Matthew Sheldon > Goodwin > Washington DC, United States > Lawyer Profile

Goodwin
901 NEW YORK AVENUE, NW
WASHINGTON DC 20001
DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
United States
Matthew Sheldon photo

Position

Partner 

Career

Matt Sheldon counsels many of the nation’s largest banks, mortgage lenders, and fintech companies on their most sensitive regulatory, enforcement, and litigation matters. His practice focuses on helping those clients successfully align their business goals and strategies within the complex framework of federal and state regulatory requirements. Much of his work centers on assisting clients with their regulatory relationships, whether in the examination, investigation, or enforcement context.

Matt is a partner in Goodwin’s Consumer Financial Services Litigation practice and he serves as co-chair of Goodwin’s Banking and Consumer Financial Services practice. He is also the Head of Goodwin’s Litigation Practice for the Washington, DC office.

Matt is top-ranked by both Chambers USA and The Legal 500 US, with Chambers recognizing him as “a very thoughtful regulatory and litigation attorney, with a practical mindset toward complicated and often ambiguous issues.”

Although Matt specializes in advising clients on residential mortgage lending matters, he counsels and represents clients regarding a broad array of consumer financial services and products, including credit cards, payment systems, insurance and reinsurance, and ERISA-covered retirement plans.

Matt regularly represents financial institutions facing regulatory proceedings and government investigations by federal and state administrative agencies, including the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC), and state attorneys general. He also provides fair lending and regulatory compliance advice, including representing clients on matters relating to federal banking and consumer finance regulations, such as the FCRA, ECOA, RESPA, TILA and FDCPA, as well as state banking and consumer protection statutes.

In the litigation context, his practice focuses on defending financial service providers facing significant litigation matters, including class actions, in federal and state courts across the nation. His broad experience includes successfully defending a variety of clients in cases challenging fair lending compliance, financial product sales and marketing practices, reinsurance structures, and ERISA compliance.

Education

JD, 2006, William & Mary School of Law / BA, 2002, William & Mary

Lawyer Rankings

United States > Dispute resolution > Financial services litigation

Goodwin’s consumer financial services practice is well-regarded for its experience representing financial institutions and fintech companies in class actions and enforcement matters. A particular area of growth for the group has been CFS disputes as a result of increased state and federal focus on ‘junk fees.’ The firm is led by Allison Schoenthal, based in New York, and Matthew Sheldon, based in Washington DC. Schoenthal has a broad range of expertise including enforcement defense, representation in class actions, and advice on compliance and risk. Similarly, Sheldon is well-versed in class actions and defending clients in matters pertaining to fair lending compliance, financial product sales and marketing practices, and ERISA compliance. He particularly ‘stands out for CFPB and other finance enforcement work.’  In Washington DC, Thomas Hefferon is recognized for his extensive work on enforcement matters, class actions, and MDLs, frequently representing financial institutions, market participants, investors, and service providers.