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 regularly defends lenders and loan servicers in cases involving claims under the Truth in Lending Act ("TILA"), the Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act ("RESPA"), the Fair Credit Reporting Act ("FCRA"), and the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act ("FDCPA"), as well as claims under various state consumer protection statutes. Mr. Emanuel also counsels clients on managing class and individual litigation exposure and compliance with state and federal regulations. In addition to his consumer finance practice, Mr. Emanuel handles a variety of commercial litigation for banking and other clients.

Mr. Emanuel also serves on the Illinois Mortgage Bankers Association's Board of Directors and is Vice-Chair of the IMBA's Legislative Committee as well as Co-Chair of the Legal Issues and Regulatory Compliance Committee. 

Prior to attending law school, Mr. Emanuel worked for the United States Department of Justice, where he received a Special Achievement Award for sustained superior performance of duty.

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

Hukic v. Aurora Loan Services, 583 F.3d 420 (7th Cir. 2007) (affirming summary judgment for loan servicer in FCRA, credit defamation, and consumer fraud matter) (argued);

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);

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

• Illinois
• 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 , Director, 2010