Maria LaHood is Deputy Legal Director at the Center for Constitutional Rights, with expertise in international human rights, constitutional rights, and defending against SLAPPs (Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation). She represents supporters of Palestinian rights who are sued in meritless cases such as Bronner v. Duggan, defending Steven Salaita in cases against him and others for the American Studies Association’s resolution endorsing the call for a boycott of Israeli academic institutions; and Lavi v. UNRWA USA and Sha’arabany v. UNRWA, defending UNRWA USA against claims that the United Nations’ humanitarian aid for Palestinian refugees in Gaza aided terrorism. Maria also seeks accountability for international human rights violations, including in Burnley v. United States, on behalf of the families of two Trinidadian men killed by a U.S. missile strike on a boat in the Caribbean. Her prior human rights cases include those against United States officials, Defense for Children International–Palestine v. Biden, Arar v. Ashcroft, Al-Aulaqi v. Obama, and Al-Aulaqi v. Panetta; against foreign government officials, Matar v. Dichter and Belhas v. Ya’alon; and against corporations, Wiwa v. Royal Dutch/Shell and Corrie v. Caterpillar. 

After graduating from the University of Michigan Law School in 1995, Maria advocated for affordable housing and civil rights in the San Francisco Bay Area. She was named a 2010 Public Justice Trial Lawyer of the Year Finalist. 

She has appeared in outlets including The Guardian, Al Jazeera, Huffington Post, Truthout, The New York Times, Democracy Now!, NPR, and NBC.