Uncategorized

Maria P. Wood

atp5d vr

Maria P. Wood

Partner
spc2

Biography

Maria P. Wood is the Managing Partner in our Raleigh office and specializes in medical malpractice, aging services, correctional health care, professional malpractice and ethics, appellate, and general liability matters. In her more than twenty year legal career, she has gained significant litigation and trial experience.

Maria has devoted her career to the representation of health care providers. These providers include hospital systems, long-term care facilities (skilled nursing and assisted living facilities), physicians in countless specialties and their practices, and medical providers in correctional facilities.

More +

With respect to her long-term care work, Maria appreciates the distinction between skilled nursing, assisted living, and other types of facilities, and this experience enables her to navigate her clients through the complex litigation process. Overall, Maria’s practice encompasses all aspects of litigation from the pre-suit stage through trial and appeal. She represents physicians and physician extenders not only in litigation but also in matters before licensing boards including the North Carolina Medical Board. She regularly defends against claims involving catastrophic injury and wrongful death.

Maria’s appellate practice includes all aspects of appellate litigation, from providing advice to clients about pursuing an appeal to briefing and arguments. Maria has appeared in front of the North Carolina Supreme Court, where she argued a critical procedural issue affecting North Carolina medical malpractice litigation. In addition, she has argued in front of the North Carolina Court of Appeals and the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit in Richmond, Virginia. She has also served as amicus counsel for the North Carolina Association of Defense Attorneys in medical malpractice defense litigation.

Maria is a seasoned litigator and trial attorney who passionately advocates for each client with the expertise she has developed over the course of her career. She enjoys advising her clients not only as to their existing cases but also assisting with risk management and litigation strategies. Maria welcomes opportunities to give presentations to clients and their organizations about these issues.

Prior to joining HBS, Maria was a Partner at a long-established civil defense litigation firm, where she practiced primarily medical malpractice defense.

Maria earned her Juris Doctor from Wake Forest University and a Bachelor of Arts, with honors, in Political Science from the University of North Carolina.

Credentials

Admitted

State Courts:

  • North Carolina, 2001
    • Court of Appeals, Supreme Court

U.S. District Courts:

  • U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina
  • U.S. District Court for the Middle District of North Carolina
  • U.S. District Court for the Western District of North Carolina

U.S. Courts of Appeals:

  • U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit

Education

  • J.D., Wake Forest University
  • B.A., with honors, Political Science, University of North Carolina

Recognition

Memberships

  • American Society for Healthcare Risk Management, North Carolina Chapter
  • DRI
  • North Carolina Assisted Living Association
  • North Carolina Association of Defense Attorneys
  • North Carolina Bar Association
  • Wake County Bar Association

Presentations

  • Senior Living Litigation Trends
    WTW 2024 Healthcare Risk Conference; August 1, 2024
  • Labor Law
    NCALA Administrator Certification Program; April 4, 2024
  • Labor Law
    NCALA Administrator Certification Program; February 1, 2024
  • Senior Care: Current Liability, Licensure, and Regulatory Risk
    Long Term Care Insurance ExecuSummit; September 12, 2023
More +
  • Labor Law
    NCALA Administrator Certification Program; August 10, 2023
  • Labor Law
    NCALA Administrator Certification Program; June 8, 2023
  • Catastrophic Case Impact Focus Group
    NCADA 46th Annual Meeting and Seminar; June 10, 2023
  • Labor Law
    NCALA Administrator Certification Program; April 6, 2023
  • Workforce Development Forum
    North Carolina Assisted Living Association Fall Conference and Trade Show, 2018
  • Medical Records Documentation: Litigation-Preparedness
    North Carolina Assisted Living Association Fall Conference and Trade Show, 2013
  • Protecting Your Agency from Liability for a Tragic Event
    North Carolina Public Risk Management Association Annual Conference, 2013
  • Transforming Adult Care Homes: Disaster-Preparedness Kit Against Litigation
    North Carolina Association of Long-Term Care Facilities Annual Convention and Trade Show, 2009

In the Press

58 HBS Attorneys Recognized as The Best Lawyers in America® Award Recipients

Hall Booth Smith, P.C. is pleased to announce that 58 lawyers have been included in the 2025 edition of The Best Lawyers in America®

The Senior Advisor: Maria Wood on Fall Management Root Cause Analysis & Disclosures

Last month, Raleigh Partner Maria P. Wood spoke alongside Joan Porcaro and Rhonda DeMeno from WTW on the fifth and final episode in their mini-series on fall management for their podcast The Senior Advisor. The series, which covers a variety of topics concerning the senior living industry, concluded with a discussion on post-fall root cause

Hall Booth Smith Opens New Office in Raleigh, North Carolina

RALEIGH, NORTH CAROLINA – January 17, 2023 – Hall Booth Smith, P.C. (HBS) is pleased to announce the opening of a new office in Raleigh as it continues to expand its footprint throughout North Carolina to better serve client needs. The HBS Raleigh office will be led by new Partner Maria P. Wood. Maria will