Recognized in Best Lawyers since 2015 
Shannon McNulty is a partner at Clifford Law Offices, where she leads the firm’s fraud, mass torts, and class actions practice. She represents clients in complex litigation involving fraud and concealment, conspiracy, contract and employment disputes, sexual harassment, environmental matters, and antitrust claims.
Before entering private practice, Ms. McNulty spent ten years with the Chicago Police Department, including serving as chief of staff to the first deputy superintendent. Her background in research, data analysis, and identifying patterns of risk continues to inform her approach to complex litigation. She has significant experience evaluating and litigating allegations of fraud, concealment, and institutional risk, and frequently incorporates data-driven evidence into the development of her cases.
Ms. McNulty is known for her collaborative approach to complex litigation and has been selected by counsel across the country to work on significant contested matters in Chicago and other jurisdictions. Her practice has included litigation involving defendants in China, Japan, Germany, Mexico, and Canada, as well as matters involving sensitive or confidential issues. Clients and co-counsel value her risk assessment, judgment, and ability to develop practical strategies for complex disputes.
Her work includes major mass tort, class action, bankruptcy, and data privacy litigation. Most recently, Shannon was a co-lead counsel of the trial team in the Purdue Pharma bankruptcy proceedings that presented evidence during a six-day trial involving 41 witnesses, resulting in a $250 million settlement on behalf of acute care hospitals. She was also instrumental in negotiating and implementing an acute care hospital trust in the Mallinckrodt bankruptcy proceedings that was expected to distribute approximately $45 million in relief to hospitals addressing the opioid epidemic.
Shannon served as liaison counsel in the data privacy litigation against TikTok, which resolved for $95 million. She has also secured a confidential multimillion-dollar settlement against a Fortune 500 manufacturer involving allegations of breach of contract, fraud, and concealment.
Ms. McNulty has been appointed to committee and leadership positions in numerous complex matters, including litigation involving TikTok, NCAA student-athlete concussion injuries, Target’s customer data security breach, talcum powder, DePuy hip implants, COVID-19 business interruption insurance, and other mass tort and class action proceedings. Her ability to bring attorneys with varied backgrounds and perspectives together has been a hallmark of her leadership in multidistrict and other complex litigation.
Ms. McNulty is licensed in Illinois and admitted to practice in federal courts throughout the country. She has also argued before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit.
In addition to her complex litigation practice, Ms. McNulty represents individuals and families in serious injury and wrongful death matters. Her results include an $18 million settlement involving an improperly prescribed dosage of insulin that resulted in a brain injury, a $6.5 million settlement involving the failure to timely diagnose an aortic dissection, a $3.5 million settlement involving the sexual abuse of a group home resident, a $3.5 million settlement involving the failure to warn of a defective implanted medical device, a $2.9 million settlement involving the fatal stabbing of a student at school, and a $2.25 million settlement involving the failure to supervise and monitor a young group home resident. She also represents professionals in partnership and contract disputes.
Ms. McNulty’s professional achievements have been recognized by numerous legal and professional organizations. In 2021, she received the Award for Excellence in Public Interest Service from the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois and the Federal Bar Association. She was elected to the International Society of Barristers in 2018 and has been recognized by Best Lawyers®, Illinois Super Lawyers, Leading Lawyers, Lawdragon, and Crain’s Chicago Business.
Beyond her litigation practice, Ms. McNulty has contributed to the legal profession through bar association involvement and public service. She is a member of the American Bar Association, American Association for Justice, Illinois State Bar Association, Chicago Bar Association, Illinois Trial Lawyers Association, International Society of Barristers, Federal Bar Association, and Northern District of Illinois Historical Society.
Ms. McNulty earned her J.D. from DePaul University College of Law while working full-time at the Chicago Police Department, completing the program one year ahead of schedule. She also holds a Master of Science from DePaul University and graduated cum laude from Loyola University Chicago.
