Ethan's practice focuses on financial services litigation and compliance counseling, as well as digital assets and blockchain technology. With a long track record of successful litigation results across the U.S., both bank and non-bank clients rely on him for comprehensive advice throughout their business cycle.

Overview
Representative Matters
Insights
Awards

Ethan’s focus is on litigation, compliance counseling, regulatory investigations, and product development for clients in the financial services sector. He helps businesses with the myriad of federal and state consumer protection and other laws regulating financial services as well as other types of consumer-facing companies.

Ethan represents a wide range of stakeholders in the financial services ecosystem, including banks of all sizes, fintech companies, specialty consumer reporting agencies, payments companies, mortgage servicers, auto finance companies, credit card issuers, specialized lenders, and debt buyers and debt collectors. He has achieved successful results on behalf of many clients facing single-plaintiff and class action litigation in federal and state courts, as well arbitration in AAA and JAMS, across the entire country. Ethan also works with clients on compliance issues, particularly with respect to credit reporting and collections, and interactions with regulators such as the CFPB, the FTC, and state attorneys general.

Ethan is the co-leader of the firm’s digital assets and blockchain team, and a co-leader of the Consumer Financial Services practice group’s AI task force. He co-hosts The Crypto Exchange podcast, regularly writes on issues in this space for the firm’s financial services and consumer financial services blogs, and his thought leadership has been published in Law360 and CoinDesk. He has advised businesses and individuals, including an international cryptocurrency exchange and software technology, payments, and fraud prevention companies, on compliance and regulatory issues relating to federal and state money services business laws, OFAC and FinCEN requirements, securities investigations regarding cryptocurrency tokens, and privacy and data sharing concerns.

Ethan has represented many businesses in venues nationally in class action and individual consumer litigation, in particular with the “alphabet soup” of consumer protection statutes, including the:

  • Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA), Regulation V (Reg V), and state law analog statutes
  • Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA), Regulation F (Reg F), and state law analog statutes
  • Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA), Telemarking Sales Rule (TSR), and state law analog statutes
  • Electronic Fund Transfer Act (EFTA) and Regulation E (Reg E)
  • Truth in Lending Act (TILA) and Regulation Z (Reg Z)
  • Equal Credit Opportunity Act (ECOA) and Regulation B (Reg B)
  • Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act (RESPA) and Regulation X (Reg X)

Ethan also has experience handling business litigation, including patent, trademark and other intellectual property litigation, commercial real estate disputes, shareholder/partner/member disagreements, and construction disputes on behalf of owners, general contractors, and subcontractors.

Financial and Consumer Law Litigation

  • Represented banks of all sizes, fintech companies, bank and nonbank mortgage servicers, auto finance companies, payment processors, credit card issuers and servicers, specialized lenders, student loan servicers, debt buyers, and collection agencies in thousands of individual and class action lawsuits under federal and state consumer protection laws, including the FCRA, TCPA, FDCPA, EFTA, ECOA, RESPA, TILA, and other federal and state laws.
  • Represented banks of all sizes in creditor’s rights litigation and counseling regarding compliance with federal and state laws as well as interacting with regulators.
  • Successfully represented auto finance and payment processing companies to obtain the dismissal with prejudice of multiple national class actions brought under the TCPA after contested motions practice.
  • Represented software technology and payment processors in consumer and commercial litigation, including offensive collection matters and data breaches.

Consumer Law Counseling and Compliance

  • Counseled auto finance companies, consumer finance companies, nonbank and fintech lenders, credit card issuers, and specialized lenders in numerous compliance issues under federal and state laws.
  • Advised existing and startup companies, including payment processor, fraud prevention, and identity verification companies on the FCRA, state consumer reporting laws, licensing requirements, and other compliance requirements to become consumer reporting agencies.
  • Advised clients on data aggregation and other innovative consumer and business products that may implicate credit reporting laws.
  • Counseled providers of consumer and small business financial services, including banks and fintech companies, on regulatory compliance involving the FCRA, GLBA, ECOA, fair lending, licensing, and open banking.
  • Counseled auto finance, credit card, transportation logistics, and health care companies with regard to the use of telephony systems, including text message programs.
  • Advised publicly traded digital financial services companies on data sharing and compliance with federal laws, including the FCRA/Regulation V and the GLBA.
  • Advised debt buyers and collection agencies on compliance issues and counseling on interactions with regulators involving the FDCPA, FCRA, TCPA, EFTA, and other federal and state laws.
  • Counseled banks of all sizes on compliance with federal and state laws as well as interacting with state and federal regulators.

Digital Assets and Blockchain Technology

  • Advised international cryptocurrency exchange on state and federal money transmission law compliance and regulatory issues, including OFAC and FinCEN virtual currency guidance.
  • Advised payments and fraud prevention companies on compliance and regulatory issues relating to crypto, including federal and state money services business laws, privacy and data sharing concerns, and compliance with the FCRA, GLBA, and ECOA.
  • Advised digital asset companies regarding the creation, implementation, and maintenance of international privacy programs.
  • Advised businesses and individuals on “securities” status of cryptocurrency tokens.
  • Counseled publicly traded international digital commerce company with respect to rights and obligations regarding servicing and collections activities involving crypto accounts.
  • Best Lawyers in America®: Lawyer of the Year: Litigation – Banking & Finance (2026)
  • Best Lawyers in America®: Consumer Law (2025-2026), FinTech Practice (2024-2026), Litigation – Banking & Finance (2024-2026)
  • Top Lawyer, Coastal Virginia Magazine and CoVa BIZ Magazine (2018, 2024)
  • JD Supra, Readers Choice Awards, Finance & Banking (2023-2025)
  • Rising Star, Consumer Law, Law & Politics’ Virginia Super Lawyers (2012-2017)
  • Legal Elite Under 40 (2009, 2014-2016), Appellate Law (2011-2013), and Civil Litigation (2017-2023), Virginia Business

Ethan’s focus is on litigation, compliance counseling, regulatory investigations, and product development for clients in the financial services sector. He helps businesses with the myriad of federal and state consumer protection and other laws regulating financial services as well as other types of consumer-facing companies.

Ethan represents a wide range of stakeholders in the financial services ecosystem, including banks of all sizes, fintech companies, specialty consumer reporting agencies, payments companies, mortgage servicers, auto finance companies, credit card issuers, specialized lenders, and debt buyers and debt collectors. He has achieved successful results on behalf of many clients facing single-plaintiff and class action litigation in federal and state courts, as well arbitration in AAA and JAMS, across the entire country. Ethan also works with clients on compliance issues, particularly with respect to credit reporting and collections, and interactions with regulators such as the CFPB, the FTC, and state attorneys general.

Ethan is the co-leader of the firm’s digital assets and blockchain team, and a co-leader of the Consumer Financial Services practice group’s AI task force. He co-hosts The Crypto Exchange podcast, regularly writes on issues in this space for the firm’s financial services and consumer financial services blogs, and his thought leadership has been published in Law360 and CoinDesk. He has advised businesses and individuals, including an international cryptocurrency exchange and software technology, payments, and fraud prevention companies, on compliance and regulatory issues relating to federal and state money services business laws, OFAC and FinCEN requirements, securities investigations regarding cryptocurrency tokens, and privacy and data sharing concerns.

Ethan has represented many businesses in venues nationally in class action and individual consumer litigation, in particular with the “alphabet soup” of consumer protection statutes, including the:

  • Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA), Regulation V (Reg V), and state law analog statutes
  • Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA), Regulation F (Reg F), and state law analog statutes
  • Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA), Telemarking Sales Rule (TSR), and state law analog statutes
  • Electronic Fund Transfer Act (EFTA) and Regulation E (Reg E)
  • Truth in Lending Act (TILA) and Regulation Z (Reg Z)
  • Equal Credit Opportunity Act (ECOA) and Regulation B (Reg B)
  • Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act (RESPA) and Regulation X (Reg X)

Ethan also has experience handling business litigation, including patent, trademark and other intellectual property litigation, commercial real estate disputes, shareholder/partner/member disagreements, and construction disputes on behalf of owners, general contractors, and subcontractors.

Financial and Consumer Law Litigation

  • Represented banks of all sizes, fintech companies, bank and nonbank mortgage servicers, auto finance companies, payment processors, credit card issuers and servicers, specialized lenders, student loan servicers, debt buyers, and collection agencies in thousands of individual and class action lawsuits under federal and state consumer protection laws, including the FCRA, TCPA, FDCPA, EFTA, ECOA, RESPA, TILA, and other federal and state laws.
  • Represented banks of all sizes in creditor’s rights litigation and counseling regarding compliance with federal and state laws as well as interacting with regulators.
  • Successfully represented auto finance and payment processing companies to obtain the dismissal with prejudice of multiple national class actions brought under the TCPA after contested motions practice.
  • Represented software technology and payment processors in consumer and commercial litigation, including offensive collection matters and data breaches.

Consumer Law Counseling and Compliance

  • Counseled auto finance companies, consumer finance companies, nonbank and fintech lenders, credit card issuers, and specialized lenders in numerous compliance issues under federal and state laws.
  • Advised existing and startup companies, including payment processor, fraud prevention, and identity verification companies on the FCRA, state consumer reporting laws, licensing requirements, and other compliance requirements to become consumer reporting agencies.
  • Advised clients on data aggregation and other innovative consumer and business products that may implicate credit reporting laws.
  • Counseled providers of consumer and small business financial services, including banks and fintech companies, on regulatory compliance involving the FCRA, GLBA, ECOA, fair lending, licensing, and open banking.
  • Counseled auto finance, credit card, transportation logistics, and health care companies with regard to the use of telephony systems, including text message programs.
  • Advised publicly traded digital financial services companies on data sharing and compliance with federal laws, including the FCRA/Regulation V and the GLBA.
  • Advised debt buyers and collection agencies on compliance issues and counseling on interactions with regulators involving the FDCPA, FCRA, TCPA, EFTA, and other federal and state laws.
  • Counseled banks of all sizes on compliance with federal and state laws as well as interacting with state and federal regulators.

Digital Assets and Blockchain Technology

  • Advised international cryptocurrency exchange on state and federal money transmission law compliance and regulatory issues, including OFAC and FinCEN virtual currency guidance.
  • Advised payments and fraud prevention companies on compliance and regulatory issues relating to crypto, including federal and state money services business laws, privacy and data sharing concerns, and compliance with the FCRA, GLBA, and ECOA.
  • Advised digital asset companies regarding the creation, implementation, and maintenance of international privacy programs.
  • Advised businesses and individuals on “securities” status of cryptocurrency tokens.
  • Counseled publicly traded international digital commerce company with respect to rights and obligations regarding servicing and collections activities involving crypto accounts.
  • Best Lawyers in America®: Lawyer of the Year: Litigation – Banking & Finance (2026)
  • Best Lawyers in America®: Consumer Law (2025-2026), FinTech Practice (2024-2026), Litigation – Banking & Finance (2024-2026)
  • Top Lawyer, Coastal Virginia Magazine and CoVa BIZ Magazine (2018, 2024)
  • JD Supra, Readers Choice Awards, Finance & Banking (2023-2025)
  • Rising Star, Consumer Law, Law & Politics’ Virginia Super Lawyers (2012-2017)
  • Legal Elite Under 40 (2009, 2014-2016), Appellate Law (2011-2013), and Civil Litigation (2017-2023), Virginia Business
  • Member, Association for Credit and Collection Professionals International (ACA)
    • Virginia chair, ACA Attorney State Chair Program (2013-present)
    • Member, ACA Council of Delegates
    • Member, ACA Education Foundation Board of Directors
  • Member, Virginia Collectors Association
  • Member, Receivables Management Association International (RMA)
    • Member, RMA Amicus Committee
    • Virginia Legislative chair, RMA State Legislative Committee
    • Member, RMA Federal Regulatory and Legislative Committee
  • Member, Virginia Bar Association (2006-present)
    • Member, Executive Committee, Young Lawyers Division, Virginia Bar Association (2013-2014)
    • Co-chair, Disaster Legal Assistance Committee, Young Lawyers Division, Virginia Bar Association (2007-2014)
  • Member, Board of Directors, For Art’s Sake (2007-2010)
  • Legal intern to the Honorable Richard W. Roberts, U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, 2004-2005

Education

  • American University Washington College of Law, J.D., cum laude, 2005
  • The University of Memphis, M.A., 2002, philosophy
  • Emory University, B.A., summa cum laude, 1999, philosophy , Philosophy

Bar Admissions

  • Virginia

Court Admissions

  • U.S. Court of Appeals, Second Circuit
  • U.S. Court of Appeals, Third Circuit
  • U.S. Court of Appeals, Fourth Circuit
  • U.S. Court of Appeals, Sixth Circuit
  • U.S. Court of Appeals, Eleventh Circuit
  • U.S. District Court, District of Colorado
  • U.S. District Court, Northern District of Illinois
  • U.S. District Court, Southern District of Illinois
  • U.S. District Court, Northern District of Indiana
  • U.S. District Court, Southern District of Indiana
  • U.S. Bankruptcy Court, Eastern District of Michigan
  • U.S. Bankruptcy Court, Western District of Michigan
  • U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Michigan
  • U.S. District Court, Western District of Michigan
  • U.S. District Court, District of Nebraska
  • U.S. District Court, Northern District of New York
  • U.S. District Court, Western District of New York
  • U.S. District Court, District of North Dakota
  • U.S. District Court, Northern District of Ohio
  • U.S. District Court, Western District of Tennessee
  • U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Texas
  • U.S. District Court, Northern District of Texas
  • U.S. District Court, Southern District of Texas
  • U.S. District Court, Western District of Texas
  • Supreme Court of Virginia
  • U.S. Bankruptcy Court, Eastern District of Virginia
  • U.S. Bankruptcy Court, Western District of Virginia
  • U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Virginia
  • U.S. District Court, Western District of Virginia
  • U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Wisconsin
  • U.S. District Court, Western District of Wisconsin

Clerkships

  • Hon. H. Thomas Padrick, Jr., Virginia Beach Circuit Court, 2005-2006
  • Hon. Fredrick B. Lowe, Virginia Beach Circuit Court, 2005-2006
  • Hon. A. Bonwill Shockley, Virginia Beach Circuit Court, 2005-2006

Languages

  • German (Basic) (basic)
  • Speaker, “Metro 2 Primer,” Troutman Pepper Webinar, October 5, 2023.
  • Speaker, “High Risk Lending, Debt Collection, and Debt Settlement Company Update,” TPPPA Conference, November 16-18, 2022.
  • Speaker, “Crypto Regulations and Guidance,” NAFCU’s Regulatory Compliance and BSA Seminar, September 28, 2022.
  • Speaker, “Consumer Financial Services Year in Review and A Look Ahead Webinar Series: Litigating Consumer Claims in a Post-Regulation F World,” Troutman Pepper, March 9, 2022.
  • Co-presenter, “Your Definitive Guide to Credit Reporting During the Time of COVID 19,” Troutman Sanders Webinar, June 30, 2020.
  • Presenter, “RMAI’s Take on CFPB Rulemaking,” 2020 RMAI Annual Conference, February 5, 2020.
  • Presenter, “Credit Reporting – Is the Juice Worth the Squeeze?,” 2020 RMAI Annual Conference, February 5, 2020.
  • Speaker, “Key Takeaways from the CFPB’s Proposed Debt Collection Rule,” Troutman Sanders Webinar, May 15, 2019.
  • Speaker, “Consumer Financial Services Outlook 2019,” Troutman Sanders Webinar, February 12, 2019.
  • Presenter, “Furnisher Duties Under the FCRA/FCRA Compliance for Furnishers,” Receivables Management Association International 22nd Annual Conference, Las Vegas, NV, February 7, 2019.
  • Speaker, “2018 Update on FDCPA Case Law, Litigation Trends, & Regulatory Enforcement,” Receivables Management Association, December 27, 2018.
  • Speaker, “TCPA Update,” Credit and Collection News Annual Conference, Lake Tahoe, CA, April 11-12, 2018.
  • Presenter, “Detangling Licensing Requirements – Monitoring for Changes, License Maintenance and Practical Considerations,” 2018 RMA Annual Conference.
  • Presenter, “What to Expect From the CFPB,” Lorman Education Services, January 30, 2018.
  • Speaker, “Top Ten Debt Collection Lessons From 2017,” American Financial Services Association, November 9, 2017.
  • Presenter, “An Overview of the CFPB,” Virginia Creditors Bar Association, Eighth Annual Collections Seminar, Williamsburg, VA, October 5, 2017.
  • Presenter, “Credit Card Collections: Best Practices,” Lorman Education Services, August 30, 2017.
  • Panelist, “Debt Collection Litigation Management Best Practices,” ACA International Convention, Seattle, WA, July 17, 2017.
  • Panelist, “A Review of the Supreme Court’s Decision in Henson v. Santander Consumer USA,” Troutman Sanders Consumer Financial Services Webinar Series, June 12, 2017.
  • Presenter, “All You Need to Know About the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act but Didn’t Know to Ask,” Lorman Education Services, May 15, 2017.
  • Panelist, “Electronic Fund Transfer Act (EFTA) – Latest Trends and Developments,” Troutman Sanders Consumer Financial Services Webinar Series, March 23, 2017.
  • Presenter, “Navigating Risks, Threats, and Lawsuits in the Credit and Collection Industry,” Lorman Education Services, July 28, 2016.
  • Presenter, “Significant Cases Affecting the Debt Buying Industry in 2016,” Debt Buyers Association International Webinar, July 19, 2016.
  • Speaker, “Maintain TCPA Compliance – Understand What HIPAA Constitutes as a Health Care Message,” Lorman Education Services, April 12, 2016.
  • Panelist, “Attorney/Debt Buyer Roundtable,” Debt Buyers Association Annual Conference, Las Vegas, NV, February 9-11, 2016.
  • Presenter, “All You Need to Know About the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act but Didn’t Know to Ask,” Lorman Education Services, December 17, 2015.
  • Presenter, “Debt Collectors and Federal Regulators: Recent Developments With the CFPB, FTC and FCC,” Virginia Creditors Bar Association, Sixth Annual Collections Seminar, Williamsburg, VA, October 8, 2015.
  • Speaker, “The Devil in the Details: High-Risk FCRA Reporting Issues for Furnishers,” The Association of Credit and Collection Professionals 2015 International Annual Convention and Expo (ACA), Boston, MA, July 20, 2015.
  • Presenter, “Navigating Risks, Threats and Lawsuits in the Credit and Collection Industry,” live webinar, Lorman Education Services, August 27, 2014.
  • Presenter, “CFPB, FTC, State Regulators and Compliance,” Credit and Collection News seminar, Atlanta, GA, February 18-19, 2014.