Robert J. Emanuel

emanuel@dlec.com

Professional Bio
Mr. Emanuel joined Deutsch Levy & Engel as a Principal in 2009.  His practice is dedicated to defending banks, mortgage lenders, and related entities in consumer financial services litigation.  He has defended dozens of class actions, including cases involving claims under the Truth In Lending Act ("TILA"), the Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act ("RESPA"), and the Fair Credit Reporting Act ("FCRA"), as well claims for violations of various state consumer protection statutes, including California’s Section 17200.  Mr. Emanuel also counsels clients on managing class and individual litigation exposure and compliance with state and federal lending and consumer protection laws.  In addition to his consumer finance practice, Mr. Emanuel handles a variety of commercial litigation for banking and other clients.

Prior to attending law school, Mr. Emanuel worked for the United States Department of Justice, where he received a Special Achievement Award for outstanding service.  Mr. Emanuel also serves as the Vice-Chair of the Illinois Mortgage Bankers Association’s Legislative Committee.

Mr. Emanuel represented lender defendants in the following recent cases:

Pines v. EMC Mortgage Corporation, 2009 WL 1683283 (D. Utah June 15, 2009) (granting summary judgment against plaintiff's FCRA and related claims and sanctioning plaintiff for frivolous Rule 11 motions);

Hukic v. Aurora Loan Services, 2007 WL 2563363 (N.D. Ill. August 31, 2007) (granting summary judgment against plaintiff’s FCRA and consumer fraud claims);

Bruce v. Wells Fargo Bank, N.A., 2006 WL 1195210 (N.D. Ind. May 2, 2006) (recognizing there is no private right of action under § 1681 of the FCRA and dismissing purported class action claims);

Margulies v. Chase Manhattan Mortgage Corporation, 2005 WL 2923580 (N.J. App. Nov. 7, 2005 (affirming summary judgment in purported nationwide consumer fraud class action involving alleged payment processing errors);

Porcher v. Chase Manhattan Mortgage Corporation, -- So.2d --, 2005 WL 545115 (Fla. App. 4 Dist. March 9, 2005) (reversing trial court’s class certification order in consumer fraud case involving alleged payment processing errors); and

Sosa v. Chase Manhattan Mortgage Corporation, 348 F.3d 979 (11th Cir. 2003) (affirming dismissal of a RESPA class action arising from courier and messenger fees).

Education
Chicago-Kent College of Law, J.D., 1995
University of Iowa, B.A., English, 1991

Admissions

• United States District Court, Northern District of Illinois
• United States District Court, Northern District of Indiana
• United States District Court, Western District of Michigan
• United States District Court, Western District of Wisconsin
• United States Court of Appeals, Seventh Circuit

Associations

• American Bar Association
• Illinois Mortgage Bankers Association