Paul Hastings Adds Renowned Financial Services Investigations, Regulation, and Litigation Team

New York and Washington, D.C. — Paul Hastings today announced the arrival of a high-profile team specializing in the representation of banks, non-bank financial institutions, fintechs, and other companies providing financial products and services. Jonice Gray Tucker, Matthew Previn, Aaron Mahler, and Kari Hall bring deep expertise representing financial services clients in matters that include government investigations, supervisory matters, litigation, and regulatory compliance and the team brings synergies with Paul Hastings’ client roster, including virtually every major investment bank in the world, as well as dozens of leading fintech companies.

The team’s precedent-setting representations include investigation and supervisory matters initiated by agencies that include the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), Federal Trade Commission (FTC), the Department of Justice (DOJ), the Federal Reserve Board (FRB), the National Credit Union Administration (NCUA) Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC), Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC), the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), as well as state attorneys general and state banking regulators. Gray Tucker, Mahler, and Hall are based in Washington, D.C., while Previn is in New York.

Gray Tucker is one of the country’s leading financial services attorneys, the immediate past Chair of the American Bar Association’s Banking Law Committee, and a frequent industry speaker. Recognized by Chambers USA as a leading lawyer in Consumer Financial Services (Enforcement & Investigations), Gray Tucker represents clients in high-stakes legal proceedings, including enforcement and supervisory matters initiated by the full gamut of federal and state regulators. She routinely provides strategic advice to senior corporate leaders, including Boards, as they navigate complex, and often unexpected business and legal challenges.  Gray Tucker’s practice also includes handling internal investigations, defending civil litigation and providing advice on compliance with consumer protection laws. She has particular expertise with laws governing fair and responsible lending. Gray Tucker has an extensive track record of positive resolutions for clients in matters involving controversy.

Previn represents banks, credit unions, mortgage originators and servicers, credit card issuers, and fintechs in a wide range of government investigations and regulatory examinations before the CFPB, FTC, OCC, and DOJ, as well as state attorneys general and state regulators.  He also represents financial services companies in internal investigations and in class action litigation. His understanding of the issues and risks facing financial services companies has made him a standout lawyer for the industry.  He has been recognized by Legal 500 as a leading lawyer in Financial Services: Litigation.

Mahler brings nearly 15 years of experience helping clients navigate complex federal and state enforcement actions and litigation. He has particularized experience handling matters for nonbanks, emerging companies, and individual officers and directors. Mahler is sought after for his thoughtful, creative approach in handling enforcement matters and has a remarkable record of successes in confidential investigations.

Hall is a trusted advisor to banks and non-banks alike, who was the lawyer supporting Retail Banking, among other areas, at a prominent bank before entering private practice. She advises clients on complex regulatory matters and risk management as well as in enforcement matters. She is well-known for her work in deposits, payments, mortgage, auto lending, and open-ended credit and is particularly sought after for her expertise in fair and responsible lending, electronic fund transfers, and deposit account-related compliance.

“Jonice, Matthew, Aaron, and Kari are superb lawyers who will excel across all aspects of regulatory and enforcement matters for our financial services clients,” said Seth Zachary, chair of Paul Hastings. “They support our mission to invest in areas that are strategically important across a rapidly evolving market environment.”

“Paul Hastings has a highly collaborative and client-focused culture that enables tremendous growth potential and excellence in execution,” said Jonice Gray Tucker. Matthew Previn added, “With elite practices in Financial Services, Investigations, and Fintech, Paul Hastings is a powerhouse, and we are excited to join our new colleagues around the globe to help clients navigate today’s evolving regulatory framework.”

Kwame Manley, chair of Paul Hastings’ Investigations and White Collar Defense practice, said, “Macroeconomic trends and a significant increase in regulatory enforcement investigations in financial services are generating strong demand for our services, and Jonice, Matthew, Aaron, and Kari combine exceptional experience and expertise while helping our practice build out a leading platform in New York and Washington, DC.

The industry has recognized Paul Hastings’ elite platform for Investigations and White Collar Defense and Fintech, with Law360 naming each one of its Practice Groups of the Year. The Investigations and White Collar Defense practice has also been named Global Investigations Review’s “Most Impressive Practice,” and was ranked again in the Top 10 of Global Investigations Review’s GIR 100, an annual guide to the world’s leading cross border investigations practices. In the last 18 months, the firm has continued to grow these premier practices, with the addition of Eric Sibbitt and Kenneth Herzinger in San Francisco, Allyson Baker, Meredith Boylan, Leo Tsao and Laurel Loomis Rimon in Washington, D.C.; and Chris DeCresce in New York.

About Paul Hastings

Dedicated to providing intellectual capital and superior execution to the world’s leading Wall Street and global investment banks, asset managers and corporations achieve their business and legal goals, Paul Hastings is a premier global finance law firm with elite teams in finance, mergers and acquisitions, private equity, and litigation. We are one of only a handful of law firms ranked across multiple core finance areas including: structured credit, leveraged finance, private credit, capital markets, and real estate finance.

Paul Hastings is ranked as one of the top firms in the world in The American Lawyer’s “Premier League” for momentum, profit and prestige amongst firms in the 2022 American Lawyer 100.