Practice Chair

Leah C. Dempsey

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Background

Parses laws and complex regulatory changes. Well-connected financial services industry professional. Builds coalitions of like-minded stakeholders to advance positions and policies.

Leah Dempsey is a nationally respected lawyer and advocate with deep expertise in consumer finance and a proven ability to guide clients through complex regulatory, legislative and policy environments. As co‑chair of the firm’s financial services practice, she is widely recognized for her command of financial laws and the federal agencies that shape them. She brings proven versatile experience across other highly regulated sectors including housing, capital markets, telecommunications, healthcare, transportation and emerging technology.

Her work blends sophisticated legal analysis, policy insight and coalition building to help organizations anticipate regulatory change, shape federal rulemakings and advance their priorities in Washington. Clients rely on her not only for her ability to translate regulatory developments across industries, identify broader policy trends and craft integrated advocacy strategies that resonate with lawmakers and regulators.

Leah advises nearly a dozen trade associations and a wide array of businesses on regulatory strategy before federal agencies, including the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, Federal Communications Commission, Federal Trade Commission, National Credit Union Administration, U.S. Treasury, the Department of Education, the Federal Housing Finance Agency,  U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, the Securities and Exchange Commission, and other key regulators. She also counsels clients facing supervisory or enforcement activity, drawing on deep experience with the Administrative Procedure Act and congressional oversight processes.

A skilled advocate and collaborator, Leah has led successful efforts to help craft federal rulemakings, strengthen industry positions, and challenge agency overreach through litigation and amicus briefing, including matters before the U.S. Supreme Court. She is known for building coalitions of diverse stakeholders and developing practical strategies that resonate with policymakers.

During her time in executive and leadership roles at financial trade associations in Washington, Leah fostered strong relationships on Capitol Hill and at federal agencies. She served as vice president and senior counsel for federal advocacy at ACA International, where she led efforts to develop and implement the industry advocacy agenda for third-party agencies, asset buyers, vendors, banks and other creditors. She also represented thousands of credit unions across the country as senior director of advocacy and counsel at Credit Union National Association (now America’s Credit Unions), leading its Consumer Protection Advocacy team. Early in her career, she worked on the legal team for several Republican candidates.

Leah co‑chairs Brownstein’s Women in Leadership Initiative in the Washington, D.C. office, supporting the development and advancement of women across the firm and the broader legal community.

 

Practices:

Industries:

TRENDING ISSUES:

Insights & Publications

Insights & Publications

Credentials

Education

J.D., 2010, University of Baltimore School of Law

B.A., 2006, University of Delaware

Admissions

Washington, D.C. 

Maryland

Supreme Court

U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia

Memberships

Chair, Debt Collection and Bankruptcy Subcommittee, American Bar Association Consumer Financial Services Committee

Board Member, Women in Housing and Finance

Exchequer Club of Washington, D.C.

Community Involvement

COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT

Executive Committee, Lawyers Campaign Against Hunger, Maryland Food Bank

St. Peter’s Church on Capitol Hill

Recognition

RECOGNITIONS:

Top Lobbyist, National Institute for Lobbying and Ethics, 2025

Top Washington Lobbyist, The Hill, 2020 and 2021

Recognized as 40 under 40 by Women in Housing and Finance, 2019

Recognized as 20 Most Powerful Women in Collections, Collection Advisor Magazine, 2018

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