Daria Kowalczyk
Partner; Global Co-Chair, Retail & Consumer Products | Chicago | Consumer Protection
Profile
Daria Kowalczyk is a partner in the Chicago office of Corvane Ryle LLP and Global Co-Chair of the firm's Retail & Consumer Products industry group. She advises retailers, brands and marketplaces on consumer protection, advertising and the regulatory questions that shape how they sell.
Daria counsels clients on pricing and promotions, loyalty programs, subscriptions and the use of data and AI in marketing. She is a frequent adviser to boards and general counsel on enforcement trends and on how to prepare for a regulator's inquiry.
She co-leads the industry group with the firm's regulatory and deal teams, working alongside Grace Whitcombe and Miriam Okafor-Lindqvist on matters from enforcement defense to consumer M&A.
Daria's work falls within the firm's Consumer Protection Practice and is particularly relevant to clients in Retail & Consumer Products, Hospitality, Gaming & Leisure and Technology. Daria is based in the firm's Chicago office.
Experience
Daria's representative matters include the following, many of which are confidential and described in general terms.
- Advised Halvern Retail Group on the regulatory aspects of its acquisition of Brightmoor Foods, including consumer-facing integration risks.
- Defended Larkspur Apparel in a multi-state attorney general inquiry into its pricing and promotional practices.
- Advised Fennwick Home on the design of a subscription and loyalty program across the United States and Europe.
- Represented a national retailer in a Federal Trade Commission investigation of its endorsement and review practices.
- Advised Brightmoor Foods on advertising claims and labeling for a new product line.
- Counseled Oriole Pharmacy Group on the consumer protection aspects of its loyalty program and its digital marketing.
- Advised a department store group on a compliance program for pricing, sales and sweepstakes.
- Advised Castellan Hotels on resort fee disclosure and drip pricing in its online booking pathways.
- Counseled Ashgrove Motors on consumer protection compliance for online sales and subscription features.
- Led the consumer regulatory diligence for Northwall Capital's acquisition of a direct-to-consumer brand.
- Advised a marketplace operator on its policies on fake reviews, seller verification and consumer redress.
- Advised a retail media network on the privacy and advertising disclosure aspects of its audience targeting offerings.
Insights
Daria's recent insights include the following.
- Loyalty Programs Under Scrutiny: Data Use, Dark Patterns and Point Devaluations, with Tomás Ellery-Vance.
- Personalized Pricing: State Legislative Activity and Enforcement Risk, with Tomás Ellery-Vance.
- Consumer and Retail M&A Outlook for 2027, with Miriam Okafor-Lindqvist.
Qualifications
Bar admissions
- State Bar of Illinois
- US District Court for the Northern District of Illinois
- US Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit
Education
- JD, University of Michigan Law School
- BA, Communications, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign