Mollie M. Pawlosky

shareholder

Email:

mpawlosky@dickinsonbradshaw.com

Tel/Direct 1:

515.246.4504

Tel/Main 1:

515.244.2600

Location

801 Grand Ave.
Suite 3700
Des Moines, IA 50309

Support Team

CINDY DILLINGER: (PARALEGAL)

cdillinger@dickinsonbradshaw.com

515.246.4532

mpawlosky@dickinsonbradshaw.com Download vCard LinkedIn Blog Full Bio Summary

Introduction

Clarifying complexities and approaching litigation from common ground. That’s Mollie Pawlosky’s foundation for building client relationships. “Clients don’t let their passions dictate their business decisions,” Mollie explains. “It’s my goal to ensure clients don’t let their passions dictate their decisions during litigation.”

Through her commercial litigation practice, Mollie walks clients through complex litigation such as commercial foreclosure, collections and creditors’ rights, corporate governance disputes, construction litigation and mechanic’s lien disputes, and appellate work. Before joining Dickinson Bradshaw in 2002, Mollie practiced general business litigation for several years with a large Chicago firm.

Mollie’s experience fosters her knack for answering complex problems with workable solutions – helping clients tackle litigation from a practical business perspective at each turn.

Practice Areas

Education & Background

J.D., DePaul University College of Law (with Honors; Order of the Coif, DePaul Law Review)
B.A., Grinnell College (with Honors, IES Madrid Semester Program, Phi Beta Kappa)
Associate at Foley & Lardner LLP, Chicago, Illinois, 1996-2002

Honors & Awards

Chambers USA

Selected for inclusion in the 2009-2023 editions of Chambers USA: America’s Leading Lawyers for Business as a “Leading Individual” in the area of General Commercial Litigation in the state of Iowa. Mollie has drawn the following published commentary from the editors of Chambers USA (Source: 2009-2023 editions of Chambers USA: America’s Leading Lawyers for Business, © 2009-2023 Chambers & Partners, reproduced with permission from Chambers & Partners):
- 2009: “Mollie Pawlosky is one of the firm’s leading full-time litigation lawyers. She has a busy practice acting for banks and financial institutions, and also handles some foreclosure-related litigation.”
- 2010: “Clients appreciate Mollie Pawlosky’s big-firm experience from her time practicing at a national law firm in Chicago and highlight her ‘diligent work ethic and superb accessibility.'”
- 2011: “Mollie Pawlosky is an experienced commercial litigator with a practice that takes in securities, construction and creditors’ rights. ‘She’s very knowledgeable of the law, both in Iowa and beyond, and is great to providing spot-on, candid advice.'”
- 2012: “Mollie Pawlosky provides ‘very thorough and knowledgeable’ counsel on issues ranging from securities to construction.”
- 2013: “Mollie Pawlosky covers a broad range of litigation, including insurance, construction and contract disputes, and also has an active appellate practice. ‘I couldn’t ask for a better partner,’ said one client, adding: ‘She’s done an outstanding job.’ “
- 2014: The “very pleasant and capable” Mollie Pawlosky advised the First Bank and Trust Company of Illinois on the foreclosure of Sioux City Hotel and Conference Center. One satisfied client states: “I couldn’t ask for more – she is outstanding.”
- 2015: According to one client, Mollie Pawlosky is a “true gem” who “knows how best to assist clients and is an amazing negotiator.” Her areas of expertise include insurance and construction disputes.
- 2016: "Mollie is one of the few people that just have a wealth of experience in the federal court."
- 2017: Sources praise Mollie Pawlosky as "great in the courtroom and well respected by peers." She represents a wide variety of clients from different industry sectors in disputes, yet is particularly active in commercial litigation.
- 2019: Mollie is described by sources as "very thorough and articulate in describing complex legal proceedings." Interviewees also comment that she is "very knowledgeable" and a "strong advocate." She is particularly experienced in advising clients from the banking and finance sectors.
- 2020: Mollie Pawlosky is noted for her skillful representation of various financial institution in matters pertaining to breaches of fiduciary duty and securities law violations, as well as foreclosure litigation. Clients remark: "She is very knowledgeable and she wins cases, pure and simple!"
- 2021: Clients note, "She has done an excellent job working with us."
- 2022: "Mollie Pawlosky is noted for her skillful representation of various financial institutions in matters pertaining to breaches of fiduciary duty and securities law violations."
- 2023: "Mollie regularly represents clients from the insurance, construction, energy and banking sectors."

Best Lawyers

Selected for inclusion in the 2016-2024 editions of The Best Lawyers in America in the area of Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights/Insolvency and Reorganization Law.
Selected for inclusion in the 2020-2024 editions of The Best Lawyers in America in the area of Commercial Litigation.

Martindale-Hubbell

AV Preeminent Peer Review rated since 2008 – the highest rating in legal ability and ethical standards.

Other Awards

Selected as one of the Des Moines Business Record’s Forty Under 40 honorees for 2010.

Jurisdictions

Admitted to practice in the following states:

Iowa
Illinois

Admitted to practice before the following federal courts:

U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit
U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit
U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Iowa
U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Iowa
U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois
U.S. District Court for the Central District of Illinois

Reported Cases and Representative Matters

Handled foreclosure from the creditor side for the largest hotel in Sioux City, Iowa.
Participated in three-week, multi-million dollar jury trial and appeal regarding whether defective construction is covered under commercial general liability insurance policy.
First-chaired multi-million dollar class action jury trial in Polk County District Court regarding receipt of demutualization proceeds by an insurance policyholder.
Routinely obtains summary judgments on behalf of clients in contested litigation.
Significant experience in motion practice and bench trials to the court.

Memberships & Activities

U.S. District Court Merit Selection Panels
- 2022 Chair of the Merit Selection Panel to assist with the replacement of Magistrate Judge Stephen H. Locher
- 2022 Chair of the Merit Selection Panel to assist with the consideration of the retention of Magistrate Judge Stephen B. Jackson
- 2014 Member of the Merit Selection Panel to assist with the replacement of Magistrate Judge Ross Walters
American Arbitration Association
- Panelist, Consumer and Commercial Panels, 2020-Present
Grinnell-in-Des Moines Area Regional Planning Committee
- Member, 2023-Present
Iowa State Bar Association
- Federal Practice Committee
  - Member, 2007-2023
  - Chair, 2012-2014
Lincoln Inne
- Member, 2013-Present
- President, 2021-2022
Iowa Supreme Court Grievance Commission
- Member, 2014-2020
Attorney Admission Fee Fund Committee for the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Iowa
- Member, 2012-2019
Southern District of Iowa Branch of the Historical Society of the United States Courts in the Eighth Circuit
- President, 2021-present
C. Edwin Moore Inn of Court
- President, 2012-2013
- Master
Iowa Board of Mortuary Science
- Member, 2017-2023
American Bar Association
- Member, Litigation Section
Polk County Bar Association
- Member
East High (Des Moines Public Schools) Alumni Association
- President, 2011-2012
East High (Des Moines Public Schools) Alumni Scholarship Foundation
- Member, Board of Directors, 2009-2013
- Chair, Scholarship Committee, 2009-2013