Laura A. Stoll

Laura Stoll is Chair of Goodwin’s Los Angeles office, the head of the Litigation practice in Southern California, and a partner in the firm’s Financial Services group and Consumer Financial Services Litigation practice. She specializes in complex business litigation, class action defense, and representing companies in government investigations and enforcement actions. Laura has represented leading financial services institutions, including FinTech companies. She also represents private equity and portfolio companies, real estate companies, manufacturers, and pharmaceutical companies. In addition, Laura also advises financial institutions on regulatory compliance issues. She has extensive experience in both federal and state courts throughout the country.

Laura defends financial services and other companies against a wide variety of complex matters, including putative class actions, related to and arising under the Real Estate Settlement Procedure Act (RESPA), Truth in Lending Act (TILA), Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA), Fair Housing Act (FHA), Equal Credit Opportunity Act (ECOA), Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA), Fair Debt Collection Practice Act (FDCPA), Unfair and Deceptive Acts and Practices laws (UDAP), Unfair Competition Laws (UCL), and other consumer statutes and regulations. She also represents financial services and other companies in civil investigations and enforcement actions by various federal and state agencies. Her representative matters include:

• Successful defense of one of the world’s largest financial institutions against claims brought by a retailer regarding client customer accounts
• Representing a national debt collector client in a TCPA, RFDCPA (CA state version of FDCPA), and Right to Privacy action filed by various California District Attorneys on behalf of the People of the State of California
• Represented start-up FinTech company in regards to a dispute with a former founder
• Successful defense of a leading cryptocurrency platform in a class action lawsuit
• Represented Fortune 50 bank in defeating class certification in multiple cases and Multi-District Litigation proceedings where plaintiff-borrowers seek certification of nationwide classes based on allegedly deficient mortgage loan default servicing and/or improper implementation of mortgage loan modifications
• Represented Fortune 50 bank in a suit against the City of Los Angeles alleging defendants violated the Fair Housing Act by originating predatory loans to minority borrowers since 2004 and secured dismissal at summary judgement
• Represented Fortune 50 bank in defeating class certification in multiple cases and Multi-District Litigation proceedings where plaintiff-borrowers seek certification of nationwide classes based on allegedly deficient mortgage loan default servicing and/or improper implementation of mortgage loan modifications
• Represented leading manufacturer in supply agreement dispute in arbitration and secured dismissal of arbitration at summary judgment
• Represented manufacturer in connection with consumer class action alleging misrepresentations regarding product characteristics
• Represented a healthcare investment firm in connection with a series of trade secret misappropriation and patent infringement litigations
• Represented nation’s largest mortgage lender and Fortune 50 Company in numerous federal and state putative class actions alleging violations of state and federal law
• Represented national bank in series of lawsuits brought by municipalities alleging violations of the Fair Housing Act
• Represented a nationwide mortgage servicer in a government enforcement action brought by the Florida Office of the Attorney General and Florida Office of Financial Regulation alleging loan servicing violations under state and federal law
• Represented national bank in dispute with business client concerning merchant services processing agreement and processing of debit card transactions
• Represented nationwide bank in class action alleging breach of contract based on imposition of fees in connection with ACH transactions
• Represented nationwide bank in class action alleging breach of contract in connection with certificates of deposit
• Represented a merchant cash advance business in class action alleging usurious lending practices
• Represented debt collector in connection with government investigation and enforcement action brought by fourteen California District Attorneys resulting in favorable settlement of action
• Represented debt collector in various class actions alleging violations of the Telephone Consumer Protection Act
• Secured early summary judgment in favor of a client prior to the class certification briefing of a putative class action against a national online retailer alleging violations of the Telephone Consumer Protection Act
• Represented developer of pet care products in putative class action in California state court resulting in favorable settlement of action prior to motion practice
• Represented global developer of nutritional supplements in products liability actions
• Represented online legal technology company in action challenging company’s underlying business model and alleging the unauthorized practice of law*
• Represented global investment firm in connection with payment dispute arising out of purchase agreement
• Represented global investment firm in connection with dispute regarding breach of reps and warranties in purchase agreement
• Represented venture capital firm in four related state and federal actions alleging trade secret and patent violations
• Represented a cryptocurrency company and its officers and founders in dispute with a former founder and employee involving claims for breach of contract, breach of fiduciary duty and other common law claims
• Advised financial institution clients on compliance and practice changes, including in connection with the Telephone Consumer Protection Act, Dodd-Frank, Regulation Z, and NACHA Rules

*Denotes experience prior to joining Goodwin.

Laura is a member of the Women Lawyers Association of Los Angeles, Los Angeles County Bar Association and American Bar Association. She also sits on the Board of Directors and is highly involved with Bet Tzedek, a leading Los Angeles non-profit human and poverty rights organization. Laura is involved in numerous pro bono initiatives through Bet Tzedek, including partnering with LA Mayor Garcetti’s “LA Represents” initiative to support small businesses adversely impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Prior to joining Goodwin, Laura was an attorney in the Los Angeles office of Sidley Austin LLP. Laura also served as a law clerk to the Honorable George H. King (Ret.) of the U.S. District Court of the Central District of California, and as an extern to the Honorable Thomas B. Donavan in the Bankruptcy Court of the Central District of California.

While attending law school, Laura was the executive editor for the UCLA Law Review.

Laura authored “We Decline to Address”: Resolving the Unanswered Questions Left by Rojas v. Superior Court to Encourage Mediation and Prevent the Improper Shielding of Evidence, 53 UCLA L. Rev. 1549 (2006).

Her recent publications have included:

• Co-author, ”U.S. Paycheck Protection Program Loan Recipients: Risks of Qui Tam Actions Under the False Claims Act,” Goodwin Client Alert, May 15, 2020
• Co-author, “10 Takeaways from COVID-19 Emergency Regulations Impacting the FinTech Industry,” Goodwin FinTech Flash, May 4, 2020
• Co-author, “Trends in U.S. Paycheck Protection Program Class Actions,” Goodwin Client Alert, April 27, 2020
• Co-author, “COVID-19 Litigation and Government Investigations in the U.S.: What are We Seeing Now, and What the Future Holds,” Goodwin Client Alert, April 24, 2020
• Co-author, ”Collaboration, License and Other Commercial Agreements: Key Considerations for Life Sciences Companies in the Age of COVID-19,” Goodwin Client Alert, March 31, 2020
• Co-author, “COVID-19 and Consumer Financial Services: Navigating New U.S. and State Orders, Rules, Laws, Guidance, and Pleas,” Goodwin Client Alert, March 25, 2020
• Co-author, “The Implications of Coronavirus (COVID-19) on Contractual Performance and Negotiations,” Goodwin Client Alert, March 15, 2020
• Author, “Consumer Financial Protection Bureau Proposes Rules Prohibiting Class-Action Waivers in Arbitration Agreements,” Goodwin Client Alert, May 6, 2016

Speaking Engagements

Laura’s recent presentations have included:

• “Supreme Court & Appellate Court Update – Year in Review,” Mortgage Bankers Association Webinar, August 29, 2017