Thomas M. Hefferon
Areas of Practice
Tom Hefferon, co-leader of the Litigation Department in Goodwin Procter’s Washington, D.C. office, specializes in general civil litigation, with particular emphasis on the defense of financial institutions in the consumer financial services industry in both administrative proceedings and in the courtroom. Mr. Hefferon is also chair of the firm's Consumer Financial Services Litigation Practice and frequently provides compliance advice and litigation risk analysis to industry clients.
Work for Clients
Mr. Hefferon represents a wide range of corporate and individual clients in his national practice. He has been sole or joint lead counsel in the trial of cases in federal and state courts in Massachusetts, Connecticut, New York, Texas and Illinois. Among his clients are a number of prominent financial institutions defending nationwide class action lawsuits pending in a large variety of state and federal courts across the country. These cases typically arise under the Truth in Lending Act (TILA), the Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act (RESPA), the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA), state and federal unfair and deceptive acts and practices laws (UDAP), other consumer lending statutes and regulations, bankruptcy laws and the common law. The matters at issue in these cases include fair lending and ECOA; compliance with FCRA; privacy; TILA disclosures; the legality under RESPA of a variety of business practices; federal preemption; arbitration; assignee liability; loan servicing; foreclosure, bankruptcy and default issues; and claims that challenge various lending practices under a wide variety of federal and state statutes, including UDAP laws. He has an active practice before numerous state and federal courts. In the last five years, Mr. Hefferon and others in the group have defended more than 100 putative class actions, most of which were brought as nationwide class actions. He also is acting and has previously acted as lead counsel to mortgage industry trade...more » Mr. Hefferon represents a wide range of corporate and individual clients in his national practice. He has been sole or joint lead counsel in the trial of cases in federal and state courts in Massachusetts, Connecticut, New York, Texas and Illinois. Among his clients are a number of prominent financial institutions defending nationwide class action lawsuits pending in a large variety of state and federal courts across the country. These cases typically arise under the Truth in Lending Act (TILA), the Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act (RESPA), the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA), state and federal unfair and deceptive acts and practices laws (UDAP), other consumer lending statutes and regulations, bankruptcy laws and the common law. The matters at issue in these cases include fair lending and ECOA; compliance with FCRA; privacy; TILA disclosures; the legality under RESPA of a variety of business practices; federal preemption; arbitration; assignee liability; loan servicing; foreclosure, bankruptcy and default issues; and claims that challenge various lending practices under a wide variety of federal and state statutes, including UDAP laws. He has an active practice before numerous state and federal courts. In the last five years, Mr. Hefferon and others in the group have defended more than 100 putative class actions, most of which were brought as nationwide class actions. He also is acting and has previously acted as lead counsel to mortgage industry trade associations appearing as amicus curiae in cases that present significant issues for the consumer credit industry. Mr. Hefferon also represents financial institutions and trade groups in a variety of contested matters before federal and state administrative agencies, including the Federal Trade Commission, the Department of Housing and Urban Development, the Office of Thrift Supervision, numerous state attorneys general, and state banking agencies. In addition to his specialty area, Mr. Hefferon has substantial experience in complex commercial disputes, including contract litigation, insurance disputes, lender liability cases and litigation arising in connection with bankruptcies filed under Chapters 7, 11 or 13. less »
Professional Activities
Mr. Hefferon has been selected for inclusion in Chambers USA: America’s Leading Lawyers for Business. He is a member of the American Bar Association, and other state and local bar associations.
Publications/Presentations
Mr. Hefferon frequently appears as a panelist at continuing legal education seminars and Mortgage Banks Association and American Bar Association meetings. He has co-chaired numerous seminars on consumer credit litigation issues, including an annual American Conference Institute program on class action litigation in consumer lending.
Professional Experience
During the 1989-1990 academic year, Mr. Hefferon was an adjunct assistant professor of law at Boston College Law School while on leave of absence from Goodwin Procter.
Bar and Court Admissions
Mr. Hefferon is a member of the bars of the U.S. Supreme Court, the Commonwealth of Virginia, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and the District of Columbia. He is also a member of the bars of numerous federal circuit courts and district courts and has been admitted pro hac vice in more than three dozen other state and federal courts across the country.
Education
J.D., University of Chicago, 1986 (magna cum laude)
B.A., Trinity College, 1982 (magna cum laude)
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