Northern Illinois University
College of Law

Mary McDonnell teaches legal writing, advocacy and lawyering skills courses. She also contributes to the Academic Success Program. Prior to joining NIU College of Law, Professor McDonnell served as a Special Assistant United States Attorney, primarily prosecuting cases involving United States Postal Service employees. Her experience also includes her position as an assistant state's attorney in the Cook County State's Attorney's Office, where she handled vertical prosecutions of law enforcement misconduct cases. She began her legal career as an assistant state's attorney in the DuPage County State's Attorney's Office, focusing on DUI, traffic and general misdemeanor cases.

Professor McDonnell's teaching experience includes courses in legal writing and research at both Loyola University Chicago School of Law and Santa Clara University School of Law. She also taught transactional drafting at DePaul University College of Law. She is admitted to the Illinois Bar and is a member of the Legal Writing Institute.