Consumer financial services companies turn to us for their most challenging or sensitive matters, including those that are likely to have industry-wide impact, such as arbitration matters, class defense, fraud and scam issues, debt collection, fair lending, credit reporting, disclosure issues, privacy and data security, disputes arising from financial tools and products, and loan servicing, among others. Our clients include credit card issuers, globally recognized banks and other financial institutions, insurers, mortgage lenders, payment processing firms, private equity funds, vehicle finance companies, and others.
We have deep experience in defending claims of unfair practices and false advertising throughout the country and particularly in states where government entities most often pursue these claims. We defend banks against litigation concerning many hot-button issues, including claims of wire fraud and financial elder abuse based on scams. In addition, we advise creditors and debt collectors on complex consumer debt collection issues regarding interpretive questions under the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA) and its implementing rules and state debt collection laws, as well as disputes arising under the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA).
Representative Matters
- Representation of Citibank in defending claims brought by the New York Attorney General seeking to expand the reach of the EFTA to cover wire transfers initiated online.
- Representation of Chase Bank, and the industry as a whole, in achieving an appellate victory before the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals, clarifying credit furnishers' limited obligation to investigate legal disputes in response to a Fair Credit Reporting Act inquiry.
- Representation of Discover Bank in defending a putative class action raising cutting-edge discrimination issues. Plaintiffs assert that Discover violated California and federal law by improperly considering immigration status during its underwriting process.
- Representation of Synchrony Financial, obtaining judgment in a complex breach of contract claim brought by client against a Synchrony card merchant. In that case, the merchant breached the parties’ contract providing that Synchrony would be the exclusive provider of a credit program to customers through August 2023 by beginning to offer a competing credit program in January 2021.
- Representation of Chase Bank in obtaining groundbreaking appellate decisions important to the industry as a whole, limiting depository institution liability in fraud/scam cases based on alleged elder abuse to require "actual" knowledge of the fraud or scheme on the part of the bank.
- Representation of EWS/Zelle in obtaining dismissal of all claims, including under the EFTA and state law, in multiple class and individual actions, based on alleged fraud/scams on the Zelle platform.
- Representation of multiple clients in responding to numerous mass arbitration proceedings before JAMS and AAA relating to card issues, including Truth in Lending violations, and deposit issues, including overdraft fees and EFTA violations.
- Representation of multiple clients in defending litigation and counseling regarding fair lending issues, including alleged national origin or citizenship discrimination.
- Representation of Verizon Wireless in obtaining a groundbreaking Ninth Circuit decision relating to appellate review of arbitration orders, which is particularly notable given the Ninth Circuit’s historically expansive view of appellate jurisdiction and because it forecloses the use of a procedural mechanism plaintiffs otherwise might employ to obtain early appellate review of orders compelling arbitration.
News & Publications
Blockchain Blog
Deputy Attorney General Memorandum: "Ending Regulation by Prosecution"
April 11, 2025
By: Marlon Paz, Andrew C. Adams, Evan T. Abrams, Galen Kast, Ryan Hayden, Sophia Breggia
Client Alerts
Congress Rolls Back Major CFPB Rules
April 10, 2025
By: Andrew Owens, Juliana Gerrick, Benjamin M. Saul, Jack Buttarazzi, Nathaniel Sans
Client Alerts
State Oversight: The Next Frontier for Consumer Protection
April 9, 2025
By: Julia B. Strickland, Benjamin M. Saul, Stephen J. Newman, Andrew Owens, Juliana Gerrick, Tarrian L. Ellis, Nathaniel Sans
Client Alerts
NY Attorney General Letitia James Proposes Overhaul of State UDAP Provision
March 14, 2025
By: Juliana Gerrick, Andrew Owens, Nathaniel Sans, Benjamin M. Saul
Client Alerts
California's Unfair Competition Law and Consumers Legal Remedies Act - 2024 Annual Overview
March 6, 2025
By: Julia B. Strickland, Stephen J. Newman, Christopher R. Fredrich, Raymond A. Garcia, David W. Moon, Julieta Stepanyan
Client Alerts
NYDFS Proposals Target Overdraft Fees
January 27, 2025
By: Stephen A. Aschettino, Tarrian L. Ellis, Andrew Owens, Benjamin M. Saul
Client Alerts
January 17, 2025
By: Evan T. Abrams, Tarrian L. Ellis, Christopher R. Fredrich, Coy Garrison, Andrew Owens, Benjamin M. Saul
Media Mentions
Media Quotes Julia Strickland in Articles About Citibank Case in the Southern District of New York
October 11, 2024
Press Releases
Steptoe Upholds $10.3 Million Summary Judgment on Behalf of Client Black Elk
August 14, 2024
Events
Webinars
California Latest Developments: The Unfair Competition Law and the Consumers Legal Remedies Act
March 25, 2025
Speakers: Stephen J. Newman, Julia B. Strickland, David W. Moon
Webinars
Website Privacy Litigation: Trends and Strategies for Claims Under CIPA
March 4, 2025
Speakers: Christopher R. Fredrich, Julieta Stepanyan, Andrew Shaxted
Webinars
Consumer Protection Regulation in 2025
December 11, 2024
Speakers: Akita Adkins, Daniel Blynn, Lee Berger, Eric Berman, Michelle Kallen, Benjamin M. Saul
Webinars
Legal Strategies and Practical Business Considerations for Dealing with Mass Arbitrations
October 8, 2024
Speakers: Stephen J. Newman, Jennifer Quinn-Barabanov