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Joann Needleman leads the firm’s financial services regulatory and compliance practice and advises banks, financial institutions, and financial services entities on regulatory compliance matters.

Joann prepares and represents these same financial institutions during state and federal supervisory examinations and regulatory investigations before agencies such as the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and the Office of the Comptroller of Currency (OCC) as well as state financial services regulators and attorneys general.

A former member of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s (CFPB) Consumer Advisory Board, Joann provides her clients with useful strategies and common-sense solutions in order to prepare for areas of regulatory scrutiny.

Joann is the host of the podcast “Credit Ecosystem to Go: Curbside Thought Leadership for Financial Services.” Listen to recent episodes here.

In addition to Joann’s regulatory work, she also serves as Senior Director of Clark Hill Public Strategies.

Education

J.D., Widener University School of Law, Wilmington, Delaware, 1994
B.A., Temple University, Beasley School of Law, Philadelphia, 1986

Recognitions

2021 Professional Excellence Award – Law Firm Innovator

2004-2006, 2010-2011, 2013-2019: Super Lawyers – Selected for inclusion in Pennsylvania’s Super Lawyers & Rising Stars list.*

*This award is conferred by Super Lawyers, part of Thomson Reuters. A description of the selection methodology can be found at: https://www.superlawyers.com/about/selection_process_detail.html. No aspect of this advertisement has been approved by the Supreme Court of New Jersey. 

Named to Collection Advisor Magazine’s 25 Most Influential Women in Collections

2019: National Creditors Bar Association (NCBA)’s Annual Donald Kramer Award

Law Firm Innovator 2021: Power Player

Legal Intelligencer Professional Excellence Awards, Named Most Innovative (2021)

Memberships

National Association of Retail Collection Attorneys

(President, 2013-2015, President Elect, 2012-2013, Secretary, 2006-2012, Board Member, 2006-present)

Consumer Financial Protection Bureau Consumer Advisory Board

American Bar Association, Business Law Section

Pennsylvania Creditors Bar Association (Past President)

Pennsylvania Bar Association

Debt Buyers Association

Forum for Executive Women

Member, Legal Advisory Board, Consumer Relations Consortium, January 2020 – present

Member, Emerging Markets Coalition Advisory Board, January 2020 – present

Immediate Past President of the Board of Directors of the National Creditors Bar Association (NARCA)

State Bar Licenses

Pennsylvania, New Jersey

Court Admissions

U.S. District Ct., District of New Jersey
U.S. District Ct., E.D. of Pennsylvania
U.S. District Ct., M.D. of Pennsylvania
U.S. District Ct., W.D. of Pennsylvania
U.S. Court of Appeals, 3rd Circuit
U.S. Supreme Court

Articles & Alerts

Presentations