A Woodridge woman has been charged with stealing more than $550,000 from a former employer.

Mary Marra, 41, 3014 63rd St., was employed as a secretary at a Downers Grove law firm, according to the DuPage County state’s attorney’s office. Marra allegedly deposited unauthorized checks from the company’s bank accounts into her own personal account, authorities said.

The scheme began in December 2002 and continued through February 2008, according to the state’s attorney’s office. Marra also is alleged to have written checks from the estate of one of the law firm’s clients as well as forged her employer’s signature on several checks, authorities added.

Marra is free after posting 10 percent of her $100,000 bond. She faces up to 15 years in prison after being charged with three counts of theft, 11 counts of forgery, two counts of continuing financial crimes enterprise. Her next court date is Tuesday, May 19