Molly DiRago

Molly S. DiRago litigates complex commercial matters, including partnership and shareholder disputes, intellectual property claims, class actions, consumer fraud, RICO, and breach of contract. Molly takes a results-oriented approach and finds creative solutions for her clients, whether through litigation or extrajudicially.

Molly represents clients in all stages of litigation, including pretrial, trial, post-trial and appeals. She has appeared and argued in state and federal courts across the country and before the Illinois Department of Labor and the American Arbitration Association.

Her clients range from large, multinational companies to small, closely held corporations and individuals spanning a variety of industries, including technology, solar and energy.

No matter the industry, Molly believes it is imperative to learn her client’s business inside and out to effectively achieve her client’s objectives, understanding there is no one-size-fits-all solution for her clients. Instead, Molly identifies the unique approach that will best serve each client and then aggressively litigates toward that end.

Molly is a member of the firm’s emerging technology group and has counseled clients on privacy policies, including on the collection of biometric data (fingerprints, retina scans, etc.), and has written articles on Illinois’ Biometric Information Privacy Act, which has seen a flurry of litigation in Illinois and beyond.

Molly also enjoys contributing to the legal community through pro bono and public service efforts. Among other things, she serves as a delegate for the Coalition of Women’s Initiatives in Law and as vice chair for the Committee on Attorney Malpractice for the Chicago Bar Association. She has also written articles for Illinois Legal Aid Online and holds a position with the parent teacher organization for her children’s school.

Representative Matters :

• Defended PJM Interconnection LLC, which coordinates the movement of wholesale electricity in all or parts of 13 states and the District of Columbia, against allegations of energy markets manipulation in violation of RICO, with damages of up to $150 million.
• Served as the lead attorney for a limited liability company member in a case alleging the managing member defrauded the company and breached its fiduciary duties.
• Represented shareholders of a closely held corporation in their shareholder disputes, including breach of contract and fiduciary duties.
• Obtained summary judgment for the owner of a large manufacturing plant in Chicago, where a construction worker died in an accident on the property during demolition.
• Represented, pro bono, the first plaintiff to avail herself of the Illinois Department of Labor’s Victims’ Economic Security and Safety Act, which resulted in a full hearing before a Department of Labor administrative judge.
• Obtained a successful settlement, through court-sponsored mediation, for an individual who brought claims against his former employer for age and race discrimination.

Professional and Community Involvement :

• Delegate, Coalition of Women’s Initiatives in Law
• Vice Chair, Committee on Attorney Malpractice, Chicago Bar Association
• Associate Editor, Write City Magazine
• Moot Court Judge, Circuit Court of Cook County Mock Trial Competition for Chicago Public High Schools

EDUCATION :

• University of California, Berkeley, School of Law, J.D., 2004, Prosser Award for Feminist Jurisprudence, 2003
• Illinois State University, B.S., magna cum laude, with distinction, 1998, anthropology and women’s studies

BAR ADMISSIONS : Illinois

COURT ADMISSIONS :

• U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit
• U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois