James P. Berg

Jim Berg is a member of the firm’s Executive Committee, the Managing Partner of the Philadelphia office and Co-Chair of the Trial and Class Action Practice Group.

Jim represents financial institutions of all sizes, financial services companies and other clients nationwide in complex commercial litigation and class action defense, and routinely counsels clients on complex regulatory and enforcement matters. 

Jim is a leader in managing large portfolios for national banks and loan servicers – with a focus on risk, root cause analysis, forecasting and reporting. For both portfolio management and individual cases, Jim takes a client-first approach to each matter, determining the size and scope of the issues at hand, and implementing a cost-effective strategy for mitigating risk and achieving resolution.

Jim has handled a wide range of litigation matters and class actions involving complex business disputes, core and default loan servicing issues, False Claims Act, Fair Credit Reporting Act, Fair Debt Collections Practices Act, Service Members Civil Relief Act (“SCRA”), Telephone Consumer Protection Act (“TCPA”), bankruptcy, and mortgage insurance and repurchase issues relating to mortgage-backed securities and the GSEs (Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac).

In addition to litigation and portfolio management, Jim also maintains an active enforcement and internal investigation practice. He has successfully defended and negotiated resolutions of matters initiated by the Department of Justice, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, the Office of Inspector General, and states’ attorneys general. He advises clients on supervisory examination issues and represents clients on subpoenas, civil investigative demands, and letter inquiries issued by state and federal regulators.

Prior to joining the firm, Jim served as in-house counsel at JPMorgan Chase Bank, NA where he managed mortgage-related litigation, class actions and multidistrict litigation. In addition, Jim was also involved in numerous investigations and enforcement decisions initiated by the Department of Justice, HUD and various states' attorneys general since the financial crisis.

Jim is a frequent speaker for leading industry trade associations on consumer finance litigation issues and regulatory developments. He is a member of the Rutgers University Foundation Board of Overseers, his undergraduate and law school alma mater.

Community & Professional

Rutgers University Foundation Board of Overseers, Member
Rutgers Law School Center for Corporate Law & Governance, Advisory Board Member

Honors & Recognitions

• New Jersey Law Journal Trailblazer Award (2020)
• JPMorgan Pro Bono Award (2009)
• 14th National Forum on Residential Mortgage Litigation & Regulatory Enforcement – Speaker – In House Roundtable
• 18th Residential Mortgage Litigation & Regulatory Enforcement – Speaker – State Survey and Specific Nuances and Developments in Hotbed Jurisdictions
• 2nd Mortgage Servicing Compliance Conference – Speaker – Ensuring Compliance with Servicing Requirements, Standards & Protections Under the SCRA
• 18th Consumer Finance Class Action & Litigation – Speaker - Defending Against New and Emerging Claims Relating to Credit, Debit, and Prepaid Cards and Bank Add-On Service and Products
• 21st Consumer Finance Class Actions & Litigation – Speaker - Expanded Use of Dodd-Frank UDAAP Provisions: Enforcement and Examination by CFPB and State AGs, Recent Federal and State Cases, State Authority Under § 1042, Officer and Manager Liability as a “Related Person” and More
• 27th National Conference on Consumer Finance Class Actions & Litigation – Speaker – The Telephone Consumer Protection Act

• Webinar Presenter, UCC Foreclosure Sales & Borrower Default Remedy Options, Mortgage Bankers Association, February 2019