Skip to Main Content
dara

Dara represents organizations and individuals in a range of litigation and regulatory matters. She serves as outside general counsel for debt buyers, servicers, and non-bank financial services companies. Dara routinely represents clients in matters pertaining to the FDCPA, FCRA, TCPA, securities laws, state unfair and deceptive trade practices laws, state consumer protection laws, state licensing requirements, and regulatory advocacy.

Dara also provides compliance counseling on best practices in the rapidly evolving technology sector, including fintech and regtech startups, utilizing her deep knowledge of the design of policies and procedures as well as compliance management systems.

Dara has represented clients in both criminal and civil matters before state attorneys general, the CFPB, FTC, SEC, and other state and federal regulators. Additionally, Dara advises clients on cybersecurity regulations, records retention, defensible disposition and document management, state and federal requirements on data privacy and security, data breach issues and response, and the preservation and production of electronically stored information.

Dara is a recognized thought leader in the areas of technology and highly regulated industries. American Banker named her as one of the Most Influential Women in Fintech. She hosts her own podcast, “Tech on Reg,” and she is a regular contributor to the world’s top fintech podcast, “Breaking Banks.”

As chair of Much’s Tech Innovation, Data & Financial Regulation group, Dara leads a team that provides 360-degree legal counsel at the intersection of emerging technology, data, financial services, and the digital economy. Banks, fintechs, digital asset companies, data-driven enterprises, and technology innovators rely on the team for the full spectrum of legal needs, from day-to-day compliance and regulatory strategy to complex transactions, government advocacy, and high-stakes litigation. The group’s work spans financial services and fintech licensing, digital assets and crypto, data privacy and security, information governance, artificial intelligence governance, and regulatory litigation and enforcement defense.

Dara’s approach to artificial intelligence is grounded in a foundational insight: An AI strategy is, at its core, a data strategy. She helps clients understand that the organizations leading in the AI era are not simply those that deploy the most sophisticated models, but those that govern, protect, and leverage their data with precision and purpose. Whether clients are integrating large language models into enterprise workflows, building proprietary AI products, or negotiating with technology vendors, Dara brings the legal fluency and strategic foresight to protect their interests and accelerate their ambitions.

Much More Than My Work

I am a proud mom of three and an unapologetic “dance mom” (the cool kind, not the crazy kind). When I’m not working with clients or coding for fun, you can find me probably stepping on bobby pins at dance conventions, attending junior ninja warrior competitions, or watching my boys rock out on guitar. I love to cook, and I will always be found wearing at least one piece of skull jewelry.

Client Successes

  • Complex Commercial Litigation: Represented a plaintiff debt purchaser in connection with a breach of contract matter worth over $50 million. Acted as lead trial counsel where the arbitration went to a full hearing and verdict with a full recovery.
  • Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA): Represented 14 defendants and obtained full dismissal with prejudice, including debt collector, debt buyers, and certain principals in connection with a class action complaint alleging numerous violations of the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act and Alabama common law.
  • Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA): Represented a debt collection agency and obtained full dismissal with prejudice of TCPA “honeypot” case seeking millions of dollars in damages.
  • Complex Commercial Litigation: Represented a client and obtained summary judgment in connection with its claim of conversion related to the improper acquisition and retention of confidential information.
  • Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB): Represented clients under supervision of the CFPB; created compliance management systems and drafted policies and procedures.
  • FDCPA: Represented five defendants and successfully moved to compel arbitration of purported FDCPA class action, including debt buyers, servicer, and individual.
  • FDCPA: Represented a debt collection firm and successfully obtained dismissal of a FDCPA complaint based on the plaintiff’s lack of standing and inability to trace any purported damages to the alleged statutory violation.
  • Internal Investigations: Represented public and private companies and conducted internal investigations regarding state and federal regulatory issues for institutions of higher education and financial services companies (including banks and non-banks), including guiding clients through self-disclosures to regulators.
  • CFPB: Represented clients in connection with CFPB and state regulatory audits.
  • Whistleblower Employment Discrimination Claim: Represented the corporate flight department of a privately held health care company in defense brought under Wendell H. Ford Aviation Investment and Reform Act for the 21st Century (AIR21) 49 U.S.C. §42121.
  • Federal Lanham Act: Represented a Chicago wholesaler, several related retailers, and their individual owners in a successful pursuit of claims for violation of Act 15 U.S.C § 1125 and related common law claims alleging they had been caught selling counterfeit versions of “TOP” brand cigarette rolling papers.
  • Spoliation of Evidence: Represented clients and successfully briefed and argued motions for sanctions for spoliation of evidence. Resulted in clients being awarded over $400,000 for opponent’s misconduct.