Molly Armour

Molly Armour is a criminal defense attorney in Chicago, with an extensive practice in federal and state court.   She also works with students facing disciplinary issues in higher education.  Molly is known as a tenacious advocate for her clients who fights tirelessly to win the best outcome.

As a member of the Federal Defender Program’s Criminal Justice Act panel, she regularly represents individuals in federal district court and before the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals.   In addition to her federal practice, Molly also defends clients in state court in a wide range of cases — from traffic to terrorism.   She has experience navigating the unique challenges of high profile cases.   Outside of the courtroom, Molly helps shepherd clients through every stage of the process, with compassion and care.

Molly is a Lecturer at the University of Chicago Law School, where she teaches in the Prosecution and Defense Clinic.  She has also taught criminal procedure at DePaul University College of Law.   Molly was a member of the Seventh Circuit’s Electronic Discovery Pilot Program Committee (Criminal Subcommittee), and is adept at managing the intricacies of complex electronic discovery.  Prior to opening her practice, Molly clerked for the Honorable M. Teresa Sarmina of the Court of Common Pleas in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.   She graduated from Temple University Beasley School of Law, where she served as Editor-in-Chief for Temple Political & Civil Rights Law Review.  Molly is a proud member of the National Lawyers Guild, a human rights bar association.

In her spare time, Molly provides legal support for those advocating for social justice.  She is an avid gardener.   Most of all, Molly loves fighting for her clients.

Michael Podgurski

Michael Podgurski is a criminal defense attorney with the Law Office of Molly Armour.  He began work with the office as a law clerk in 2019.  Michael graduated magna cum laude from the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC) Law School.  As a third-year law student, Michael received UIC’s Chancellor’s Student Service Award for his student organization work on campus.  Additionally, he received the National Lawyers Guild’s C.B. King Award, which is given each year to a law student who demonstrates an outstanding commitment to justice through their student, community, and legal work.  Michael has previously held positions with First Defense Legal Aid and Uptown People’s Law Center.  Michael won the 2023 Illinois State Bar Association Annual Lincoln Award Legal Writing Contest for his article: Cannabis, Cars, and Probable Cause.  He is a proud member of the National Lawyers Guild and currently sits on the board of the Chicago chapter.

Awards

Molly has been awarded Super Lawyer again for 2024 in the practice area of criminal defense.  She has been a Super Lawyer since 2019, and before that was a Super Lawyers’ Rising Star from 2016 to 2018.  Super Lawyers recognizes outstanding lawyers who have attained a high-degree of peer recognition and professional achievement.

Molly has also been consistently named as a Leading Lawyers’ Emerging Lawyer in the practice area of criminal defense.   Fewer than two percent of Illinois lawyers earn the distinction of being an Emerging Lawyer.