Education

• Carnegie-Mellon University, B.S., 1990
• Wake Forest University School of Law, J.D., 1993 

Experience

• Representing and counseling clients regarding numerous federal and state consumer protection laws, including the Fair Credit Reporting Act, the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act, Financial Privacy Act, The Maxwell Government Access to Financial Records Act and the West Virginia Consumer Credit and Protection Act
• Representing and counseling financial institutions on compliance of federal and state banking laws, including the Truth in Lending Act, Regulation Z, Home Owners' Loan Act, the National Bank Act, the Home Ownership and Equity Protection Act, the Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act and state usury statutes
• Defending financial institutions and other creditors in class action and individual lawsuits for alleged violations of TILA and state and federal consumer protection laws
• Representing clients in investigations by the State Attorney General regarding alleged violations of consumer protection laws
• Representing creditors in complex business and personal bankruptcy reorganizations and liquidations
• Representing clients regarding Articles 2, 2A, 3, 4 and 9 of the Uniform Commercial Code
• Representing clients regarding payment systems, including check conversions, demand drafts, electronic fund transfers, Regulation E, the Electronic Fund Transfer Act and ACH Operating Rules

Distinctions

• Named the Best Lawyers® "Lawyer of the Year" for Financial Services Regulation Law in Charleston, W.Va., 2022, 2020, 2017
• Named the Best Lawyers^® "Lawyer of the Year" in the area of Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights/Insolvency and Reorganization Law in Charleston, W.Va., 2019
• Named the Best Lawyers® "Lawyer of the Year" for Litigation - Banking & Finance Law in Charleston, W.Va., 2018, 2016 & 2014
• Recognized by West Virginia Super Lawyers
• Recognized by the West Virginia State Journal as one of the top 40 next generation of leaders for the state of West Virginia
• Nominated by his peers for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America in the areas of Bankruptcy & Creditor-Debtor Rights/Insolvency & Reorganization Law, Corporate Law, Financial Services Regulation Law, Litigation - Banking and Finance Law, and Litigation - Bankruptcy Law

Admissions

• West Virginia State Bar
• District of Columbia Bar
• West Virginia Supreme Court of Appeals
• United States Supreme Court
• United States District Courts for the Northern and Southern Districts of West Virginia
• United States Bankruptcy Courts for the Northern and Southern Districts of West Virginia
• United States District Court for the Western District of Tennessee
• United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit

Memberships

• Founding Member, American Bar Association State Attorneys General and Department of Justice Issues Committee

Publications & Presentations

• Speaker, "CFPB Proposed Rulemaking Highlights: Debt Collection and the Fair Collection Practices Act," West Virginia State Bar Consumer Law Seminar, May 2019
• "Cuomo v. Clearing House Association: The Muddy Storm," author, American Conference Institute's Ninth Annual Conference on Consumer Finance Class Actions and Litigation, 2010
• "Attorney General Objections to Proposed Class Action Settlements under the Class Action Fairness Act of 2005," co-author, American Conference Institute's Ninth Annual Conference on Consumer Finance Class Actions and Litigation, 2010
• "Survey of Recent Attorney General Investigations and Enforcement Actions Relating to the Consumer Finance Industry," American Conference Institute's Eighth Annual Conference on Consumer Finance Class Actions and Litigation, 2009
• "An Overview of Strategies and Unique Issues Involving Consumer Finance Class Actions," American Conference Institute's Sixth Annual National Advanced Forum on Consumer Finance Class Actions and Litigation, 2006
• "Preemption and the National Uniform Credit Reporting Provisions of the Fair Credit Reporting Act and the Fair and Accurate Credit Transaction Act of 2003," American Conference Institute's Fifth Annual National Advanced Forum on Consumer Finance Class Actions and Litigation, 2005
• "The Changing Landscape of Firm Offers of Credit Under the Fair Credit Reporting Act and the Fair and Accurate Credit Transactions Act of 2003," American Conference Institute's Fifth Annual National Advanced Forum on Consumer Finance Class Actions and Litigation, 2005
• "Predatory Lending: An Outline of Issues and Concerns in the Subprime Lending Market," WVCLE, 2003
• Numerous other publications
• Speaker at the West Virginia Chamber of Commerce's 30th Annual Legislative Conference

Community Involvement

• Regional Committee Member for the Northeast/Mid-Atlantic Region of the American Red Cross, 2001 - 2004
• Volunteer Regional Liaison to the State of New Jersey for the American Red Cross
• Chair, Central West Virginia Chapter of the American Red Cross Board of Directors, 1998 - 2000