Michele L. Stocker
Shareholder – Greenberg Traurig

Description of field of expertise

Michele L. Stocker is Co-Chair of the Consumer Financial Services Litigation Practice and is a commercial litigator with a broad range of experience representing clients in the financial services industry including regional and national banks, loan servicers, consumer finance companies, mortgage bankers, credit card issuers, debt buyers and third-party debt collectors.

Concentrations

• Telephone Consumer Protection Act
• Contested mortgage foreclosures
• Fair Credit Reporting Act
• Fair Debt Collection Practices Act
• Truth in Lending Act and Regulation
• Mortgage loan origination and loan servicing issues
• Unfair and deceptive trade practices
• Consumer fraud
• Identity theft
• Predatory lending
• Force-placed insurance
• Class action defense

 

What advice would you offer to new attorneys interested in your field?

The most important career advice that I can give to new lawyers is to choose a specialty and become an expert in your field. This will make you significantly more valuable to a law firm and will make it a lot easier to generate business from clients. Master the practical legal skills such as advocacy and drafting and remember that the early years of your career are critical to learn your craft and begin developing confidence in yourself as an advocate for clients. By choosing the right practice area, you will be best positioned to enjoy job security, career satisfaction, and overall long-term success. Think through your personal goals relating to finances, family, geography, and work environment because the practice area you choose at the beginning of your career will set you on the right path to meet these goals.