Maria White Attorney At Law

Maria is an associate in GrayRobinson’s Tampa office and a member of both the firm’s nationwide alcohol beverage practice and cannabis law practice groups. She began her career as a congressional intern in Congresswoman Kathy Castor’s Tampa office while an undergraduate student. After earning her Bachelor’s degree, Maria obtained a certificate in paralegal studies while working as a legal secretary at a civil litigation firm in St. Petersburg, continuing on to become a law clerk there. During law school she also spent a semester as a legal extern with Bay Area Legal Services in their Ybor office, working specifically with Floridians affected by recent hurricanes Irma and Maria. Maria joined GrayRobinson as a law clerk during her final semester of law school.

• Education
  • University of Tampa, B.A., Government and World Affairs (cum laude, 2015)
    • Minor in History, Certificate of International Studies
    • Honors Program Graduate
    • Secretary (2012-2014) College Democrats
    • Spartan Abroad Ambassadors
  • St. Petersburg College (2017)
    • Post-Baccalaureate Certificate in Paralegal Studies
  • Stetson University College of Law, J.D. (cum laude,2020)
    • Honor Roll (Fall 2017, Spring 2018, Fall 2018), Dean's List (Spring 2019)
    • Food Law Society, President
    • Hispanic Bar Association, Vice President
    • Environmental Law Society, Student Animal Legal Defense Fund, Secretary
    • Journal of International Wildlife and Policy, Student Editor
    • Phi Delta Phi International Legal Honor Society
    • Stetson Ambassador 2018-2019, Senior Stetson Ambassador 2019-2020
    • Freeborn Peters First-Year Appellate Advocacy Competition, Third Place Oralist, May 2018
• Background

  Maria attended the University of Tampa, graduating from the Honors Program cum laude with an undergraduate degree in government and world affairs and a minor in history as well as a certificate in international studies. Following her graduation she attended St. Petersburg College to earn her post-baccalaureate certificate in paralegal studies. During her time at Stetson University College of Law, Maria was an active leader on campus, serving as a Stetson Ambassador for two years and a co-chair of Student Bar Association’s Go Green Committee. She also served as President of the Food Law Society and Vice President of the Hispanic Bar Association as well as a student editor of Stetson’s Journal of International Wildlife Law and Policy. Maria graduated cum laude from Stetson University College of Law in 2020 with a certificate of concentration in Environmental Law. She was recognized upon graduation as the recipient of the Nader/Zrake Memorial Award for excellence in Administrative, Environmental, and Land Use Law courses, the William F. Blews Award, presented to students who complete more than double their Pro Bono Service requirements, and the Victor O. Wehle award for excellence in Trial Advocacy.

  Maria believes deeply in service and has volunteered all over the world with the organization All Hands and Hearts Volunteers. She spent one month in Toa Baja, Puerto Rico serving as a Team Leader overseeing groups of 5-10 volunteers after Hurricane Maria in 2018, one month in Aransas Pass, Texas leading groups of volunteers to support homeowners affected by Hurricane Harvey in 2017, and two months in Sindhupalchok, Nepal helping repair the damage caused by the 2015 earthquake. She has also participated in service trips with University of Tampa’s PEACE Volunteer Center to Las Marias, Puerto Rico, and Anchorage, Alaska.

• Admissions
  • Florida
• Articles & Publications
  • "2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans: What You Need to Know," January 2021
  • "SB142: What Would Its Passage Mean for Florida’s Alcohol Beverage Industry?" December 2020
  • "USDA’s 2020 Local Food Marketing Practices Survey is Heading to Local and Regional Producers," November 2020
  • “FDA Relaxes Nutrition Facts and Menu Labeling Requirements for Restaurants and Food Manufacturers During COVID-19 Emergency,” Modern Restaurant Management, April 2020
  • "Is the Seafood Import Monitoring Program (SIMP) Fighting Fraudulent Fish?" Mondaq, June 2020
  • “OPINION: ELECTION DAY 2020 IS A BIG WIN FOR CANNABIS: Every State Initiative on Marijuana Passes,” Cannabis Law Report, November 2020
• Civic
  • All Hands and Hearts Volunteers
    • Volunteer, Toa Baja, Puerto Rico (December 2018)
    • Volunteer, Aransas Pass, Texas (December 2017-January 2018)
    • Volunteer, Sindhupalchok, Nepal (January-December 2017)
  • UT’s PEACE Volunteer Center
    • Volunteer, Las Marias, Puerto Rico (May 2013)
    • Volunteer, Anchorage, Alaska (May 2014)
  • Planned Parenthood of Flemington, NJ
    • Volunteer, 2012
  • University of Tampa START Program
    • Volunteer, 2012
  • University of Tampa’s Academic Center for Excellence
    • Volunteer, 2014