Desiree Chihade

Desirée Chihade is an eDiscovery attorney in the St. Louis, Missouri, office of Jackson Lewis P.C. Desirée provides practical, risk-conscious counsel that meets the demands of modern litigation by maintaining a strong command of existing and evolving case law on preservation and collection obligations, proportionality, privilege and defensibly handling metadata. Whether supporting internal investigations, third-party subpoenas or large-scale document productions in multi-district litigation, employers trust Desirée, whose practice is centered on transparency, efficiency and strategic insight at every stage of the discovery process.

In a time where organizations are able to maintain staggering volumes of data and yesterday’s technological proficiency can become outdated tomorrow, Desirée has a singular goal—provide comprehensive, defensible, and secure eDiscovery advice and planning. From drafting tailored ESI protocols and negotiating protective orders to overseeing and administering legal holds, data collections, high-volume reviews and productions, Desirée partners closely with both her clients and the greater case team  to ensure the case discovery strategy aligns with broader business objectives. Known for her fluency in both legal and technical domains, Desire frequently guides employers through thorny issues such as mobile device and social media collections, structured data production, cloud-based repositories and intricate chain of custody workflows.

Desirée uses her legal and industry-focused experience to advise on labor and employment disputes involving allegations of wrongful termination, discrimination, and trade secret misappropriation—particularly where digital forensics and custodian communications play a key role. In broker-dealer and financial services litigation, Desiree leverages her experience and understanding of regulatory obligations related to electronic communications, including Bloomberg chat data, mobile devices and off-channel messaging. In patent and trade secret matters, Desiree negotiates source code review protocols, balancing intellectual property protections with discovery compliance. 

Prior to joining Jackson Lewis, Desirée practiced at an AM Top 100 law firm, where she developed her foundation in managing discovery in complex, high-stakes litigation across diverse industries. 

Beyond her legal practice, Desirée serves on the board of The MICA Project, a nonprofit dedicated to providing pro bono legal services to immigrants in the St. Louis area. She is also a competitive member of the St. Louis Rowing Club, where she rows with the intermediate-level team.