Viona J. Harris

Viona has worked on a wide range of consumer financial services matters involving topics such as loan modification, mortgage servicing, foreclosures, fair debt collection, fair credit reporting, unfair, deceptive, and abusive acts and practices (UDAAP), unauthorized accounts, and ERISA. Examples of the cases Viona has worked on include the following:

• Defended a national bank against allegations of unauthorized accounts in a class action lawsuit
• Defended a national bank against allegations of FDCPA violations in a class action lawsuit
• Defended a credit card issuer against allegations of FCRA violations in a private action
• Assisted a national bank in responding to an exam conducted by the CFPB regarding the bank’s credit card program
• Assisted a financial technology company in responding to and resolving a Civil Investigative Demand brought by the CFPB regarding the company’s unauthorized use policies and procedures
• Defended a mortgage lender in litigation brought by the CFPB concerning the lender’s mortgage servicing practices
• Defended a multinational health information technology company against allegations of ERISA violations in a class action lawsuit
• Defended a top-10 mortgage lender in litigation brought by the Department of Justice concerning loans underwritten and endorsed for FHA mortgage insurance

Viona currently serves on the advisory board of the Northeast Black Law Students Association (NEBLSA). While attending law school, Viona served as Chair of NEBLSA and as the Diversity & Membership Editor of the NYU Law Review. As a student-attorney, Viona worked with the Equal Justice Initiative to provide direct assistance to clients on death row in the post-conviction phase. Viona also worked at the Disability Rights Section of the Civil Rights Division of the Department of Justice.

Viona received the Gary E. Moncrieff Award at NYU Law School for her outstanding contributions to the area of race and the law, and the Vanderbilt Medal for outstanding contribution to the school of law.

• Author, “CFPB Issues Much Anticipated Guidance Regarding Abusive Acts or Practices,” JD Supra, February 4, 2020
• Co-author, “State of Enforcement: Recent Issues and Trends Facing the Financial Services Industry,” Goodwin Insights, April 9, 2019
• Author, "Access Denied: Tracking as a Modern Roadblock to Equal Educational Opportunity," 93 NYUL Rev. 903 (2018)

Viona is also a contributor to the firm’s Consumer Finance insights blog.