From: John Garger 212-262-7484 jgargernyc@aol.com Allan Ripp 212-262-7477 arippnyc@aol.com
Chapman and Cutler Adds Banking and Consumer Finance Partner
Jeffrey Langer brings regulatory, transactional, and litigation experience across multiple segments of consumer financial services ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------CHICAGO (April 22, 2008) – Chapman and Cutler LLP announced that Jeffrey I. Langer, a nationallyrecognized consumer financial services attorney, has joined the firm as a partner and member of the firm’s banking department. He is resident in Chapman’s Chicago office. Mr. Langer was most recently a name partner with Columbus, OH-based Dreher Langer & Tomkies L.L.P., where he counseled national, as well as regional, financial services companies on product development, compliance issues and regulatory matters. He also served as defense counsel on a number of consumer credit litigation matters, class action defense experience. His clients have included major banks, savings associations, credit card issuers, finance and mortgage companies, motor vehicle and recreational equipment financiers, and retailers, as well as lenders, marketers, guarantors and universities in the student loan area. Mr. Langer has worked with many Fortune 500 companies in establishing banking and credit operations, and is wellversed on various federal and state laws and regulations governing depository institutions and non-bank creditors. He has also represented foreign-based consumer finance companies in establishing and maintaining U.S. operations. “Jeff brings enormous knowledge of the consumer credit industry, with nearly 30 years experience in regulatory compliance, transactions and litigation,” said Marc Franson, a partner in Chapman’s Banking Department. “The sector is facing litigation on multiple fronts stemming from the credit crunch, while Chicago has become an epicenter for class actions targeted at financial services companies. Jeff’s broad knowledge of the industry and the challenges that it faces will be invaluable in defending clients against a wave of class actions and regulatory proceedings.” Chapman’s banking group now includes more than 50 attorneys in Chicago, San Francisco and Salt Lake City offices. In addition to advising on a wide range of sophisticated bank financings and regulatory matters, the firm provides litigation counsel to lender and loan servicer clients operating in the highly regulated consumer finance industry. This includes defense of class action and individual claims alleging violations of the Truth in Lending Act, Home Ownership and Equity Protection Act, Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act, Fair Credit Reporting Act, Equal Credit Opportunity Act, Fair Debt Collection Practices Act and various state consumer fraud and antipredatory lending laws. In a noteworthy case before the Illinois Supreme Court in 2005, Chapman partner Dianne Rist led the defense on behalf of banks and mortgage lenders in a closely watched appeal over the issue of lending fee limitations. The ruling in U.S. Bank National Association et al. v. Michael Clark et al. invalidated an Illinois law that restricted the amount of fees that lenders could charge their borrowers and imposed excessive penalties on financial institutions that exceeded those restrictions. “Being a Chicago native, my move to Chapman represents a homecoming for me,” said Mr. Langer, who also attended law school at Northwestern. “Even when practicing out of state, I held Chapman in high regard and appreciated the firm’s broad capabilities and sterling reputation in so many areas of financial services. It was important for me to offer my
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existing clients a bigger platform in banking, financial transactions, litigation and industry regulatory work. Chapman and Cutler certainly provides deep resources in all these areas.” Actively involved in the American Bar Association for more than 20 years, Mr. Langer is the immediate past chair of the ABA Business Law Section’s Consumer Financial Services Committee. He served as chair from 2003 to 2006. During his tenure, the Consumer Financial Services Committee’s programming broadened, visibility increased and membership expanded by nearly a third. Mr. Langer also is a Founding Fellow of the American College of Consumer Financial Services Lawyers, a member of the Consumer Bankers Association’s Lawyers Committee and an Editorial Advisor for the Consumer Financial Services Law Report. Earlier in his career, Mr. Langer was in-house counsel on consumer finance and bank regulatory matters at Household International, which since has been acquired by HSBC Holdings PLC, and then joined Jones Day in 1989, where he became a partner in 1992. Mr. Langer received his JD in 1980 from Northwestern University School of Law, where he was an editor of the Northwestern Journal of International Law and Business. He graduated, summa cum laude, from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in 1977. ### ABOUT CHAPMAN AND CUTLER LLP Since its founding in 1913, Chapman and Cutler LLP has focused on finance. The firm is recognized for the quality and sophistication of its work and its depth of experience in banking, bankruptcy and financial litigation, corporate finance and securities, public finance and tax. To complement that focus, the firm maintains a substantial corporate practice representing business entities in administrative and regulatory matters, commercial litigation, divestitures, employee benefits, environment, energy and resources, governmental relations, intellectual property, joint ventures, and mergers and acquisitions. The firm also provides trust and estate planning services for high net worth individuals. For more, go to www.chapman.com.