Ana Isabel Muñoz

I have a varied civil litigation practice in both state and federal courts, spanning the United States Supreme Court, First Circuit, Second Circuit, Third Circuit, D.C. Circuit, New York Appellate Division, and Massachusetts trial and appellate courts among others. I tackle cutting-edge issues, including complex questions regarding Massachusetts’ Anti-SLAPP statute, discrimination protections for independent contractors, and unjust enrichment recovery when contracts leave gaps. I have authored amicus briefs for civil rights groups and legal academics, including on behalf of administrative law professors arguing for respect for federalism in Chevron cases.

I have worked on some of the most significant legal issues of our time and managed a broad civil and criminal docket. Some of the highlights include:

• Successfully resisted a motion to compel arbitration in a federal case involving multiple defendants and novel civil rights claims.
• Won dismissal of a complaint in a federal trade secrets case turning on dispute about the court’s personal jurisdiction.
• Defeated motion to dismiss in state wage and hour litigation that raised issue of the meaning of “employer” under the statute.
• Part of team that defeated motion to dismiss in a case about the breadth of the Massachusetts Civil Rights Act.
• Defeated summary judgement motion in cross-border case for professor challenging tenure denial as well as seeking damages for related defamation. Case settled favorably for Plaintiff on eve of trial.
• Briefed and argued an appeal before the Third Circuit that resulted in a precedent-setting decision for civil rights cases that raise issues of qualified immunity.
• Served as counsel to a coalition crafting legislation to create a civilian complaint review board in Newark, where I advised my client on the reach and limits of cities’ power under state and federal law and helped the client to craft legislation creating the most powerful civilian accountability board in the country at the time.

My litigation skills, combined with a passion for advocacy, enable me to achieve positive results for clients in a wide array of employment matters, including before the Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination (MCAD), and in state and federal courts. I also have experience with arbitration proceedings, as well as with fighting mandatory arbitration. I have defeated motions to dismiss and motions for summary judgement in complex employment cases. I have negotiated large settlements, including seven figure awards, for clients, including in cases with novel legal questions.

I also advise executives and skilled professionals on questions of employee mobility: I have fought restrictive non-compete and non-solicit agreements that prevent talented professionals from maximizing their opportunities in the marketplace. I have advised executives and other employees on compensation packages, with an eye towards ensuring they are paid their worth.

I bring the same skills and passion to my criminal defense practice. I represent clients in state and federal courts in matters including white collar issues, property crimes, drug charges, and assault cases. I have won dismissal of charges and negotiated deals that preserved a clean record for my clients and avoided incarceration.

I represent students who face charges of academic misconduct, sexual assault, and sexual harassment. I have successfully represented both complainants and respondents in disciplinary proceedings at various colleges and universities against allegations of sexual misconduct, cheating, and other campus code violations. I bring my depth of knowledge of school discipline cases, as well as civil and criminal litigation, to each student disciplinary matter. I have won dismissal of charges for respondents; I have also represented complainants in proceedings that resulted in findings of responsibility. I understand that these proceedings are some of the most challenging situations students have faced in their lives, and bring both compassion and steadiness to my counsel to them and advocacy for them.

Prior to joining the firm, I was a John J. Gibbons Fellow in Public Interest & Constitutional Law at Gibbons P.C. in New Jersey. Before that, I clerked for three years on the federal district court and federal appeals court. Prior to those clerkships, my work focused primarily on immigrants’ rights.

As a Yale Public Interest Fellow at the Bronx Defenders, I was responsible for advising immigrant clients on plea offers in criminal cases, challenging unlawful detainers, and representing clients in removal proceedings. During law school, I was part of a team that represented a group of immigrants who were unlawfully detained after a warrantless early morning sweep of their neighborhood. The suit ended in what was at the time the largest monetary settlement ever paid by the United States in a suit over residential immigration raids, and the first to include both compensation and immigration relief. I also worked extensively on voting rights and voter protection issues, including as a researcher and organizer at the Brennan Center for Justice.

• Member, Women’s Bar Association
• Board Member, Massachusetts Employment Lawyers Association
• Consultant, Paul and Daisy Soros Fellowship for New Americans

• Super Lawyers
• Super Lawyer (2024)
• Rising Stars (2018 to 2023)
• Best Lawyers
• Best Lawyers, Education, Litigation (2023-present)

I became a lawyer because I care about people. I want every client to have an advocate who combines rigorous analysis of the legal issues they confront with understanding about how hard litigation can be for the people involved. In my practice, I do not shy away from challenges or powerful opponents, and always use my client’s goals as my compass for navigating through any dispute.