Doug Thompson focuses his practice on representation of institutional clients in the consumer financial services sector.  Mr. Thompson has experience in defending clients in various federal and state courts against putative nationwide and statewide consumer financial services class action matters including claims under the following statutes: Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act (RESPA), Truth in Lending Act (TILA), Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA), Fair Debt Collections Practices Act (FDCPA), Equal Credit Opportunity Act (ECOA) and fair lending statutes, as well as unfair and deceptive acts and practices statutes (UDAP), such as the California Unfair Competition Law.  In connection with these matters, he has been admitted pro hac vice in several federal district courts.
Mr. Thompson has experience in representing financial services and insurance clients in a variety of complex transaction level litigation matters as well. These matters have involved lender liability, unfair predatory lending, loan servicing related claims, forced place insurance claims, bad faith insurance claims handling, privacy, and bankruptcy matters. 
He also has represented financial institution clients in asserting claims against counter parties for alleged violations of representation and warranties and other mortgage lending related operational and contractual claims.
In other substantive areas, Mr. Thompson has had strategic responsibility for defending class actions asserting claims under the federal and state securities laws, shareholder derivative claims, ERISA claims as well as employment wage and hour class actions.  Mr. Thompson has assisted clients in regulatory and government agency investigations.
Prior to joining the firm, Mr. Thompson served as managing director and general counsel, litigation for Countrywide Financial Corporation, where he managed the company’s nationwide portfolio of litigation overseeing a team of approximately 50 litigation attorneys and paralegals as well as an annual budget which exceeded $60 million.  He has assisted clients in developing and implementing quantitative risk assessment protocols.  He oversaw the company’s electronic discovery and ESI protocols.  Moreover, Mr. Thompson has experience in managing litigation cost through the implementation of preferred litigation provider systems and legal matter management technology. For Bank of America, Thompson played a pivotal role in the 2008 merger integration of Countrywide’s litigation department into the Bank of America Legal Department. Thompson began his career at a Los Angeles law firm.

Representative Experience

• Obtained dismissal of putative class action alleging unfair and deceptive loan servicing practices in Guam federal court
• Representation of national mortgage lending entities and appraisal management company in  multiple matters filed in various federal courts asserting putative class claims for alleged RICO and RESPA violations in connection with home purchase finance and valuation
• Favorably resolved multi-plaintiff claims filed in Southern District of California federal court alleging RICO conspiracy and loan origination claims in connection with Florida property developments
• Representation of national loan servicer in putative national FDCPA class action pending in Indiana federal court
• Representation of national mortgage trustee and servicer in putative Illinois class action asserting allegations of unfair practices in connection with REO properties
• Representation of national servicer in connection with putative class claims alleging improper servicing payment processing

Publications

• “Class Action Update: The Increasing Scrutiny of Class Settlements and Other Developments,” The Business Lawyer, Vol. 60, No. 2, February 2005 (co-author)

Speaking Engagements

• “Truth-in-Lending: Responding to the Continuing Evolution of TILA and Its Case Law,” speaker, American Conference Institute Consumer Finance Class Actions & Litigation Conference, January 2010
• “Managing the Current and Future Waves of Discriminatory and Predatory Lending/Servicing Cases,” panelist/moderator, American Conference Institute Consumer Finance Litigation & Class Actions Conference, January 2009
• “Class Action Reform: One Year Later,” speaker/panelist, Association of Corporate Counsel-Southern California MCLE Conference, January 2006
• “Litigating Consumer Class Actions Involving Bankruptcies, Foreclosures & Defaults,” speaker/panelist, American Conference Institute Consumer Finance Litigation & Class Actions Conference, September 2005
• “Managing Litigation from the Loan Servicer’s Perspective,” speaker/panelist, Mortgage Bankers Association of America National Servicing Conference, June 2000
• Participant, Mortgage Bankers Association of America Class Action Litigation Working Groups, 1998-2002

Professional Affiliations

• American Bar Association, Litigation and Business Law Sections
• Los Angeles County Bar Association
• Association of Corporate Counsel (2003-2008)

Civic Involvement and Distinctions

• Constitutional Rights Foundation – Director, 2005-present
• Civil Justice Association of California – Director, 2003-2008
• Governor-Elect Arnold Schwarzenegger’s Transition Working Group for Civil Justice – Member, 2003