Elizabeth Lemond McKeen, represents major banks and other financial institutions in their highest-stakes litigation relating to regulatory compliance, fraud, and consumer protection. Liz handles complex civil litigation, including regulatory enforcement actions, class actions, MDL proceedings, False Claims Act/qui tam matters and appeals. In addition to litigation, Liz provides strategic regulatory and compliance counseling, with deep expertise in the areas of fair lending, credit reporting, debt collection, consumer bankruptcy, and mortgage origination and servicing. She routinely represents clients in threatened enforcement matters involving the CFPB, FTC, DOJ, state Attorneys General, and other regulators. Liz understands the operational and reputational concerns of financial services providers and provides strategic and tactical advice designed to balance legal risk with business objectives.
Honors & Awards
- Recognized by The Legal 500 US for Financial Services Litigation (2017-2022)
- Named a “Top Woman Lawyer” by the Daily Journal (2016)
- Named one of California’s “Top 20 Under 40” by the Daily Journal (2013)
- Named a “Rising Star” in the field of class actions by Law360 (2012)
- Named a “Rising Star” in a survey conducted by Law & Politics Media Inc. and published in Los Angeles magazine and the Southern California edition of Super Lawyers (2006, 2007, 2008, 2015, 2016)
Admissions
Bar Admissions
Court Admissions
- US Court of Appeals for the First, Second, Third, Fourth, Fifth, Sixth, Seventh, Ninth, Tenth and Eleventh Circuits
- US District Court for the Central, Eastern, Northern and Southern Districts of California
- US District Court for the District of Colorado
- US District Court for the Northern District of Illinois
- US District Court for the Eastern District of Texas
Education
- University of Virginia, J.D., 2001: Managing Board, Journal of Law and Politics
- Brown University, B.A., 1998, Psychology
Professional Activities
Board Member
- Orange County Association of Business Trial Lawyers
- Federal Bar Association, Orange County
Co-Author
- Contributed Chapter 53B, Financial Technology for the treatise “Successful Partnering Between Inside and Outside Counsel,” published by Thomson Reuters and the Association of Corporate Counsel, co-authored with Brian Brooks (2019)
- “Robust Causality and Cautionary Standards: Why the Inclusive Communities Decision, Despite Upholding Disparate-Impact Liability, Establishes New Protections for Defendants,” The Banking Law Journal, co-authored with Bimal Patel and Ashley Pavel (November 2015)
- “Defending Against Unfairness Claims Disguised As Consumer Fraud Theories: Lessons For Practice,” Inside the Minds: Mortgage and Finance Fraud Litigation Strategies, 2014 ed. (co-authored with Danielle Oakley and Carmen Ramirez)
- “The Latest Standing to Foreclose Challenges at Odds with UCC Article III,” 45 U.C.C. L.J 321, May 2014 (co-authored with Danielle Oakley and Ashley Pavel)
- “Mortgage Underwriting - The Qualified Mortgage and Ability to Repay Rules,” co-authored with Trevor Lain and Dixie Noonan The Banking Law Journal (October 2012)
- “The Use of Eminent Domain To Write Down Mortgage Notes,” Westlaw Journal Securities Litigation & Regulation, co-authored with Danielle Oakley and Ashley Pavel (December 2012)
- “The Credit Crisis: Give History Some Credit,” National Law Journal, co-authored with Brian P. Brooks (September 15, 2008)