The University of Georgia School of Law regrets to announce the passing of María Eugenia Giménez on October 8, 2025, at the age of 71 in Madrid, Spain, following heart surgery. She joined UGA in 1993 and played a vital role in establishing international programs at the School of Law before retiring in 2015.

Giménez earned her law degree at the University of Mendoza in Argentina. She also held two Master of Laws degrees, one from the Vrije Universiteit Brussels (Belgium) and the other from Georgia Law.

In 1998, in collaboration with the Institute of Continuing Judicial Education of Georgia, Giménez developed the International Judicial Training Program, which eventually trained more than 1,000 participants from the judiciaries of countries around the world. She was given a Diploma of Merit and medal by the Federal Military Justice of the State of São Paulo, Brazil, in recognition of her work with the International Judicial Training Program. Additionally, she was appointed to serve as an international expert member of the governing board of the International Institute for Justice Research and Training, headquartered in New Delhi, India.

The Global Internship Program, which Giménez created in 2001, provided summer opportunities to interested students in more than 70 law firms and organizations in 35 countries around the world. The program continues today under the name Global Externships Overseas (GEO).

In 2003, the Universidad del Salvador in Buenos Aires conferred upon Giménez an honorary professorship. The next year, she was awarded a Fulbright Fellowship to teach and research in the area of regional justice reform at the Universidad del Salvador Faculty of Law. 

In 2013, she initiated the Transnational Law Program, which brought foreign law students to Athens for short-term immersion in American and international law.

She will be missed by law school faculty, staff and former students. Below, Priti Suri (LL.M. ’89), Georgia Law alumna and a classmate of Giménez, shares her reflections on Giménez’s life and legacy.

Some friendships begin with shared textbooks and late-night study sessions. Ours began at the University of Georgia School of Law in the whirlwind of LL.M. life where Maria stood out not just for her brilliance, but for her boundless warmth, wit, and the quiet strength that made her unforgettable.

Maria was more than a classmate. She was an anchor in unfamiliar waters, my co-conspirator in laughter, and confidante in moments of doubt. She brought the spirit of Latin America into every room: passionate, principled, and always ready to dance, debate, or defend what mattered most. Her legal mind was formidable, but it was her heart that truly led. Whether she was advocating for justice, mentoring younger lawyers, or simply listening with that signature tilt of her head and knowing smile, Maria made people feel seen. She had a gift for turning strangers into friends and friends into family.

Even across continents and years, our bond endured. Through one meeting in New Delhi, in Europe and the US, and, of course, though WhatsApp voice notes, we shared memories of Athens and the occasional legal rant that only she could make hilarious. I am so glad that, since Covid, Thomas Bentler (LL.M. ’89) started our trio’s monthly Teams calls. Our plan to reunite this past September in Spain was not to be as Maria had to undergo a massive open heart surgery in the summer. Her passing leaves a silence that echoes deeply, but also a legacy that sings.

Maria taught me that resilience can be gentle, that brilliance can be humble, and that true friendship is a lifelong gift. I carry her laughter, her wisdom, and her fierce loyalty with me. Yes, there is pain. The pain lies not only in her passing but in all the uncertainty of recent weeks, and then the shock of it last night when her niece informed me. Maria was a light in the world and it was my privilege have her as a friend. And I will keep telling her stories, because she deserves to be remembered not just in sorrow, but in celebration.

I cannot believe I am saying this. Rest well, querida Mimi. You were and will be deeply loved, my darling friend, and you will be missed more than words can say. I am sure you are reunited with your parents and my dad.

Thank you also for making PSA (Priti Suri & Associates) a part of the Global Internship Program of UGA.

A Mass will be offered in her memory at 5:30 p.m. on November 25, 2025, at the Catholic Center at UGA (1344 S. Lumpkin Street, Athens). All are invited to attend.