Leonard A. Bernstein
Partner
- T:
- +1 215 851 8143 (Philadelphia)
- T:
- +1 609 520 6005 (Princeton)
- F:
- +1 215 851 1420 (Philadelphia)
- F:
- +1 609 951 0824 (Princeton)
- E:
- lbernstein@reedsmith.com
- Vcard
Len is a member of the Financial Industry Group and a member of Financial Services Regulatory Group. Len founded and chairs the firm's Financial Services Regulatory Group and concentrates his practice in the representation of banks, thrifts, mortgage bankers and finance companies in providing consumer credit compliance advice on federal, Pennsylvania and New Jersey laws and regulations. The FSR Group addresses credit card, auto finance, deposit, residential mortgage and other retail finance products. Len is nationally known for expertise with federal Truth-in-Lending Act, Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act and similar laws, and works regularly with federal and state financial services regulators.
He and his colleagues also defend class actions and individual claims filed against financial services providers. Len is also active with the firm's Financial Services Litigation defense group and has been elected to the American College of Consumer Financial Services Attorneys.
Publications
- Co-author with Robert M. Jaworski, "Payment Shock Relief for Homeowners: The Save New Jersey Homes Act of 2008," New Jersey Law Journal, December 22, 2008, and also in Journal of Bankruptcy Law, December 2008
- Written articles about consumer finance in the New Jersey Lawyer, the New Jersey Law Journal and other publications
- Quoted frequently in the American Banker
- N.J. Attacks Gift Card Fees, NJ Banker, Fall 2006
- Frequent contributor to Pennsylvania Bar Association Quarterly
- "Getting Real: The Next Generation of Data Security Litigation,” Mid-Atlantic Executive Legal Advisor, published by American Lawyer Media, Fall 2006
- Pennsylvania's New Breach of Personal Information Notification Act - Customer Disclosure Requirements, Pennsylvania Bar Association Quarterly, April 2006
- "Predatory Lending Law: What Lenders Should Know," The Legal Intelligencer, April 2001
Speeches / Presentations
- Developed and chaired panel presentations on consumer credit compliance for the New Jersey Institute of Continuing Legal Education
- Made presentations on consumer lending law to the Mortgage Bankers Association of America, New Jersey Bankers Association, Pennsylvania Bankers Association, American Bankers Association, the National Home Equity Mortgage Association and the New Jersey Mortgage Bankers Association
- American Bar Association Consumer Financial Services Committee frequent presenter
- Frequent speaker at the Non-Summit Conferences sponsored by Home Equity News
- American Conference Institute ("ACI") Regulatory Compliance Conference Panel Participation
Experience
| 1992 | Reed Smith Member of the firm’s Executive Committee, 1999 - 2004 Chair of the firm’s Financial Services Regulatory Group Active with the firm's Financial Services Litigation defense group Regional Managing Partner in New Jersey, 2000; founded Reed Smith New Jersey office in 1992 |
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| — | Noted authority on consumer lending law and has written numerous articles and given many presentations on the subject to a broad variety of state and national banking industry and legal community publications and associations |
Legal Education
| 1983 | J.D., Temple University School of Law |
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Undergraduate Education
| 1980 | B.A. and B.S., University of Pennsylvania |
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Professional Affiliations
- In 2009,New Jersey Super Lawyer, and Rising Starsnamed Leonard as a Super Lawyer for his Banking Law practice.
- Selected as a 2009 Pennsylvania Super Lawyer in banking by Super Lawyers, Corporate Counsel Edition magazine
- Listed in The Best Lawyers in America for Banking Law for over 10 years
- Recognized in Chambers USA 2007 as one of America's leading banking and finance (regulatory) lawyers
- Founder of the New Jersey State Bar Association Consumer Finance Committee
- Past chair of the New Jersey State Bar Association’s Banking Law Section
- Past chair of the Philadelphia Bar Association Business Law Section and Young Lawyers Division
- Elected to the American College of Consumer Financial Services Attorneys
- Governing Committee of the Conference on Consumer Finance Law
- ABA Consumer Financial Services Committee
- Former President, Adath Israel Synagogue, 2003 - 2005
- Board Member, Support Center for Child Advocates
- Board Member, American-Israeli Chamber of Commerce
Interests
Len is originally from Fort Lee, New Jersey.