Renowned for its ‘practical and smart’ counsel on litigation and investigations in the banking and consumer finance sectors, Goodwin acts for a roster of industry leaders in investment banking, mortgage lending, equity investment, and fintech groups. Consumer finance and fair credit class actions and civil lawsuits are mainstays of the practice, and the firm is particularly strong in relation to regulatory investigations and enforcements by the CFPB and state attorneys general. ’Subject matter experts in financial services’, the practice group is led by New York’s Allison Schoenthal and Washington DC’s Matthew Sheldon. Schoenthal is a consumer finance regulatory specialist and advises on putative class action litigation and loan portfolio management matters, while Sheldon handles defense mandates for banks facing enforcement orders.
Legal 500 Editorial commentary
Accolades
Client satisfaction: Lawyer & team quality
Testimonials
Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.
‘This practice stands out for its deep commitment to understanding each client’s business, culture, and strategic objectives. Partners and associate partners don’t just offer legal advice—they take the time to meet companies where they are, tailoring guidance that balances legal, operational, reputational, and financial risks. Their approach is collaborative and empathetic, ensuring that recommendations are practical and aligned with the client’s broader goals.
‘The Goodwin financial services litigation team, led by Matt Sheldon and Allison Schoenthal, are subject matter experts in financial services and mortgage litigation and regulatory issues. They have embraced AI technology as an efficiency tool, they collaborate well with clients and with colleagues at other firms on complex class actions, and they are a pleasure to work with.’
‘Matt Sheldon, Allison Schoenthal and their teams are industry experts who know our business well, and are equally comfortable in a courtroom, with regulators, and presenting at major trade association conferences on topics of the day. They work well with attorneys, legal staff, and business leaders, they don't "over-lawyer" issues that require efficient review and decisions, and they are practical and smart.’
Key clients
- Onity Group, Inc.
- Select Portfolio Servicing, Inc.
- Unison
- Hometap
- Snap Finance, LLC
- SoLo Funds, Inc.
- Wells Fargo
- Fannie Mae
- Keybank
- Fifth Third Bank
- Mr. Cooper Group
Work highlights
Representing Select Portfolio Servicing as sole defense counsel in several pending class actions in Eastern District of New York, District of Oregon, District of Columbia, and Middle District of North Carolina, which challenge the client’s charging of fees for the special handling of payments made on mortgage loans, called “pay to pay” fees or convenience fees.
Representing Hometap in an enforcement lawsuit brought by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, alleging that Hometap’s home equity investment product violates Massachusetts’ consumer protection act, G.L. c. 93A.
Represented Snap Finance, LLC in a first-of-its-kind enforcement matter filed by the CFPB in the U.S. District Court for the District of Utah.
Lawyers
Leading partners
The strongest partners in their field, leading on market-leading deals and endorsed by peers and clients alike.
Practice head
Allison Schoenthal; Matthew Sheldon