Education:
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (B.A., with honors, major in Political Science, minor in Business Administration, 1998); Wake Forest University (J.D., 2001)

Memberships:
North Carolina State Bar; North Carolina Bar Association; North Carolina Association of Defense Attorneys; Defense Research Institute; Wake County Bar Association

Practice Areas:
Medical malpractice defense; nursing home liability defense; health care licensing board matters; appellate practice

Email:  mwood@ymwlaw.com

vCard: download

Direct Dial:  919-719-6042

Direct Fax:  919-582-2524

Maria Papoulias Wood grew up in Silver Spring, Maryland, a suburb of Washington, D.C.  She came to North Carolina in 1994 to attend college at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where she graduated in 1998, with honors, with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science and a minor in Business Administration.  She then attended the Wake Forest University School of Law in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, graduating in 2001.  While in law school, Ms. Wood served as a teaching assistant for the Legal Research and Writing Program.  She was also a member of the Moot Court Board and competed in the Jessup International Law East Regional Moot Court Competition in February 2000.  During that competition, her team advanced to the semi-final round and received the Best Brief award.

Ms. Wood’s practice encompasses all aspects of litigation, from the pre-suit stage through trial and appeal.  Following law school, Ms. Wood joined Wilson & Coffey, L.L.P. in Winston-Salem in September of 2001 where she practiced in the areas of professional malpractice, including medical malpractice defense and legal liability, and insurance defense.  During her time at Wilson & Coffey, she also authored multiple briefs to the North Carolina Court of Appeals and United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit in Richmond, Virginia.

Ms. Wood joined Yates, McLamb & Weyher, L.L.P. in March 2006 and is a partner of the firm.  She currently concentrates her practice in medical malpractice defense and nursing home liability defense.  She has represented physicians and their practices in various specialties, including obstetrics and gynecology, anesthesiology, and orthopaedic surgery.  Her representation of long-term care facilities includes both skilled nursing and assisted living facilities throughout the state.  Her representation of physicians and long-term care facilities includes not only litigation but also matters before state licensing boards.

Ms. Wood is admitted to practice before North Carolina State Courts, the United States District Courts for the Middle and Eastern Districts of North Carolina, the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit, in addition to the North Carolina Court of Appeals and North Carolina Supreme Court.  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.  Her appellate work has also included serving as amicus counsel for the North Carolina Association of Defense Attorneys in medical malpractice defense litigation.

Ms. Wood is married to Jonathan Wood, a detective with the Raleigh Police Department.  They live in Raleigh with their daughter, Samantha, and enjoy international travel, college sports, reading, and spending time with family and friends.

Appellate Practice, Coverage Litigation, Medical Malpractice, Nursing Home Liability