Thomas M. Hefferon

Tom Hefferon focused his practice for more than thirty years on the defense of some of the largest banks and other participants in the consumer financial services industry against government enforcement and civil litigation involving consumer financial services products and services. He led our industry-leading Consumer Financial Services Litigation Group. For many years, Tom was ranked by Chambers USA as a Star Individual in “Financial Services Regulation Consumer Finance (Litigation)”.

Tom’s litigation practice concentrated on defending class action, MDLs and impact lawsuits involving a large variety of consumer financial services products and practices. These cases typically arose under state and federal statutes and included matters involving fair lending; payments; privacy; federal preemption; unfair practice allegations; and challenges to home mortgage origination or servicing practices. Tom also frequently acted for industry trade associations, including appearing as amicus curiae in litigation.

Tom’ enforcement defense practice included investigations, supervisory inquiries and other matters before federal agencies – including the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, the Federal Trade Commission, the Department of Justice, and federal banking agencies – and before numerous State attorneys general and State banking or other regulatory agencies. Tom also defended a number of prominent judicial and administrative enforcement actions against industry participants.  More broadly, Tom led numerous teams that provided advice and representation to the country’s largest financial companies in response to supervisory concerns.

In the 2011 Term, Tom argued in the United States Supreme Court, for the Respondent in Freeman v. Quicken Loans, Inc., which the Court decided unanimously in our client’s favor. 566 U.S. 624 (2012).  Over his career, Tom appeared in all but one of the federal circuit courts, in a number of state supreme courts, in five MDLs, and in lower federal and state courts throughout the country.

Tom also advised many of our financial industry clients on consumer compliance, litigation risk and conflict avoidance, including assisting them in navigating though the 2008 financial crisis and the 2020 pandemic.  

Tom was selected repeatedly for inclusion in prominent league tables, including Chambers USA and The Legal 500 U.S.  Tom regularly spoke at or chaired trade group or privately-arranged seminars on consumer credit topics, including, for more than a decade, chairing a twice-annual, two-day program on consumer class actions.