Molly S. DiRago

Molly focuses her practice on complex commercial matters, including business “divorces” and private shareholder disputes, large consumer fraud class actions, and deceptive trade practices and false advertising litigation. As an experienced trial attorney and member of the Northern District of Illinois’ trial bar, she approaches all phases of litigation with an eye toward trial, recognizing that effective trial preparation achieves results — whether it’s in the courtroom or at the negotiating table.

Clients depend on Molly to have their backs. Whether a large, multinational company or a small, closely held corporation, she provides client-focused service as a strong advocate and trusted partner in litigation. By taking the time to thoroughly understand her clients’ industries, cultures, and specific goals, Molly collaborates with her clients to devise litigation strategies tailored to their unique needs and objectives.

Molly believes strongly in paying it forward, which she does through her active pro bono representation of clients. This has included the pro bono representation of a woman facing millions of dollars in damages from a defamation lawsuit because she was not afraid to tell her story of sexual assault. Molly is similarly passionate about mentoring, both within the firm and in the community. She formally mentors young attorneys through the Leadership Council for Legal Diversity law school mentorship program and as a member of the firm’s recruiting committee. Molly also chaired the firm’s third annual in-person deposition clinic for associates and is a regular faculty member of its in-person trial clinic.

• Served as lead trial counsel defending a New York county and its legislature in a high-profile case involving the state’s newly enacted Voting Rights Act, which was held to be unconstitutional.
• First-chaired a partisan gerrymandering trial in New Mexico, successfully convincing the court that the legislature’s intent in drawing New Mexico’s congressional map was to dilute the votes of many of its citizens and that the dilution was “substantial.”
• Successfully defended a global healthcare company with household name consumer products against allegation of fraud and misleading labeling.
• Served as trial counsel to the petitioners in the high-profile New York redistricting case Harkenrider v. Hochul. Petitioners prevailed at trial, the Appellate Division (Fourth Department), and the Court of Appeals.
• Represented an agricultural association accused of antitrust violations by several well-known food manufacturers in a six-week federal jury trial.
• Successfully represented a global petroleum and petrochemical trading company in a 10-day trial that resulted in holding a contractual counter-party company’s affiliates, managers, and owners liable under veil-piercing and alter-ego theories for a multimillion-dollar judgment against the company.
• Handled international arbitration before the ICDR for a global petroleum and petrochemical company involving the interpretation of a force majeure provision and alleged breach of contract.
• Successfully litigated a federal shareholders’ case, ultimately winning her clients the right to regain control of their company after having been illegally ousted by a third shareholder.
• 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, and assisted them in forming their own division to run autonomously.
• 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.

• Best Lawyers in America®: Commercial Litigation (2025-2026)
• Notable Women in Law, Chicago Business Journal (2024)
• Super Lawyers: Business Litigation (2023)