Regulatory Law. María Cecilia advises and protects the intellectual property portfolios of many leading global companies in Ecuador and Latin America. She is also widely recognized for her work against piracy and smuggling, achieving outstanding results, and for her leadership in complex IP litigation and arbitration cases.

In the regulatory field, she oversees processes for obtaining permits and authorizations, due diligence, client defense in administrative and judicial proceedings, management of complex matters, and crisis handling. She also manages foreign trade matters, quality standards, and other processes required for the commercialization and exploitation of products and services. In addition, she provides strategic advisory services to multinational companies on regulation and intangible asset protection.

María Cecilia is recognized in the industry for her meticulous, detail-oriented style and her ability to develop creative solutions to complex problems quickly and precisely.

She actively participates in international forums and conferences on Intellectual Property. She is the first Ecuadorian to join the Board of the International Trademark Association (INTA), where she leads the Judges Workshop Taskforce, and the first to join the Programming Committee of the Association Internationale pour la Protection de la Propriété Intellectuelle (AIPPI), participating in the Advisory Bureau and the Committee on Diversity and Inclusion.

She serves on the Global Board of the Global Intellectual Property Alliance (GLIPA), co-chairing the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion pillar for LATAM, and is a member of the Panel of International Experts of the Observatory and the European Observatory on Infringements of Intellectual Property Rights of the EUIPO. She also serves as an arbitrator for the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) and the Guayaquil Chamber of Commerce, and has acted as a mediator for the Ecuadorian-American Chamber of Commerce.

At the Inter-American Association of Intellectual Property (ASIPI), she has held various leadership roles, including Chair of the Anti-Piracy Committee, Chair of the Industrial Designs Committee, and currently Chair of the Mediation, Conciliation, and Arbitration Committee.

María Cecilia serves as Vice President of the Anti-Piracy Committee of the European Association of Brand Owners (MARQUES) and as Secretary of the Programming Committee of the European Community Trademark Association (ECTA).

Her academic and legal scholarship includes being a member of the Editorial Committee of the Legal Journal of the Pontificia Universidad Católica del Ecuador and a mentor for Endeavor.

She also has experience in the public sector as a Judge of the Administrative Litigation Court.

She holds a Doctorate in Law from the Pontificia Universidad Católica del Ecuador and has completed specialized studies in Intellectual Property at various international institutions, including Georgetown, Ship for the World Youth, and the University of Alicante.

“She is a very professional lawyer who, due to her vast experience and high-quality technical skills, is able to provide very sound and strategic advice”.

Chambers Latin America

Recognitions

2025: Nominada Stand-Out Lawyer

Latin America Guide

Intellectual Property: Band 1
2009, 2010, 2011, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025

Global Guide

Intellectual Property: Band 1
2023, 2024, 2025

Chambers

Lawyer of the Year in Ecuador
2018

Nominated for DEI Outstanding Contribution
2024

LATIN LAWYER 250:

Intellectual Property:

2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025

Administrative Law:

2013, 2014, 2016

LACCA:

2016: IP
2017: IP
2018: IP
2019: IP
2020: IP
2021: IP
2023: IP
2024: IP
2025: IP

2018:

  • IP Litigation: Excellent

2019:

  • IP Litigation: Excellent

2020

2021

2022

2023:

  • Trademark prosecution: Leading category
  • IP litigation: Leading category
  • Enforcement & anti-counterfeiting actions: Leading category
  • Patent prosecution: Excellent category
  • Plant Varieties Protection: Highly recommended category

2024:

  • Trademark prosecution: Leading
  • Patent prosecution: Leading
  • Enforcement & anti-counterfeiting actions: Leading
  • IP litigation: Leading
  • Plant Varieties Protection: Highly recommended

2025:

  • Trademark prosecution: Leading
  • Patent prosecution: Leading
  • Enforcement & anti-counterfeiting actions: Leading
  • IP litigation: Leading
  • Plant Varieties Protection: Highly recommended

Intellectual Property: 2012, 2014, 2015, 2017

Leading Lawyer IP: 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022

Intellectual Property | Tier 1 | Leading Individuals: 2023, 2024, 2025

2018: Patent & Trademark

2019: Patent & Trademark

2019–present: Among the 250 Most Influential Women in IP

2020: Patent Prosecition | Trademark Litigation & Prosecution

2021: Patent Star | Trademark Star | Top 250 Women in IP

2022: Patent Star | Trademark Star | Top 250 Women in IP

2023: Top 250 Women in IP | Patent Star | Trademark Star

2024: Top 250 Women in IP | IP Star

2025: Top 250 Women in IP | IP Star

2023

2018: Gold Lawyer

2020: Gold Lawyer

2021: Gold Lawyer

2022: Gold Lawyer

2023: Gold Lawyer

2024: Gold Lawyer, Global Leader

2025: Gold Lawyer, Global Leader

2010: Patents

2012: Patents

2013: Patents

2014: Patents

2015: Patents

2016: Patents

2020: Trademarks

2021: Patents

2022: Intellectual Property | Patents

2023: Patents | Trademarks

2024: Patents | Trademarks

2025: Patents | Trademarks

2024: Recommended

2025: Recommended

2024: Best Trademark Litigation Practice

2025: IP & TMT Lawyer of the Year

2025: Nominated Stand-Out Lawyer

Practice Areas

  • Intellectual Property
  • Regulatory

Industries

  • Aviation
  • Distribution and Services
  • Energy and Natural Resources
  • Food and Beverage
  • Infraestructure and Construction
  • Insurance
  • Pharma
  • Retail