News + Resources

Professor Justin Driver, the Robert R. Slaughter Professor of Law and Counselor to the Dean at Yale Law School, will deliver an address on "Schooling Free Speech" about freedom of expression in America's schools at 5:00 p.m. on Thursday, February 9.

McGlinchey is pleased to announce the addition of eight new associates in its Financial Services Litigation and Enterprise Litigation & Investigations practice groups in the last two months of 2022. The litigators join the firm’s Birmingham, Dallas, Cleveland, Houston, and New Orleans offices.

McGlinchey is pleased to announce that David Waxman and James “Jim” Sandy, attorneys in the firm’s Cleveland office, have been named to the 2023 Ohio Super Lawyers and Rising Stars Lists.

McGlinchey is pleased to announce that 17 attorneys in the firm's Baton Rouge and New Orleans offices have been named to the 2023 Louisiana Super Lawyers and Rising Stars lists.

McGlinchey is pleased to announce that nationally recognized entertainment attorney Hillel Frankel, who focuses on music transactions, film licensing and distribution, and intellectual property, has joined the firm as Of Counsel in Nashville.

McGlinchey Stafford is pleased to announce that attorney Amanda S. Stout has been selected for the 2023 Leadership Baton Rouge professional development program.

McGlinchey Stafford is pleased to announce the four attorneys who have been name Of Counsel, all of whom were formerly Associates at the firm, effective January 1, 2023.

Michael Ferachi, McGlinchey's Managing Member, was one of three interviewed and quoted in a story in Law360 Pulse about leadership's predictions and focus areas for mid-sized firms in 2023.

Director of Human Resources and Chief Diversity Officer Eliska Plunkett was interviewed for a recent New Orleans CityBusiness profile, "New Orleans Industry Partnerships, Business Initiatives Fuel Diversity, Equity, Inclusion," about an initiative to drive change in the local legal diversity landscape.

McGlinchey is pleased to announce that it has been named among the “Best Places to Work” by New Orleans CityBusiness for the second year in a row.

International Association of Defense Counsel (IADC) shared member Deirdre McGlinchey was honored as part

New Orleans City Business shared a round-up of exciting news out of the firm's New Orleans office.

McGlinchey is pleased to announce it has been recognized with the 2022 Top Performer and Compass Award designations by the Leadership Council on Legal Diversity (LCLD). These distinctions illustrate McGlinchey’s commitment to LCLD’s mission of creating a truly diverse legal profession. The mid-size firm is honored alongside Am Law 100 and 200 firms and major international corporations as recipients of both recognitions.

McGlinchey Stafford is pleased to announce that the firm has been ranked on Vault’s 2023 Best Law Firms for Women list. The mid-size firm is accompanied on the list by several AmLaw 100 and 200 firms.

McGlinchey Stafford is pleased to announce the addition of six new associates this fall in the firm’s New Orleans office.

McGlinchey Stafford PLLC announced Monday that it has hired two members and an associate who specialize in maritime law to its enterprise litigation and investigations practice group in New Orleans.

McGlinchey is proud to announce that Deirdre McGlinchey has been named to the 2022 Irish Legal 100. The award reception took place in Washington, DC, at the home of the Irish Ambassador to the United States on October 19, 2022.

McGlinchey is pleased to announce the national recognition of attorney Robert Savoie (Cleveland) and its FinTech practice group in the 2023 Chambers FinTech guide.

McGlinchey is pleased to announce that admiralty and maritime Members (Partners) Marcelle Mouledoux and Kevin Frey and Associate Morgan Kelley have joined the firm’s Enterprise Litigation and Investigations practice group in New Orleans.

McGlinchey is pleased to announce that Jessica VanTroost, Strategic Operations Administrator resident in the firm’s Jacksonville office, has been elected to the international board of directors of the Association of Legal Administrators (ALA).

On December 8, 2022, Joseph A. Apatov (Fort Lauderdale) will co-present a live webcast on the significant and latest issues surrounding consumer class actions as well as practical strategies to mitigate class action risks.

Of Counsel Michael Blumenthal (Cleveland) was quoted by the International Fiber Journal on November 16, 2022. He discussed his predictions for PFOA and PFOS.

Talk of bitcoin and cryptocurrency has been unavoidable in recent years. What should Louisiana businesses understand to play in this new sandbox?

McGlinchey is proud to announce that Baton Rouge Member J-P Perrault has been named the 2022 recipient of the Margaret Neely Award by The Emerge Center for Communication, Behavior, and Development. The Neely Award is Emerge’s highest honor, given in recognition of dedicated service to Emerge and the children it serves.

We often look to the federal judiciary as the gold standard of American jurisprudence. However, when it comes to the rapidly evolving cannabis industry, the federal judiciary has been anything but consistent.

Of Counsel Aleks Altshuler (New York) was profiled in Law360 on November 7, 2022. He discussed why he chose to move to McGlinchey and the services McGlinchey offers to clients.

in "Rohit Chopra is cracking down on big banks and Big Tech — and business groups claim he’s out of control". He discussed the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau's (CFPB) forward-thinking approach.

McGlinchey Stafford PLLC is pleased to announce two national practice group rankings and 42 metropolitan practice area rankings in U.S. News - Best Lawyers® “Best Law Firms” for 2023.

McGlinchey is proud to announce that Member (Partner) Francis "Rasch" H. Brown, III has been named to Lawdragon’s inaugural 500 Leading Litigators in America list in the practice areas of commercial liability, products liability, and torts.

Member Heidi Urness  (Seattle) was interviewed by Bloomberg Law on November 2, 2022, in "Cannabis Worker’s Death Triggers Closer OSHA Industry Scrutiny". She discussed the federal government's view on cannabis industry oversight regarding working conditions.

McGlinchey Stafford is proud to announce that Member (Partner) Marshall Grodner has been appointed to serve on the Louisiana State Law Institute’s Uniform Commercial Code Committee.

McGlinchey is pleased to announce that Aleksandr “Aleks” Altshuler has joined the firm’s Financial Services Litigation practice group as Of Counsel in the New York office.

The National Celebration of Pro Bono is held the last week of October each year. In recognition, Baton Rouge associate Remington M. Angelle offered his insights on recent pro bono work he has done with Southern University Law Center.

Member Douglas Charnas (Washington, DC) was interviewed on the All Things Chemical® Podcast on October 13, 2022. He discussed the Superfund Tax, which entities the tax applies to, how to identify taxable chemicals and the difference between taxable chemicals and taxable substances.

Member Angie Christina (New Orleans) was profiled in Law360 on October 28, 2022. She discussed returning to McGlinchey, and how she plans to grow her practice with McGlinchey's support.

McGlinchey is pleased to announce that Angie Christina has returned to the firm’s New Orleans office as a Member (Partner) in the firm’s Enterprise Litigation & Investigations practice group. She worked in the firm’s Commercial Litigation practice group, most recently as Member, from 2007-2017.

Katherine Schnack (Cleveland) was interviewed by Auto Finance News about how to stop ID fraud in "Combating ID fraud: Five steps to prevention".

Katherine Schnack (Cleveland) was interviewed by Auto Finance News about how credit repair fraud "Out of the shadows: Exposing how credit repair schemes cost lenders billions".

Michael Ferachi, McGlinchey Stafford’s Managing Member, was interviewed by Law.com about talent retention in "What Midsize Firms Get Right and Wrong About Retaining Talent”. Michael shares his approach to flexibility and expectations.

Ben Schupp spoke with Law360 about the temporary waiver of the Jones Act to expedite Puerto Rico's Hurricane Fiona recovery efforts. Because of recent amendments to the law, Jones Act waivers are likely to become rarer or, at least, more restricted.

is pleased to announce that Jessica Johnson has rejoined the firm’s the financial services litigation practice in Cleveland. Jessica represents clients in commercial litigation and financial services litigation matters in the Ohio state and federal courts, with a primary focus on defending banks, mortgage lenders, and loan servicers in state, federal, and bankruptcy court proceedings.

McGlinchey is pleased to announce that Nicole Johnson has joined the firm’s Financial Services Litigation practice group as Of Counsel, associated with the Irvine office. Nicole’s practice will focus on representing consumer financial services companies in litigation matters. With 14 years of litigation experience, Nicole represents mortgage loan servicers, loan beneficiaries, foreclosure trustees, and other financialMore

Michael Ferachi, McGlinchey Stafford's Managing Member, was interviewed by Law.com about talent retention in "How Mid-Market Firms Are Retaining Talent. Here’s a Hint: It’s Not About the Money". Michael shares his approach and how he instills this from the top down.

McGlinchey is pleased to announce that seasoned regulatory attorney Katherine Romano Schnack has joined the firm’s Financial Institutions Compliance practice group as Of Counsel, associated with the Cleveland office.

Baton Rouge Member Rudy Aguilar was featured in the September/October 2022 issue of the Baton Rouge Lawyer, the magazine of the Baton Rouge Bar Association.

McGlinchey is pleased to announce that seasoned regulatory attorney David Tallman has joined the firm’s Financial Institutions Compliance practice group. David is a Member (Partner) based in the firm’s Houston and Dallas offices.

Helen Mosothoane (Dallas) was interviewed by Law360 Pulse on August 26, 2022, about her new role as Co-Chair of the National Association of Women Lawyers (NAWL) Diversity and Inclusion Committee, McGlinchey's work in DEI, and the current environment for women in law.

Congress’ reinstatement of the Superfund tax on crude oil and petroleum-product imports is likely to have a more straightforward implementation process than the related tax on chemicals, Member Douglas Charnas (Washington, DC) told Inside EPA.

McGlinchey is proud to announce that Helen Mosothoane, Counsel in McGlinchey’s Dallas office, has been named Co-Chair of the National Association of Women Lawyers (NAWL)’s Diversity and Inclusion Committee.

Aaron Kouhoupt and Paul Lysobey (Cleveland) sat down with Auto Finance News to discuss the landscape of data privacy and what lenders need to know to comply with the changes. 

McGlinchey is proud to announce that 53 of its attorneys have been recognized in the 2023 edition of The Best Lawyers in America® and Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch.

Member Kelly Lipinski (Cleveland) was featured in Cleveland Jewish News on August 15, 2022. She discussed how McGlinchey supports first-year attorneys, including work-life balance, providing diverse exposure, and what she recommends young attorneys seek out in a law firm.

Member Ben Gross (Irvine) was profiled in Law360 on August 11, 2022. He discussed moving to McGlinchey, the impact of technology on the financial industry, and bringing an in-house counsel point of view to the table.

McGlinchey is pleased to announce that experienced financial services compliance attorney Ben Gross has joined the firm as a Member (Partner) in California, associated with the Irvine office. Ben focuses his practice on compliance matters facing the mortgage servicing and origination and Fintech industries.

McGlinchey Stafford is proud to announce that Member (Partner) Marshall Grodner has been elected a Fellow in the American College of Mortgage Attorneys (ACMA).

McGlinchey is proud to announce that Member (Partner) Adina Pollan has received the Leaders in the Law Award from the Florida Association for Women Lawyers (FAWL), which strives to propel women lawyers into economic, social and leadership spheres of power. She is also recognized in the 2022 edition of Florida Trend’s Florida Legal Elite, which lists just over 1% of the active Florida Bar members.

Member Douglas Charnas (Washington, DC) spoke with Inside EPA about whether it would be "reasonable" to look at a 1983 draft IRS rule in the absence of formal IRS guidance, even though the measure was eventually withdrawn.

McGlinchey is pleased to announce that Members (partners) Camille R. Bryant and Daniel T. Plunkett have been named “Leadership in Law” honorees by New Orleans CityBusiness. This award recognizes legal professionals in New Orleans for their career and community accomplishments.

McGlinchey is proud to announce that Amanda Stout (Baton Rouge) and the firm have been honored for contributions to the Capital Area United Way (CAUW).

nd Internal Investigations team Bob Driscoll (Washington) appeared on “On Balance with Leland Vittert” on NewsNation on July 19, 2022. He discussed U.S. Attorney General Garland's memo regarding sign-off for investigations into political candidates.

As Office Managing Attorney, Zelma will focus on the day-to-day operations and management of the employees and the office itself. McGlinchey’s office leadership now comprises 50% diverse attorneys.

McGlinchey is pleased to announce that four attorneys in the firm’s Fort Lauderdale and Jacksonville offices have been named to the 2022 Florida Super Lawyers and Rising Stars lists.

McGlinchey is pleased to announce that Adina Pollan has joined the firm’s Financial Services Litigation group as a Member (Partner) in the Jacksonville office. Adina will focus her practice on legal matters spanning the corporate life cycle, including bankruptcy and commercial litigation to corporate formation, governance, and transactions.

Member Camille Bryant (New Orleans) was interviewed by Nation’s Restaurant News about the recent unionization of Starbucks stores and a Chipotle location as well as the impact this could have on the industry as a whole. “Everyone in the restaurant industry was on the front lines and was dealing with health and safety issues withoutMore

The hire of New Orleans litigation attorney Allyson C. Byrd was covered in a Law360 Pulse article on June 27, 2022.

Andrew Albritton (New Orleans) was interviewed by Law360 Pulse on June 23, 2022, about inclusivity in the legal field, McGlinchey's LGBTQ+ Resource Group, and his advice to law students.

McGlinchey is pleased to announce that Ally Byrd has joined the firm’s Enterprise Litigation and Investigations section as a Member in the New Orleans office. Ally focuses her practice on products liability and mass tort lawsuits alleging economic loss, product defects, and personal injuries, and defends premises liability, workplace injury, and workers’ compensation claims, as well as employment litigation.

Cannabis practice group chair Heidi Urness (Seattle) was quoted in an article in High Times detailing the disconnect between some cannabis companies, their branding, and marketing efforts, and the consumers who purchase their products.

McGlinchey Stafford PLLC has announced an expanded and renamed version of its LGBT+ employee resource group, which was renamed McGlinchey PRIDE with the goal of increasing its presence beyond the internal workings of the firm and becoming more community-facing.

Member Heidi Urness (Seattle) joined a Women in Cannabis Panel on the Green Rush, a 2-hour weekly live cannabis business talk show produced by Pro Cannabis Media every Friday. The show discusses news issues in the cannabis market and each week conducts a deeper dive into specific topics of the industry.

Director of Human Resources and Chief Diversity Officer Eliska Plunkett appeared on an episode of Baton Rouge Public Radio's Lousiana Considered "NOLA’s legal field has long been white male-dominated. This collaborative seeks to change that". She outlined how the group she helped start last year, New Orleans Legal Diversity Collaborative (NOLDC), works to address diversity, equity, and inclusion issues in the legal field.

Of Counsel Brian Fink (Washington, DC) is quoted in “CFPB tees up investigations of AI-based underwriting, adverse action notices” in Auto Finance News. Brian is a former regulator in the CFPB’s Office of Supervision Policy. The article covers CFPB’s attitudes towards AI and approach to enforcing related federal laws. Fair lending and the use of technology has beenMore

Washington Member Bob Driscoll (Washington) was quoted in The Washington Post on June 6, 2022, discussing his client David Shafer’s cooperation with the Justice Department’s investigation into efforts to overturn the 2020 election. Robert Driscoll, a lawyer for Shafer, said the Georgia GOP chairman has provided all of his communications about the elector process to theMore

Washington Member Bob Driscoll (Washington) was quoted in CNN Politics on June 6, 2022, discussing his client David Shafer’s cooperation with the Justice Department’s investigation into efforts to overturn the 2020 election. “None of these communications, nor his testimony, suggest that Mr. Shafer requested or wished for confidentiality surrounding the provisional electors,” attorney Robert Driscoll said.More

McGlinchey is proud to announce that the firm is relaunching McGlinchey PRIDE, a network for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and ally attorneys. The group’s mission is to create a home where McGlinchey’s LGBTQ+ attorneys and allies feel welcomed, affirmed, valued, and empowered.

McGlinchey is pleased to announce that 18 attorneys and nine practice areas have been recognized in the 2022 edition of Chambers USA – America’s Leading Lawyers for Business.

Member and Co-Chair of the Government and Internal Investigations team Bob Driscoll (Washington) appeared on “On Balance with Leland Vittert” on NewsNation on May 31, 2022. He discussed the Justice Department’s investigation process and the particulars of the investigation into Michael Sussmann.

McGlinchey’s Consumer Financial Services Regulatory team is proud to be listed in the 2022 “Special Finance 175,” a recognition presented by SubPrime Auto Finance News for organizations that “support companies and dealerships with sound guidance and tools to navigate the ever-changing regulatory demands.”

McGlinchey is pleased to welcome ten summer associates from nine law schools who will work in six offices alongside our attorneys nationwide.

Margaret "Peggy" Cascino (New York City) will join a panel discussion on "Emerging from a Pandemic: The Foreclosure & Court Environment - New York State" at the New York Banker's Association Annual Convention in Saratoga Springs on Wednesday, June 8, 2022. The panel will discuss foreclosure, New York Homeowner Assistance Fund, complex litigation, and current legislative hot topics.

Margaret "Peggy" Cascino (New York City) will co-present "Operational Best Practices to Enhance Your Compliance Management System" during the Servicing after the Pandemic Track of the Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA) Legal Issues and Regulatory Compliance Conference in Miami on Monday, May 23, 2022.

The Coronavirus’s impact on workplaces has led to what many are calling “The Great Resignation.” It’s impacting every industry nationwide, leaving many employers scrambling to retain and replace employees. In this second installment, we’ll discuss strategies for improving workplace culture, staying nimble, and empowering employees to be their authentic selves.

Tarush Anand (Houston) was profiled in The Houston Lawyer, where he and his wife Nehal, a Labor and Employment attorney, discussed being a family immersed in the law and the team effort of balancing home and work during COVID-19.

McGlinchey Stafford PLLC announced today that it hired an experienced attorney as a Seattle-based member and the new chair of the firm's cannabis practice.

McGlinchey is pleased to announce that nationally-recognized cannabis attorney, Heidi Urness, has joined the firm as a Member. She will be the Chair of the Cannabis Practice Group and located in Seattle. Heidi will focus her practice on representing participants from the broad range of the cannabis industry spanning hemp, CBD, and THC-related businesses, including business owners and operators, investors, banks and financial institutions, insurers, and industry and trade organizations.

Chair of McGlinchey's Labor and Employment team Magdalen Blessey Bickford (New Orleans) spoke with Law 360 about the 'Great Resignation', including steps employers can take to attract and retain employees in a tight labor market.

On March 31, 2022, California Governor Gavin Newsom approved Assembly Bill 2179, which extends existing protections for California renters.

On March 24, 2022, a complaint was filed against Equifax Information Services, LLC based on its alleged inaccurate reporting of a mortgage loan delinquency. The borrowers filed the two-count complaint in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California, alleging Equifax violated the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) and the California Consumer Credit Reporting Agencies Act (CCRAA). The borrowers contend Equifax failed to follow reasonable procedures to establish maximum possible accuracy in the preparation of the borrowers’ credit reports. As a result, they seek actual, statutory, and punitive damages, attorney fees and costs, and other relief.

Almost eight million borrowers entered forbearance plans during the pandemic, including those plans available under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. Many borrowers have exited their forbearance plans. As a follow-up to its May 2021 report, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) recently published an updated report on the characteristics of mortgage borrowers who remained under the protection of a forbearance plan as of January 2022 to help understand their demographics and financial capacity.

McGlinchey is pleased to announce that Robert Savoie, a Member (Partner) in the firm’s Cleveland office, has been named to The American Lawyer’s 2022 list of Midwest Trailblazers. This list spotlights professionals who are agents of change in their respective practice areas.

The hire of insurance regulatory Member Lauren Ybarra (Dallas) was covered in a Law360 Pulse article on April 28, 2022. “I enjoy insurance because it not only provides protection for consumers but is also an ever-evolving area of law. Within my practice I get to work with companies who are truly seeking to improve the publicMore

News of McGlinchey’s most recent consumer financial services compliance team hires, Amy Greenwood Field (Washington, DC) and Aaron Kouhoupt (Cleveland) was covered by SubPrime Auto Finance News on April 25, 2022.

Chair of McGlinchey's Labor and Employment team Magdalen Blessey Bickford (New Orleans) spoke with Nation's Restaurant News about the legal complications of the struggle between Starbucks and its unionized employees, including issues of contract negotiation, union busting, unfair labor practices, and union elections.

McGlinchey is pleased to announce that Lauren Ybarra has joined the firm’s Insurance Regulatory group as a member (partner) affiliated with the Dallas office.

McGlinchey is proud to announce that the Senate and Governmental Affairs Committee has selected Camille Bryant, a Member (partner) in the firm’s New Orleans office, to serve on Louisiana’s Board of Ethics.

McGlinchey is pleased to announce that Aaron Kouhoupt has rejoined the firm as a Member (Partner) in the national Consumer Financial Services Compliance practice group. Aaron focuses on advising traditional banks as well as fintech start-ups navigating the federal regulatory regime surrounding bank partnership programs and launching consumer finance products on a national scale.

On Tuesday, April 12, 2022, Chase Stoecker (Fort Lauderdale) will present to the Jacksonville Association of Legal Administrators on how the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) have been impacted by the work from home revolution due to the impact of COVID-19.

McGlinchey is pleased to announce that Alfred Carry and Stephanie Hand-Cannane have been selected to participate in the Leadership Council on Legal Diversity (LCLD)’s programs for diverse, high-potential attorneys.

Member and Co-Chair of the Government and Internal Investigations team Bob Driscoll (Washington) appeared on "On Balance with Leland Vittert" on NewsNation on March 31, 2022.