Laurence E. Platt

Laurence Platt advises clients on a range of matters related to real estate finance, mortgage banking and consumer finance in both the primary and secondary markets. His practice includes:

• Drafting and negotiating agreements concerning: mergers and acquisitions of companies in both asset and stock transactions; loan broker, loan correspondent and whole loan purchase agreements; servicing rights purchase and sale agreements; and servicing and sub-servicing agreements.
• Counseling clients on federal and state consumer credit laws.
• Defending companies in connection with federal and state governmental audits, investigations and enforcement proceedings.
• Assisting in litigation involving consumer class action lawsuits and commercial claims.
• Advising clients on public policy issues related to housing finance issues.

Laurence has been ranked by Chambers USA for Financial Services Regulation: Consumer Finance - Compliance (Star Individuals) and was listed in Best Lawyers in America for banking and finance law. He has been elected a Fellow of the American College of Consumer Financial Services Lawyers. Laurence also received an inaugural Mortgage Excellence Award from Home Equity News in recognition of his service and contributions to mortgage lenders and the mortgage lending industry. Laurence has served on the board of directors for Montgomery Housing Partnership, Inc., a nonprofit, tax-exempt owner and developer of affordable housing in Montgomery County, Maryland. He helped found, and for more than 15 years was a pro bono lawyer for, the Unitarian Universalist Affordable Housing Corporation. Laurence was also previously a board member and counsel to the board of trustees at St. Andrew's Episcopal School in Potomac, Maryland.

• Served as part of legal team representing one of the five banks in the $25 billion global foreclosure settlement with the US Department of Justice, US Department of Housing and Urban Development and 49 state attorneys general, among others.
• Represented sellers and buyers of mortgage servicing rights with aggregate principal balances of over $500 billion since 2011.
• Represented sellers and buyers of mortgage companies (both originators and servicers) in stock and asset acquisitions.
• Represented lenders in formation of joint ventures with home builders and realtors.
• Advised clients on compliance with new "ability to repay" regulations.
• Counseled clients regarding the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.
• Serves as Adjunct Law Professor at Georgetown University Law Center: Advanced Legal Writing - Transactional Practice.

• George Washington University Law School, JD, with honors
• University of Pittsburgh, BA, with honors

• District of Columbia