Raúl M. Arias-Marxuach

E-mail address: rma@mcvpr.com
Phone number: (787) 250-2604
Fax number: (787) 759-2772

Raúl M. Arias is a Capital Member of the Litigation Practice Group and Co-Chair of the Distribution and Franchising Practice Area.

Practice Areas and Experience

Mr. Arias is civil and commercial litigator. The main component of his practice is the defense of claims arising from distribution and sales representation contracts.

Mr. Arias also defends personal injury and products liability claims. He has defended failure to warn claims involving consumer products and is currently defending multiple claims involving medical devices.

Maritime law is a component of his practice as well. Mr. Arias provides correspondent services to protection and indemnity clubs. He has prosecuted a complex refrigerated cargo claim and defended complex maritime personal injury cases.

Mr. Arias has jury trial experience which includes "first chair" duty. He also has substantial appellate experience and has successfully argued before the United States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit.

During the Puerto Rico Supreme Court's 1992-1993 term, Mr. Arias clerked for the Honorable Antonio S. Negrón-García who was at the time the most senior and prolific Associate Justice.

Education

Mr. Arias obtained a Bachelor's Degree in Political Science from Boston College and a Juris Doctor Magna Cum Laude from the University of Puerto Rico School of Law. He also earned a Masters of Laws Degree from Harvard Law School.

Admissions

Mr. Arias is admitted to practice before the Courts of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the United States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit and the United States District Court for the District of Puerto Rico.

Memberships and Recognitions

Mr. Arias is a member of the Federal Bar Association and has served on the Board of Directors of its Puerto Rico Chapter. He is also a member of the American Bar Association and its Forum on Franchising.

Mr. Arias has been recommended in the 2006, 2007 & 2008 editions of the Chambers & Partners Global Guide.

Reported and Representative Cases

His cases include:

• Basic Controlex Corporation v. Klockner Moeller Corp., 202 F.3d 450 (1st Cir. 2000);
• Medical Books In Print, Inc. v. Harcourt, Inc., 93 Fed. Appx. 240 (1st Cir. 2004);
• Wal-Mart Stores, Inc v. Secretary of Justice, 238 F. Supp. 2d 395 (D.P.R. 2002);
• Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. v. Secretary of Justice, 236 F. Supp. 2d 200 (D.P.R. 2002);
• Quality Const. Chemicals, Corp. v. Sika Corp, 389 F.Supp.2d 246 (D.P.R. 2005);
• Matosantos Commercial Corp. v. SCA Tissue North America, LLC., 369 F.Supp.2d 191, 67 Fed. R. Evid. Serv. 240 (D.P.R. 2005) and;
• Lang v. Corporacion de Hoteles S.A., ___ F.Supp. 2d ___, 2007 WL 3286386 (D.P.R. 2007).

Publications

Mr. Arias co-authored: Civil Appeal Procedures in the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, published in "Civil Appeal Procedures Worldwide", International Bar Association (1992).