People

Leslie Meredith Partner

Washington, D.C.

Leslie is an effective communicator who is able to distill complex facts and legal concepts, and turn them into simple, compelling, and persuasive stories. She is passionate about partnering with her clients to understand their priorities and find innovative and cost-effective strategies to resolve disputes favorably and manage compliance risk effectively.

In addition to representing clients in federal and state courts around the country, she has helped clients navigate and resolve enforcement actions by state and federal regulators, including the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC), Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC), Federal Reserve Board (FRB), Department of Justice (DOJ), and state attorneys general, relating to a wide range of subject matter areas, involving both traditional and alternative financial services.

Drawing on the breadth of her experience in the financial services industry, Leslie also counsels clients on compliance with consumer protection laws and supervision preparedness. Her areas of focus include:

• Prohibitions on unfair, deceptive or abusive acts or practices (UDAP and UDAAP)
• 50-state consumer lending compliance
• Federal preemption of state consumer and commercial credit laws, including rate exportation/most favored lender issues
• Customer complaints management
• Legal order response, including levies and garnishments
• Codes of conduct and business ethics, including policies related to outside business interests and the Bank Bribery Act

Leslie's recent work on behalf of financial services providers includes:

• Conducting internal investigations of suspected misconduct or violations of law and/or regulatory requirements
• Representing institution affiliated parties (IAPs) in enforcement actions brought under 12 USC 1818(e), including actions seeking orders of prohibition
• Assisting numerous banks, non-banks, and fintech companies in responding to examination requests, civil investigative demands, and subpoenas relating to a wide range of subject matter areas, including mortgage lending and servicing, securities based lending, ancillary credit products, and deposit accounts
• Conducting compliance risk assessments regarding various issues arising under federal and state consumer protection statutes and consumer lending laws
• Advising banks and non-bank financial institutions in connection with examinations by federal and state regulators, including responding to exam findings, Matters Requiring Attention (MRA/MRIA) and enforcement referrals

Prior to joining Orrick, Leslie was counsel at Buckley LLP. She also completed a six-month secondment at a large financial institution, working as a member of the private banking legal advisory group and the litigation department. Leslie is a Professorial Lecturer in Law at the George Washington University Law School, and maintains an active pro bono practice focused on criminal justice and immigration matters.

Alexis Murray Managing Associate

Washington, D.C.

Prior to joining Orrick, Alexis was an associate at Buckley LLP.

Jeffrey Naimon Partner

Washington, D.C.

He defends financial services companies facing complex examination or enforcement matters before the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), and federal and state banking regulators, with a focus on fair lending, unfair, deceptive or abusive acts and practices (UDAAP), loan servicing, privacy and credit reporting, debt collection, servicemember protections and other consumer protection issues.

He assists banks and nonbanks (including fintech entities) structure, negotiate and operate a variety of partnerships, outsourcing programs and other third-party arrangements, including performing due diligence, negotiating transactions and advising on ongoing oversight protocols to meet regulatory expectations for third-party arrangements.

Jeff also assists in negotiating acquisition, capital markets and servicing transactions, advising on how best to structure the transaction to reduce risk and expedite deal closure, performing due diligence and assisting in obtaining the necessary change of control and other regulatory approvals.

Jeff is consistently recognized as a leading lawyer in Financial Services Regulation: Consumer Finance (Compliance) in Chambers USA, which praised him for his "extremely high intellect regarding compliance matters and negotiation skills. There's none better at arguing a disputed point." He is also a Fellow of the American College of Consumer Financial Services Lawyers.

He currently serves as the Co-chair of the Professional Development Task Force and previously served as Co-chair (2011-2013) and Co-vice Chair (2008-2010) of the Truth in Lending Subcommittee of the American Bar Association’s Consumer Financial Services Committee and has authored numerous articles on consumer financial services.

Prior to joining Orrick, Jeff was a partner at Buckley LLP.

Elizabeth Olien Senior Associate

Washington, D.C.

Elizabeth represents businesses of all sizes, including financial, health care and educational institutions, as well as individuals, in a variety of business disputes, appeals, and government and internal investigations. Her experience includes resolving contractual issues, matters involving officers and directors of corporate and nonprofit boards, disputes between business partners and disputes between employers and employees. She has experience representing clients across the litigation life cycle, from assessing potential matters through discovery, including managing large-scale e-discovery efforts, taking and defending depositions and working with experts and consultants, to trial and appeal. She has argued before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit and the First Circuit, as well as in state and federal trial courts. She was one of the first attorneys to argue remotely before the Massachusetts Appeals Court in May 2020. She also maintains an active pro bono practice.

During law school, Elizabeth was selected to participate in the Boston College Law Massachusetts Attorney General Clinic, serving in the Administrative Law Division. After law school, she briefly returned to assist the Consumer Protection Division with an investigation into allegations of false and misleading statements by a rating agency regarding mortgage-backed securities.

Before law school, Elizabeth was a consultant in the federal services group of a global consulting firm where she designed and implemented business processes to support e-commerce functions and other enterprise information systems. She also worked with the firm’s foundation to develop its first corporate citizenship initiative focused on providing pro bono consulting services.

Prior to working at Orrick, Elizabeth was an associate at Buckley LLP in Washington. Before that, she was an associate at a boutique litigation firm in Boston.

Andrew Pennacchia Senior Counsel

New York

He frequently advises mortgage companies, fintechs, lead generators, consumer and commercial lenders, banks and other financial services companies on key federal and state consumer financial laws, safety and soundness regulations, multistate licensing requirements, and government agency lending and servicing guidelines. Andrew also assists clients with enforcement actions brought by federal and state regulators and conducts comprehensive regulatory assessments in connection with potential acquisitions designed to identify regulatory gaps and systemic compliance control deficiencies.

Andrew has assisted clients in facilitating compliance with the Equal Credit Opportunity Act (ECOA), the Truth in Lending Act (TILA), the Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act (RESPA), the Home Mortgage Disclosure Act (HMDA), unfair, deceptive or abusive acts or practices (UDAAP), the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA), the Gramm-Leach Bliley Act (GLBA), the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA), Controlling the Assault of Non-Solicited Pornography and Marketing Act of 2003 (CAN-SPAM), Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA), and other key federal laws.

His work also includes assisting clients in developing compliance management systems and vendor management programs that meet regulatory expectations, and in preparing for and managing examinations by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), federal prudential regulators, and state regulators. In addition, he represents clients in investigations initiated by the CFPB.

Prior to joining Orrick, Andrew was senior counsel at Buckley LLP. He also worked in Morgan Stanley’s Legal and Compliance Division, where he provided advice on various regulatory compliance requirements affecting securities-based, commercial and institutional lending, and assisted in the development and implementation of a risk-assessment process for retail lending products. Andrew was also a member of Morgan Stanley Credit Corporation's Mortgage Compliance Committee. Prior to his tenure at Morgan Stanley, he served as vice president of legal affairs for Premium Capital Funding LLC.

Marisa Perfetti Associate

Washington, D.C.

Prior to joining Orrick, Marisa was an Associate at Buckley LLP.

Ryan Pollard Partner

Washington, D.C.

Ryan focuses on representing borrowers and lenders in loan origination financing (in mortgage, auto, consumer and other loans, including warehouse and repurchase facilities) and servicing advance financing, acquisition financing (including mortgage servicing rights), syndicated financing, fund financing, working capital financing, litigation financing and asset based financing. He also assists clients with obtaining required applicable agency approvals in connection with these transactions.

Prior to joining Orrick, Ryan was a partner at Buckley LLP. He also was a corporate and securities associate in private practice, where he represented clients in a broad range of local, national and international corporate transactions.

Olivia Ragoowansi Associate

Washington, D.C.

Olivia advises clients on a wide range of regulatory and compliance matters.

Prior to joining Orrick, Olivia was a Paralegal and Summer Associate at Buckley LLP. During law school, she was an extern at the Eastern Virginia Legal Aid Society and worked with clients through William & Mary Law School's Immigration Clinic.

Norma Ramirez-Marin Senior Counsel

Santa Monica

Norma’s practice includes:

• Working with clients on the acquisitions of mortgage lending and money service business platforms, including obtaining the necessary approvals from federal and state licensing regulators for various licensing amendments
• Completing surveys on various licensing-related topics, including recordkeeping requirements, periodic reporting requirements, and licenses required to engage in the money transmission business or to make, broker, purchase, sell and service various loan products
• Assisting clients with licensing through their lifecycle, including obtaining de novo licenses and agency approvals, assisting with licensee record amendments, annual renewals, and license surrender following sale of assets or termination of a business line
• Advising clients with respect to state licensing and regulatory issues, including Nationwide Multistate Licensing System (NMLS) management issues and ongoing licensing maintenance issues

Prior to joining Orrick, Norma was senior counsel at Buckley LLP. She also previously served as the vice president of compliance and counsel for a fintech company.

Nathaniel Reisenburg Managing Associate

New York

Nathaniel counsels banks, blockchain exchanges, cryptocurrency issuers, financial institutions, technology companies, money transmitters, online gaming platforms, payment processors, and private equity firms. His practice includes services related to anti-money laundering, data collection and processing, internal investigations and risks assessments, money transmitter licensing, blockchain token offerings, mergers and acquisitions, money transmitter licensing, venture capital financing activities, and general corporate matters.

Following law school, Nathaniel co-founded a legaltech company in Japan, and developed the initial machine learning models and a front end used for an initial product offering. Nathaniel has since leveraged his development experience to communicate with and advise blockchain and machine learning ventures. In addition, Nathaniel has also lectured at Peking University in China, teaching constitutional law and an introductory class on U.S. legal principles, giving Nathaniel a unique perspective into the Chinese market.

Prior to joining Orrick’s New York office, he was an associate at the firm's Tokyo office. In addition, prior to law school, Nathaniel served for four years in the Canadian Army as an enlisted soldier tasked to conduct armored reconnaissance.  

Clinton Rockwell Partner

Santa Monica; San Francisco

Clint leads Orrick’s Financial & Fintech Advisory practice, a team that delivers synthesized regulatory, enforcement and transactional advice to more than 700 fintech market participants, as well as other leading financial institutions and funds.

Since 2010, Clint has been featured as a leading advisor in Chambers USA in the area of Financial Services Regulation: Consumer Finance (Compliance). Chambers has described him as "very adept at seeing legal issues from a business perspective and very good at protecting the interests of his client … a phenomenal lawyer." He is a member of the American Bar Association Consumer Financial Services Committee, the University of London Post Graduate Law Society and the Bentham Society at University College London.

Clint was one of the original members of Buckley Kolar LLP and served as Co-Managing Partner and a member of the partner board at Buckley LLP. Prior to joining Buckley, he was with Goodwin Procter LLP in Washington, D.C.

Michael Rosenberg Senior Associate

Chicago

Mike has represented clients in an array of matters, including employment, breach of contract and IP disputes, consumer protection class actions, and Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and Department of Justice (DOJ) investigations. His experience also includes advising software and financial services companies on privacy and regulatory issues, including with respect to the EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act (GLBA) and the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA). In helping clients ensure regulatory compliance, Mike also prepares data privacy and cybersecurity policies and procedures.

Prior to joining Orrick, Mike was an associate at Buckley LLP’s Chicago Office, and practiced at two law firms in New York City. He is a Certified Information Privacy Professional (CIPP/US).