Molly Webster is a senior associate at Kaplan Hecker & Fink LLP.
At Kaplan Hecker, Molly’s practice focuses on internal investigations, criminal defense, complex commercial litigation, and appellate advocacy, and includes a robust public interest practice focusing on reforms to the criminal legal system. Molly represents companies and individuals in investigations and criminal proceedings by the SEC, DOJ, and other federal and state law enforcement agencies. She also advises boards of directors in connection with internal investigations, and represents corporations and their employees in high stakes complex commercial disputes using novel legal strategies. Molly was also involved in the external gender equity review of the NCAA’s championships, which culminated in the release of two public reports.
Molly has a far-reaching public interest practice. She represents indigent individuals in federal and state criminal prosecutions, as well as those seeking post-conviction relief. Molly also partners with other public interest organizations in advocating for those who have suffered the enmeshed consequences of the criminal legal system. Recently, Molly worked with the Legal Aid Society on a lawsuit that led to New York City restricting the use of criminal records in assessing applications for public housing. In recognition of her work, Molly received the Legal Aid Society’s Pro Bono Public Award in 2022. She has also represented constitutional law scholars in connection with challenges to pandemic-related relief for tenants at the appellate level.
Molly joined the firm from Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan, LLP, where she gained substantial experience in complex commercial litigation, as well as in constitutional law matters. While at Quinn Emanuel, Molly maintained a strong pro bono practice focused on criminal justice reform, immigrants’ rights, and transgender rights. From 2017-2018, Molly clerked for the Honorable Cathy Seibel of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York.
Molly received her law degree magna cum laude from the Fordham University School of Law. At Fordham, she was inducted into the Order of the Coif and was an associate editor of the Fordham Law Review. Her note “Alternative Courts and Drug Treatment: Finding a Rehabilitative Solution for Addicts in a Retributive System” was published in the Fordham Law Review and republished in the American Bar Association’s The Public Lawyer. Molly also served on the Moot Court Executive Board and was a finalist and Best Brief winner in a First Amendment Moot Court Competition. Molly was a Mary Daly Scholar and a recipient of the Archibald R. Murray Public Service Award. Also at Fordham, Molly was a student attorney for the Criminal Defense Clinic, where she represented indigent individuals charged with misdemeanors in New York. During law school, Molly also interned at the Bronx Defenders in its civil action practice, representing individuals in housing court and in disputes regarding public benefits.
In addition to her work at Kaplan Hecker, Molly is an adjunct professor of legal writing at Fordham University School of Law, where she teaches first year law students legal writing in a full-year course. Molly is also a mentor to public high school students in New York City interested in the law through Legal Outreach. Prior to law school, Molly graduated cum laude from New York University with a B.A. in Politics and French.
