Maria Durleva is an international trade and development lawyer specialising in ocean economy and fisheries at the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD). Since joining UNCTAD in 2013, Maria has worked on a range of issues on climate and trade-related aspects of sustainable use of biodiversity, specifically, on supporting regional organisations, governments, and other competent authorities to create an enabling policy and regulatory environment that promotes the development and emergence of sustainable biodiversity-based and ocean economic sectors.
Prior to joining UNCTAD, Maria completed her solicitor training at Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer LLP.

Maria was born and raised in Manila, Philippines and holds a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism (University of the Philippines), an LLB Laws (Accelerated) and a Master of Laws (LLM) in International Commercial Law and Dispute Resolution from the University of Law in London, United Kingdom