John Socknat > Ballard Spahr LLP > Philadelphia, United States > Lawyer Profile

Concentrating on consumer financial services and products, Ballard Spahr LLP has experience representing clients facing CFPB and other regulatory enforcement, as well as advising financial institutions on regulatory due diligence involving consumer finance service companies. The firm also has a focus on payment systems in the fintech sphere. Leading the consumer financial services practice are Daniel McKenna, John Socknat and Joel Tasca. McKenna, based in Philadelphia, is active in class actions, particularly under the Telephone Consumer Protection Act, as well as individual litigation regarding consumer finance products on behalf of banks, non-bank lenders, mortgage providers and third-party service providers. Socknat and Tasca are based in Washington DC and Las Vegas respectively. Thomas Burke, in Philadelphia, is another key name to note within the firm for investigations and enforcements by regulatory bodies.

Ballard Spahr LLP has ‘a wealth of knowledge and experience in various areas across licensing, regulations, arbitration, litigation and privacy protection, making them a special one-stop shop for fintech companies‘. The firm has long had a strong focus on the fintech and payments industry, assisting a range of start-ups, banks and investors on the full range of issues. Ronald Vaske in Minnesota jointly leads the team with Lisa Lanham  in Philadelphia, who joined in 2022 from Alston & Bird LLP alongside of counsel, Rinaldo Martinez. Other key individuals include John Socknat in Philadelphia, who co-heads the firm’s consumer financial services group, and New York litigator Marjorie Peerce who is ‘an asset on any team‘.

The consumer financial services group at Ballard Spahr LLP offers comprehensive advice covering complex CFPB and agency regulatory, enforcement and litigation matters. The team is also recognized for its knowledge of cybersecurity and artificial intelligence, allowing it to attract a variety of payment system providers, fintech firms and private equity firms as clients. Daniel McKenna and John Socknat steers these efforts, working out of the Philadelphia and Washington DC offices, respectively; in Pennsylvania, John Culhane is noted for his student lending law knowledge. Former CFPB official Michael Gordon joined the firm in March 2022, with Mark Furlettti leaving in February 2022.