As global economic conditions shift and regulatory scrutiny increases, financial services companies face multiple challenges. High-stakes litigation among market participants has become prevalent, as parties attempt to resolve losses stemming from investments in the structured products that rose to prominence over the past decade. Consumer groups have become increasingly aggressive. The plaintiffs' bar is applying lessons learned from disputes with other industries in asserting aggregated claims against banks, credit providers, mortgage originators and servicers, indenture trustees and other financial services providers. State Attorneys General are investigating and prosecuting actions concerning consumer lending practices. And with the passage of the Dodd-Frank legislation, financial services providers face a new regulator, focused on furthering the interests of consumer borrowers without regard for the effects its efforts may have on the industry.
Lawyers in Hunton & Williams LLP's financial services litigation practice have decades of experience representing clients in business-to-business and consumer litigation. In helping clients prevent and resolve disputes, our lawyers draw on the firm's knowledge of the financial services industry and the products that are its stock in trade, including asset securitizations, collateralized debt obligations and credit derivatives. Over the past several decades, our lawyers have represented a number of the country’s most prominent businesses in high-profile disputes that presented challenges to fundamental business practices. In state and federal courtrooms across the country, our lawyers have developed an understanding of the risks and opportunities facing our financial services clients.
We understand that an effective legal strategy often addresses more than the dispute at hand. It also takes into account the business imperatives of our clients; the positions and preconceptions of the public, the press and regulators; and the objectives of litigation adversaries. We work closely with experts, trial consultants and public relations professionals to maximize the likelihood that our dispute-resolution efforts and messaging will help our clients achieve their business objectives.
We represent clients in the full range of consumer and financial services litigation, including matters brought under federal and state banking, consumer protection, deceptive and unfair trade practice, and other trade regulation statutes. Since many disputes involve overlapping areas of law, we collaborate with business lawyers from the firm's banking and financial services practice, as well as the firm's other key areas of concentration, to develop and deliver coordinated advice and representation.