Overview
For Molly Arranz, being a lawyer is about being an advocate. Growing up, she witnessed legal challenges her father faced while he ran his own, small business—issues that resulted from his not finding necessary legal assistance for his company’s needs. Her decision to go to law school stemmed from her desire to address this gap and provide legal support for businesses like the one her father owned.
Molly is the chair of Amundsen Davis’s Cybersecurity & Data Privacy Service Group. She is a certified privacy professional (CIPP-US) and a recognized Privacy Law Specialist by the American Bar Association. After a decade and a half of defending companies in consumer privacy class actions and against a backdrop of emerging data privacy laws, Molly advises companies in all industries on compliance with a patchwork of privacy laws and regulations, including: consumer protection regulations; tracking technology disclosures; consumers’ and employees’ rights to access, limit, correct and delete their data; and state and federally mandated notification, disclosure and consent requirements. She also advises a range of companies on their incident response protocol and has served as a breach coach for companies small and large, including multinational and international companies. She counseled a global telecommunications software and cloud computing company on compliance issues for its cloud services. She reviews and advises on data protection addendums and agreements.
Molly is a partner in the firm’s Class Action Service Group. She has defended more than 100 class actions involving a range of legal theories, including privacy violations, consumer fraud, breach of contract, breach of warranty, breach of confidentiality and misrepresentation. She defends clients in claims arising from the Federal Wiretap Act, the Illinois Biometric Information Privacy Act (BIPA), the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act (CFAA), the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA), the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA), the Chicago Residential Landlord and Tenant Ordinance (RLTO), CERCLA, the Clean Water Act, and RCRA. She represents a wide variety of companies from small family-owned businesses to Fortune 500 companies.
In her career, Molly has also defended more than 75 mass tort cases involving claims arising from allegations of exposure to asbestos, silica and benzene.
Experience
Membership & Involvement
- Amundsen Davis Executive Committee
- Member: International Association of Privacy Professionals; American Bar Association; Wisconsin Bar Association
- Former Co-Chair: Amundsen Davis Committee for Diversity and Inclusion
Court Admissions: Illinois; Wisconsin; U.S. Court of Appeals Seventh Circuit; U.S. Court of Appeals Eleventh Circuit; U.S. District Court, Central District of Illinois; U.S. District Court, Northern District of Illinois; U.S. District Court, Northern District of Indiana; U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Michigan; U.S. District Court, Western District of Michigan; and, U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Wisconsin.
Pro Hac Vice Admissions: Florida; Indiana; Arizona; District of Columbia; U.S. District Court, District of Connecticut; U.S. District Court, Southern District of Florida; U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Missouri; U.S. District Court, Middle District of North Carolina; and, U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Pennsylvania.
Honors
- Selected to the Illinois Super Lawyers list: 2021, 2022
- Selected to the Illinois Super Lawyers "Rising Stars" list: 2011, 2013
- Selected to The Best Lawyers in America® in Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions - Defendants: 2023
- Law360 Distinguished Legal Writing Award Recipient: 2024
Resources & Insights
In the Media
Alerts
Speaking Engagements
Published Works
Blog Posts
Education on Demand
During this presentation Molly Arranz and John Ochoa will review data privacy and security concerns for employers, including concerns related to the Biometric Privacy Act and the Genetic Information Privacy Act. They will review best practices and policies employers should have in place to avoid legal pitfalls.
It is not if, but when. Though construction companies—especially smaller ones—may believe it won’t happen to them, more and more companies have suffered or will suffer a “data incident” or cyber-attack in some form. In 2020, alone, small businesses were targeted 43% of the time, and malicious emails are up 600% due to COVID-19.
The Biometric Illinois Privacy Act (BIPA) was enacted over 12 years ago and many questions are still being battled in court as employers and employees continue to navigate this biometric privacy law.
Firm News
- Molly Arranz and Sofia Valdivia Receive Law360 Distinguished Legal Writing AwardMolly Arranz and Sofia Valdivia Receive Law360 Distinguished Legal Writing Award
Congratulations to Molly Arranz and Sofia Valdivia on being named "2024 Law360 Distinguished Legal Writing Award" winners!
- 42 Amundsen Davis Attorneys Recognized by Best Lawyers in America© 202342 Amundsen Davis Attorneys Recognized by Best Lawyers in America© 2023
Congratulate to our 42 attorneys on being recognized by Best Lawyers in America© 2023!
- Don’t Gamble With Your Cybersecurity and Incident Response Plan: Lessons Learned from the Las Vegas Ransomware AttacksDon’t Gamble With Your Cybersecurity and Incident Response Plan: Lessons Learned from the Las Vegas Ransomware Attacks
Typically, we beat the drum of the need to prepare for a data incident—anything from a full-blown ransomware attack to an employee accidently sharing data with the wrong person—by having your Incident Response Plan developed and at your fingertips. Companies may view this advice through the lens of concern over loss of personal data to threat actors.
- Amundsen Davis's Ninth Annual Labor & Employment Fall SeminarAmundsen Davis's Ninth Annual Labor & Employment Fall Seminar
Join us Wednesday, September 13 at noon for our Ninth Annual Labor & Employment Fall Seminar!
Services
Education
University of Wisconsin Law School, J.D.
Marquette University, B.A., magna cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa
Certified Privacy Professional (CIPP-US)
Admissions
- Illinois
- Wisconsin