Thomas Ward Email & Phone Number

Chicago, Illinois, Us

Enforcement, Supervision & Regulation partner in Sidley Austin’s Washington, D.C. office. Represents and advises financial institutions and companies offering consumer financial products or services, with a focus on the CFPB and state consumer financial protection agencies.

Washington, Dc, Us

Enforcement Director leading the CFPB’s Office of Enforcement. The Office of Enforcement has independent litigating authority, prosecutes actions in federal court and administrative proceedings, and is vested with the authority to pursue damages, redress, penalties, and injunctive relief against financial services companies and individuals that violate federal consumer financial laws and regulations. The CFPB has the most expansive jurisdiction of any federal financial regulator, covering nearly all financial products and services available to the American consumer in the banking, lending, and payments spaces, and the infrastructure and technologies that enable those offerings. The CFPB enforces more than 20 consumer financial statutes and regulations along with the Consumer Financial Protection Act, under which the Office of Enforcement has the authority to investigate and prosecute financial services companies or individuals for conduct that constitutes an unfair, deceptive, or abusive act or practice (UDAAP).As Enforcement Director, set and oversaw the legal and factual strategy in hundreds of active investigations and cases. Managed the agency’s 165 enforcement trial lawyers, investigators, and staff. Commissioned and oversaw an initiative to centralize Enforcement’s investigative, litigation, and negotiation processes and best practices, which resulted in a comprehensive roadmap containing the strategy and methods that Enforcement uses in opening and investigating matters, prosecuting cases, and determining penalties, redress, damages, and injunctive relief. Set the CFPB’s enforcement priorities in 2020 under a Republican administration and in 2021 under a Democratic administration. Led the first restatement of the CFPB’s Responsible Business Conduct bulletin, which allows companies to mitigate or obviate enforcement matters altogether. Also served as advisor to the SEFL Associate Director on Supervision, Enforcement, and Fair Lending issues.

Washington, Dc, Us

Deputy Assistant Attorney General in the Civil Division at the U.S. Department of Justice, serving as counsel in many of the highest-profile, highest-value cases of the Consumer Protection, Torts, Commercial Litigation, Federal Programs, and Appellate branches. Led many of the most significant Consumer Protection branch criminal investigations and prosecutions in recent years. Managed more than 400 attorneys and staff and oversaw an active docket of more than 1,000 cases spanning the breadth of the Civil Division, including complex Financial Institutions Reform, Recovery, and Enforcement Act (FIRREA), False Claims Act, and Federal Tort Claims Act cases and investigations. As Deputy Assistant Attorney General, was responsible for establishing priorities and best practices for defending and settling civil litigation in federal courts nationwide in consultation with the U.S. Attorney Civil Chiefs, as well as supervising and advising on litigation conducted by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices in delegated civil actions throughout the federal system.

Washington, District Of Columbia, Us

Enforcement and Litigation partner representing clients in complex enforcement investigations and cases, commercial litigation, and criminal proceedings, with a focus on financial and securities litigation, international litigation and investigations, professional liability defense, and bankruptcy litigation. Extensive experience in litigation and investigations arising from sophisticated financial and accounting frauds, including in matters involving the U.S. Department of Justice, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, and the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board. Served as lead counsel on both defense and plaintiff's side for international financial institutions and investment banks, multiple Am Law 100 law firms, the World Bank, and major global corporations.

Washington Dc, District Of Columbia, Us

Manhattan, Nyc, Us

Represented clients in public and private corporate finance transactions and mergers and acquisitions. Negotiated and drafted agreements, prospectuses, private placement memoranda, proxy statements, and corporate disclosure documents filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.

Us

Juris Doctor

Bachelor Of Arts, Political Science And Government