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, co-chair of the financial services practice, is a lawyer and advocate with a unique ability to lead efforts bridging policy, financial and telecommunications laws, regulations and politics. She advises several trade associations and helps a range of businesses in the financial services, housing, capital markets and fintech marketplaces navigate rulemaking and legislative processes.

Leah advocates before the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, National Credit Union Administration, Federal Communications Commission, Federal Trade Commission, Small Business Administration Office of Advocacy, Department of Labor, the U.S. Treasury, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, the Federal Housing Finance Agency, the Department of Housing and Urban Development, as well as other regulators.  

Leah also helps organizations understand their rights and options when facing regulatory supervision and enforcement activity. She has a deep understanding of the Administrative Procedure Act, the Small Business Regulatory Enforcement Fairness Act process and the Congressional oversight tools needed to ensure a fair and transparent process for businesses and industries. Leah has advocated for reforms to dozens of federal rulemakings and related legislation in Congress on her client’s behalf. She also regularly works with colleagues to challenge agency overreach through litigation and amicus briefs in courts around the country including the U.S. Supreme Court.

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 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 (CUNA), leading its Consumer Protection Advocacy team. Prior, she worked on the legal team for several Republican candidates.

Practices:

Industries:

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

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 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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