Allison Schoenthal

Allison Schoenthal is a partner in the firm’s Financial Industry group, Co-Chair of the Banking and Consumer Financial Services practice and the New York head of the Consumer Financial Services Litigation practice. She represents banks, trusts, lenders, government-sponsored enterprises, private equity firms, and loan servicers in consumer finance litigation and enforcement matters.

Allison is known for being “pragmatic in problem-solving litigation” and having “a wealth of knowledge in the consumer finance space,” according to Chambers USA. With more than two decades of experience representing financial services clients, Allison was recognized by The Legal 500 US in 2023 as “one of the best litigators and thought leaders” in consumer finance and “on the regulatory regime where she is the absolute best.”

Her experience includes individual and class action lawsuits, regulatory counseling and investigations, and defending against enforcement actions by state and federal regulators. She has handled more than 1,000 state and federal consumer finance matters, defending clients against claims under RESPA, TILA, FDCPA, TCPA, HOEPA, FCA, DPA, UDAP/UDAAP, among other statutes and laws. Allison and her team have obtained important rulings for financial institutions, and have a favorable track record representing clients in the lending industry.

Allison’s representative experience includes:

• Represent banks in class actions and mass arbitrations involving overdraft fees, non-sufficient fund fees, convenience fees, and fee disclosures
• Represented loan servicer in CFPB investigation and enforcement action and state regulator inquiries relating to loss mitigation practices
• Successfully resolved HUD inquiries, including discrimination complaints and investigations
• Create favorable law for lenders in New York state and federal appellate courts in forward and reverse mortgage foreclosure actions
• Affirmed in Second Circuit dismissal of class action alleging violations of FDCPA due to allegedly misleading debt validation notices*
• Represented the owner in a multimillion-dollar real estate and construction dispute between contractors, building owners, and investors*
• Successfully defended, through appeal, precedent-setting class actions concerning validity of automatic renewal and late-fee provisions*
• Obtained dismissal of a qui tam complaint against loan servicer asserting violations of the retaliation provisions of the False Claims Act and Dodd Frank Act*

*Denotes experience prior to joining Goodwin.

Prior to joining Goodwin, Allison was most recently a partner at Hogan Lovells in New York, where she built and led the firm’s Consumer Financial Litigation practice.

Allison is a member of the Association of the Bar of the City of New York, where she serves on the New York Foreclosure Task Force and previously served on the E-Discovery Working Group and the Committee on Professional Ethics. She is also a member of the New York State Bar Association.

Allison currently serves on the Banking Editorial Advisory Board for Law360, and on the Board of Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA-NYC), an organization that advocates for children and youth in the New York City foster care system, and the Board of the American Jewish Committee (AJC) New York.

For four consecutive years, Allison has been Chambers USA-ranked nationwide for Consumer Finance Litigation. Chambers USA notes that Allison is “very talented and highly competent,” “pragmatic in problem-solving litigation,” and “prides herself on providing the absolute best client service. That means understanding the client’s business to determine the best outcome for the client both legally and business-wise." In 2023, Allison was selected as a Next Generation Partner by The Legal 500 US. She has also been recognized as one of Crain’s Notable Women in Law and by Law360 as an MVP for Banking. Allison was also selected to the American College of Consumer Financial Services Lawyers.

Allison has been quoted in The New York Times, Newsday, Bloomberg BusinessWeek, Inside Mortgage Finance, Law360, and the New York Law Journal on consumer finance and mortgage-related issues and also regularly speaks at key industry conferences. She is also a regular author of thought leadership pieces on consumer finance issues.

Allison’s recent publications include,

• Co-Author, “Expect CFPB Scrutiny on AI in Lending,” Law360, July 17, 2023
• Quoted, “CFPB's 'Disturbing' Data Breach Sparks Ire, Credibility Doubts,” Law360, April 26, 2023
• Quoted, “CFPB ‘Repeat Offender’ Registry Sparks Concerns of Overreach,” Bloomberg Law, December 21, 2022
• Quoted, “What Buy Now/Pay Later Fintechs Can Expect Next From the CFPB,” American Banker, October 3, 2022
• Quoted, “Chopra Is Going After Fintechs Now,” Payments Compliance, April 27, 2022
• Quoted, “Dormant’ Dodd-Frank Powers Eyed to Boost Fintech Oversight,” Bloomberg Law, April 25, 2022
• Quoted, “California Watchdog Takes Spotlight in Mortgage Scam Settlement,” Bloomberg News, January 19, 2022
• Quoted, “Rohit Chopra-led CFPB cracking down early on data, automation,” Compliance Week, October 28, 2021
• Quoted, “Chopra to Tackle Stacked CFPB Agenda After Winning Confirmation,” Bloomberg Law, September 30, 2021 
• Quoted, “Warren’s Brainchild CFPB Finds Footing After Decade of Pushback,” Bloomberg Law, July 21, 2021 
• Co-Author, “CFPB's New Foreclosure Limits Will Be Tough On Servicers,” Law360, July 1, 2021 
• Quoted, “With a Reinvigorated CFPB, What’s Next for the NYDFS?” HousingWire, June 18, 2021 
• Co-Author, “COVID Eviction Bans May not Continue to Survive in Court,” Law360, April 30, 2021
• Quoted, “Financial Watchdog Hit with Deluge of Covid-Related Complaints,” Bloomberg Law, April 12, 2021
• Quoted, “NY High Court Resolves Foreclosure Timeliness Issues,” Law360, February 22, 2021
• Quoted, "Progressives Fret Over Biden’s Pick to Oversee National Banks," Bloomberg Law, February 5, 2021
• Quoted, “COVID-19 Response to Drive Biden’s CFPB in Early Days,” Bloomberg Law, November 12, 2020
• Quoted, “CFPB Enforcement Sees Highest New Case Volume In 5 Years,” Law360, October 14, 2020
• Co-Author, “How Tolling Orders May Complicate NY Mortgage Collections,” Law360, July 22, 2020
• Co-Author, “COVID-19 Relief Efforts Heighten Fair Credit Reporting Risks,” Law360, July 2, 2020
• Quoted, “States Try to Help Borrowers Left Out of Federal Forbearance Plans,” American Banker, June 4, 2020
• Co-Author, “Coronavirus Crisis Will Spark Consumer Protection Enforcement Actions,” Bloomberg Law, May 7, 2020
• Co-Author, “Financial Cos. Face CARES Act Litigation, Enforcement Risks,” Law360, May 7, 2020
• Quoted, “Attorneys Predict Rent Cancellation Defense, Challenges,” Law360, March 31, 2020
• Author, “Past Crises Model Virus Response For Mortgage Industry,” Law360, March 26, 2020
• Quoted, “Agencies Move To Halt Foreclosures, Evictions Amid Outbreak,” Law360, March 18, 2020
• Quoted, “Banks Raise Hackles as CFPB Enforcement Ramps Up,” Bloomberg Law, March 13, 2020
• Quoted, “CFPB Unveils Whistleblower Award Plans, Guidance Program,” Law360, March 6, 2020
• Co-Author, “Consumer Finance Poised For Greater Scrutiny From States,” Law360, February 18, 2020
• Quoted, “CFPB's 'Abusiveness' Policy Seen As Missed Opportunity,” Law360, January 28, 2020
• Quoted, “CFPB Limits Its Own Powers Against Abusive Conduct in New Policy,” Bloomberg Law, January 24, 2020
• Quoted, “In Rebuke of CFPB, States Look to Get Tough On Debt Collectors,” American Banker, January 15, 2020