Maria Groznik is an associate in the firm’s Litigation Department focusing on complex commercial litigation and dispute resolution. Prior to joining Ballard Spahr, she worked at a Chambers-ranked Salt Lake City law firm. Maria has extensive experience in legal research, analysis, and writing at both the state and federal court levels and across various practice areas, including commercial disputes, media/First Amendment law, intellectual property law, real estate litigation, and securities litigation. She has prevailed in both arguing for and defending against numerous claims, successfully obtaining favorable judgments and rulings for her clients in motion practice, discovery disputes, and other pretrial civil litigation matters.
While attending law school at UCLA, Maria was awarded two Masin Family Academic Excellence Gold Awards for achieving the best grade in her Legal Philosophy course and in her Drug Development & Pharmaceutical Innovation course, respectively. She also served as Managing Editor and Articles Editor for the Journal of Gender and Law.
Before beginning her legal career, Maria was a member of the Texas Tech Debate Team during college. She was named an All-American in National Parliamentary Debate and achieved a national championship title for winning the National Parliamentary Debate season-long sweepstakes, an award which recognizes the top performing debate team across all tournaments each year.
Professional Highlights
Pro Bono Experience
Prior to joining Ballard Spahr, Maria specialized in representing members of the media pro bono in pursuing access to government records. She also worked for the Utah Freedom of Information Hotline, which educates journalists and the Utah community on media/First Amendment issues. As part of her work for the hotline, Maria helped promote government transparency and accountability by providing free legal assistance and advocacy concerning access to government records, meetings, and judicial proceedings.
During law school, Maria served as a researcher with the COVID-19 Behind Bars Data Project, which collected and analyzed information about the coronavirus in carceral facilities in the United States to enable greater oversight of and accountability for their response to the pandemic.
Professional Activities
David K. Watkiss – Sutherland II American Inn of Court
Utah State Bar, Character & Fitness Committee, Member
Utah Center for Legal Inclusion
Federal Bar Association
Media Law Resource Center
Publications
Co-author, “Utah State Records Panel Rules That Public Universities Must Disclose NIL Contracts,” Media Law Resource Center
Credentials
Education
University of California, Los Angeles, School of Law (J.D. 2022)
Managing Editor, Women’s Law Journal, 2020-2021; Articles Editor, 2021-2022
Masin Family Academic Excellence Gold Award, Legal Philosophy and Drug Development & Pharmaceutical Innovation
Student Representative, Christian Law Student Association
Texas Tech University (B.A., summa cum laude, 2019)
Highest-Ranking Graduate, College of Media and Communications
Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society
Lambda Pi Eta Honor Society
Admissions
Utah
U.S. District Court for the District of Utah
U.S. Supreme Court