2025 ILLINOIS ATTORNEYS TO WATCH
RACHEL SCHALLER
AGE 39
FIRM Blank Rome LLP
LAW SCHOOL Chicago-Kent College of Law
lack of personal jurisdiction and a massive biometric privacy class action based on choice of law principles. In another data privacy win, she obtained one of the first (and only) dismiss- als of a California privacy claim alleging novel website tracking theories. In addition to her focus on technology and the law, Schaller is a tenured employment law practitioner. Her victories span from defeating the certification of a nationwide collective action for a national banking association and prevailing against certification of a class action against a regional transportation authority to prevailing against individual employment claims in arbitration and on summary judgment. Schaller combines her love of technology and employment background in her high-stakes trade secrets practice. She has both obtained and defeated preliminary injunctions and tem- porary restraining orders for her clients in the areas of trade secrets and unlawful competition. Schaller is a thought leader in the areas of data privacy. She serves on a drafting committee for the Sedona Conference on Data Security and Privacy Liability exploring cutting edge issues in artificial intelligence. She also contributes to the legal pro- fession through her work on the Illinois State Bar Association where she serves as CLE coordinator for the Information Priva- cy and Security section. She is both a zealous advocate and strategic advisor for her clients. “ ”
AREA(S) OF PRACTICE Complex commercial litigation
R achel Schaller's colleagues say that this commercial litiga- tor and counselor is both a zealous advocate and strategic advisor for her clients. That combination has helped Schaller build a reputation as an attorney who consistently delivers win- ning results for her colleagues. Schaller focuses on complex technology and data privacy cas- es, including consumer class actions and business-to-business disputes. In addition to her skills in the courtroom, Schaller pro- vides her clients valuable counsel on issues ranging from employ- ment laws to data privacy and intellectual property protections. One nominator pointed to the work Schaller turned in during a complex biometric multi-district class action as an example of her legal skill. In a case that lasted years, and one that featured extensive discovery, Schaller and her team secured a complete release for the nominator's client, a result that required the cli- ent to pay no money. "It was a great result in a tough venue where the law was con- tinuing to develop as the case progressed," the nominator said. The nominator referred to this result as one that was "almost impossible." Keeping up with the rapid pace of technology, Schaller under- stands that traditional legal principles still apply even when the most complex technologies are involved. She used this exact approach to jettison an online defamation claim based on the
40 Under Forty 2025
57
CHICAGO LAWYER & CHICAGO DAILY LAW BULLETIN
Powered by FlippingBook