Rob McWhorter is a Shareholder in Buchalter’s Sacramento office, and is a member of the Firm’s Litigation Practice Group. He is the Chair of Sacramento’s Litigation Practice Group. His practice focuses on representing financial institutions and business entities in commercial, business and bankruptcy litigation. He has extensive experience handing lender liability actions, franchise litigation, bankruptcy, insolvency law, creditors’ rights, real estate disputes, corporate dissolutions, loan workouts and restructuring, receiverships, and litigation involving business torts and contract law. He has handled multiple complex liability claims against officers and directors of corporate entities. Through his bankruptcy and commercial practice, Mr. McWhorter possesses substantial expertise handling Article 9 issues under the Uniform Commercial Code.

He has defended national banking associations and/or receivers for failed financial institutions in lender liability actions. His experience includes cases involving the Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act (RESPA), 12 U.S.C. §§ 2601 et seq., the Truth in Lending Act (TILA), 15 U.S.C. §§ 1601 et seq. (TILA), the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA), 15 U.S.C. §§ 1692 et seq., the Fair Credit Reporting Act (“FCRA”), 15 U.S.C. §§ 1681, the Financial Institutions Reform, Recovery, and Enforcement Act of 1989 (FIRREA), 12 U.S.C. §§ 1821 et seq., the Rosenthal Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (RFDCPA), California Civil Code sections 1788 et seq., the Unfair Competition Law, California Business and Professions Code sections 17200 et seq. and the California Homeowner Bill of Rights. He has defended lenders in federal actions brought under the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TPCA), 47 U.S.C. § 227.

For over 26 years, Mr. McWhorter has represented secured and unsecured lenders, trustees, troubled companies and individuals in chapter 7 and 11 bankruptcy proceedings, reorganizations and out-of-court restructurings. He also has represented clients in all aspects of debt restructurings, reorganizations, and debt enforcement, including real and personal property foreclosures. In addition, Mr. McWhorter has represented clients in chapter 9 bankruptcy proceedings, including California’s AB 506 process and has represented receivers in state court proceedings. His experience spans a wide range of industries, including real estate, manufacturing, and healthcare industries. His clients have included banks, pension funds, automotive suppliers, manufacturing companies, employee leasing companies, and mortgage companies.

His experience extends to representing beneficiaries, trustees and court-appointed special masters in contested trust litigation matters. His representation has included defending two beneficiaries in a contested breach of fiduciary action involving a multimillion real estate trust and co-trustee against other co-trustees for misconduct concerning trust administration.

Mr. McWhorter has extensive background in administrative law and healthcare, representing physicians and hospitals in disciplinary proceedings before state and federal agencies, including the Medical Board of California. He represented a county health plan against the State of California challenging the establishment of capitation rates under Medi-Cal.

Jason Lane is senior vice president, director of government relations for the California Bankers Association and leads the advocacy efforts for CBA, which involves analyzing legislation and regulatory activity, and the development of policy positions. Lane is one of four lobbyists at CBA, and he also lobbies on behalf of the association on issues related to the state budget, privacy, bank operations and consumer lending legislation. 

Before joining CBA in May 2006, Jason Lane served as director of government affairs for Providian Financial and managed the bank’s financial privacy compliance program, as well as tracked and analyzed the impact of federal legislation and rulemaking for the company.

Chris Shultz joined the California Bankers Association in December of 2024. As vice president of government relations, he lobbies on a wide range of issues impacting the banking industry.

Chris has expertise in financial regulation, insurance, consumer financial protection law, cannabis regulation, affordable housing, and California’s rulemaking process. Before joining CBA, Chris served as chief deputy director at three state departments, including the Department of Financial Protection and Innovation. He also served at California’s housing finance, consumer protection, and insurance departments. Earlier in his career, he was a contract lobbyist in Oregon, advocated for a technology trade association in California, and was a chief of staff and legislative director in the state capitol.

Vanessa Lugo serves as senior legislative advocate for the California Bankers Association (CBA). Her advocacy portfolio includes housing, economic development, labor and employment, trust and estate, public contracts, and corporate governance.

Before joining CBA, Vanessa worked for the California State Legislature, representing the most competitive district in the state and the Majority Leader of the California State Assembly. During her tenure in the legislature, her portfolio included agriculture, government and organization, banking and finance, economic development, insurance, and other issues.

Most recently she spent 12 years in government relations, working for Check Into Cash and Equifax. Vanessa graduated from CSU Sacramento with a degree in English and a minor in Political Science.

Ted Teruo Kitada is retired. He was formerly a senior vice president & senior company counsel with Wells Fargo Bank, N.A., from 1997-2020, specializing is bank operations with an emphasis on Articles 3, 4 and 4A of the UCC; unclaimed property; Regulations D, E, CC, DD, GG, and the NACHA Operating Rules. He is an advisor to the CBA Legal Affairs Committee.

Nicholas Adams focuses on privacy, cybersecurity, and related cross-border regulatory and compliance issues for BMO. Adams is a Certified Information Privacy Professional (CIPP/US, International Association of Privacy Professionals), certified Digital Lawyer (Sorbonne-Assas and King's College) and was named a “Rising Star” by Super Lawyers for three consecutive years. Nicholas was a repeat event panelist and has recently presented on the CCPA, financial services privacy regulation, and privacy/cybersecurity team collaboration.

Previously in private practice Nicholas Adams represented U.S. and international investment advisory clients, boards of directors and individuals in cybersecurity and privacy engagements, major bankruptcy adversary proceedings, class actions, white collar criminal investigations and antitrust matters. Adams has also represented clients in a variety of industries, including investment funds, financial services, cryptocurrency, steel, cybersecurity, renewable energy and automotive. Nicholas has litigated actions in federal district, circuit, and bankruptcy courts, state courts in New York and California, and has experience in mediation and binding arbitration before U.S. and foreign arbitral bodies.

Adams’ pro bono practice has focused on immigration cases, including counseling trafficking victims seeking asylum. He currently mentors students as part of the Berkeley Women in Business Law Program.

Nick is Senior Vice President and Senior Counsel at City National Bank. Nick currently serves as the Chair of California Lawyers Association’s Privacy Law Section. 

Ali, a partner in the San Francisco office of McGuireWoods, is a commanding commercial litigator trusted by three of the largest U.S. banks and numerous Fortune Global 500 companies to defend multimillion-dollar class actions and other complex litigation. She defends nationwide consumer class actions brought on behalf of millions of class members, California-wide cases alleging unfair competition, fraud, and violation of various consumer protection statutes, and complex Ponzi-scheme matters brought against banks as well as mass arbitrations.

With over a decade of experience, Ali advocates for her clients at all stages of litigation, often obtaining dismissals with prejudice and negotiating strategically beneficial settlements where appropriate while being prepared to litigate when necessary. She has significant experience defending financial institutions in consumer fraud, aiding and abetting, and ECOA and FHA claims. She is also deeply involved in the evolving mass arbitration landscape and advises clients accordingly.

Additionally, Ali advises clients in commercial disputes, privacy matters, and trust and estate litigation involving undue influence allegations, accounting disputes, life estate valuations, inter-family disputes over distribution of assets, and special trustee’s fiduciary duties in administering family trusts. She is a member of the firm’s Data Privacy & Security Group and a registered member of the IAPP.

She also has significant pro bono experience litigating asylum and prisoners’ rights cases. Ali is a member of the firm’s Board of Partners. She has served on the firm’s Diversity Committee since 2019 and has co-chaired the firm’s Women Lawyers Network since 2022.

T. Robert Finlay is one of the three founding partners of Wright, Finlay & Zak. Since 1994, Mr. Finlay has focused his legal career on consumer finance and mortgage-related litigation, compliance and regulatory matters. Mr. Finlay is at the forefront of the mortgage banking industry, handling all aspects of the ever-changing default servicing and mortgage banking litigation arena, including compliance issues for servicers, lenders, investors, title companies and foreclosure trustees. Mr. Finlay successfully guides clients through the complexities of litigation while being extremely mindful of their core values and business models. He is a regular speaker (at industry events and for clients) on a variety of loan servicing and mortgage banking issues, including key legislative and legal updates.

Mr. Finlay is also the General Counsel for the California Mortgage Association (CMA), advising its Board and members on a variety of loan origination, servicing and other legal and compliance issues. In this role, Mr. Finlay works closely with the CMA's lobbyists in Sacramento to mitigate the impact of proposed new laws on the mortgage industry.

Mr. Finlay is also an active member and participant in the California Mortgage Bankers Association (CMBA), Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA), United Trustees Association (UTA), and California Bankers Association (CBA). For over 10 years, Mr. Finlay served as a Committee Member and Board Member of the United Trustees Association, being elected as its President in 2011 and 2012 and Chair of the Legislative Committee from 2013 to 2019, working closely with lobbyists in California, Nevada, Washington and Oregon on key industry issues. Since 2013, Mr. Finlay has also been on the Legislative Committee for the CMBA. In 2020, Mr. Finlay became the Co-Chair for the National Private Lenders Association (NPLA). He is also a member of the Orange County Bar Association (OCBA). Mr. Finlay is a regular contributor to several industry periodicals and has also authored pertinent Amicus Briefs on key issues impacting the mortgage and finance industry. His key published opinions include Sheen v. Wells Fargo Bank, N.A., (2022) 12 Cal.5th 905 (Amicus Counsel); Mabry v. Superior Court (2010) 185 Cal.App.4th 208 (Amicus counsel); and Bostanian v. Liberty Saving Bank (1997) 52 Cal.App.4th.

Barry A. Smith is a Shareholder and a senior member of the Firm’s Litigation Practice Group and Chairman of the Financial Institutions Practice Group. Mr. Smith focuses his practice on representing financial institutions and other business entities, both domestically and internationally. Mr. Smith has extensive experience in business and commercial litigation, creditors’ rights, real estate, loan workouts and restructuring, provisional remedies, receiverships, collections, and post-judgment enforcement. He also handles complex defense litigation including tort, contract law, and real estate.

Mr. Smith is a member and a frequent speaker of the California Bankers Association. Mr. Smith is a frequent speaker on creditor’s rights, enforcement of judgments, prejudgment remedies, workouts and turnarounds, wrongful termination, sexual harassment, business and banking fraud, arbitration, toxic waste, lender liability, legal ethics, probate estates and trusts, and collection strategy and tactics. He speaks at numerous seminars and conferences including the California Independent Bankers, Risk Management Association, Special Asset Managers Association, National Association of Chinese American Bankers, Western Bankers Association, Western Independent Bankers Association, the Los Angeles County Bar Associations, and the Los Angeles Chamber of Commerce.

In 2024, Mr. Smith received the “2024 Robert Frandzel Award” from the California Bankers Association, an honor given annually to California’s top banking counsel. Additionally, Mr. Smith was named to the 2024 Top 50 Lawyers in America list. For 40 consecutive years, Barry Smith has been rated AV Preeminent by Martindale-Hubbell, the highest possible peer rating for legal ability and ethical standards. He has been recognized among the Best of the Best Top 1% of America’s Lawyers and as America’s Most Honored Professional by The American Registry since 2017. Since 2013, American Lawyer Media, in collaboration with Martindale-Hubbell, has consistently recognized him as a Southern California Top Rated Lawyer and a Top Rated Lawyer in Bank & Finance and Commercial Litigation, with features in Corporate Counsel and the Los Angeles Times.

Mr. Smith plays an active role in his community, serving as an active member of a number of associations including the Board of Governors for the City of Hope, Bank Operations Counsel Association, the Financial Lawyers Conference, the Western Bankers Association, the American Trial Lawyers Association, the Los Angeles Business Trial Lawyers Association, and the California Bank Counsel.  Mr. Smith is also a part of the Los Angeles County Bar Association’s Commercial Law and Bankruptcy Section as well as the Provisional and Post-Judgment Section. Additionally, Mr. Smith is a member of the  International Bankers Association, the Independent Bankers of California, the National Association of Chinese-American Bankers, the Risk Management Association, the Credit Managers Association and the Southern California Mortgage Association. Mr. Smith has experience as a Professor of Law teaching courses on trial tactics and litigation techniques. He is named one of “Who’s Who in Banking and Finance” by the Los Angeles Business Journal.

With over two decades of legal experience, Mike Zandpour brings expertise in litigation management, strategic planning, and dispute resolution to his role as Senior Vice President and Deputy General Counsel at City National Bank. Mike’s mission is to safeguard the bank's interests while fostering a culture of collaboration and cost-effective legal solutions. Mr. Zandpour is deeply committed to ensuring seamless alignment between legal strategies and the organization’s business objectives, leveraging diverse perspectives to navigate complex challenges. 

At City National Bank, Mike Zandpour leads a team of attorneys and paralegals, overseeing litigation matters and negotiating settlements to achieve favorable outcomes. Mike’s role involves developing strategic legal frameworks that mitigate risks and support the bank's commercial lending and private banking operations. By implementing cost-efficient practices and mentoring his team, Mike contributes to the organization’s legal resilience and operational excellence.

Ben Spohn is the founding attorney of Spohn Law, PC, where he advises financial institutions, fintech startups, and technology companies on regulatory strategy, commercial transactions, and innovative product development—including in emerging areas like artificial intelligence. With nearly two decades of legal and business experience, Ben brings a grounded yet forward-looking perspective to AI regulation and the evolving financial services landscape.

Before founding Spohn Law, Ben served as Vice President and Associate General Counsel at First Republic Bank (now part of JPMorgan Chase), where he led legal support for the bank’s $100B+ residential lending business. He previously held in-house roles at LendingClub, where he helped launch its auto lending platform, and began his legal career in Reed Smith LLP’s financial services litigation and compliance practice.

Ben holds a JD from UC Law San Francisco, where he was Senior Articles Editor of the Hastings Law Journal, and a BA with honors from Stanford University. He is certified by Berkeley Law’s Artificial Intelligence Institute and is a Certified Information Privacy Professional (CIPP/US). He has chaired the ABA’s Housing Finance Subcommittee and twice served as president of the Bay Area Financial Services Legal Association.

Dan Cunha is the former as General Counsel at Quora and VP of Legal at OpenTable. Dan currently serves as an advisor for startups in the AI, fintech and security spaces.

Dan’s legal career began after earning his J.D. from University of California, College of the Law, San Francisco (formerly UC Hastings) in 2009, following a B.A. in Political Science from UC Santa Barbara in 2003. He practiced at Latham & Watkins in San Francisco from 2009 to 2013, focusing on corporate law and complex transactions. Dan then joined OpenTable in 2013, rising through the ranks from Corporate Counsel to Vice President, Legal by late 2018. He served as the General Counsel of Quora from 2021 until summer 20024. 

Dan is known for his legal expertise in corporate law, AI, and product and regulatory risk. His cross sector experience in technology, hospitality, and online media provides him with a deep understanding of business and legal intersections.

Michael Flynn is Co-Chair of Buchalter’s Financial Services Regulatory Group, and Chair of its Consumer Financial Services and Mortgage Regulatory Industry Group, and is a member of Buchalter’s Commercial Finance Practice Group. Mr. Flynn applies his unique background as the former Acting General Counsel of HUD, and the former General Counsel of PNC Mortgage and Flagstar Bank, to counsel financial institutions on complex issues related to bank, mortgage and consumer finance regulations, regulator inquiries and examinations, product development, compliance and risk management, secondary market transactions, servicing, FinTech arrangements, vendor management and contracts, SBA and PPP loans and other subjects.  

Mike serves on the Governing Committee of the Conference on Consumer Finance Law, and is a Fellow of the American College of Consumer Financial Services Lawyers, the American College of Real Estate Lawyers, and the American College of Mortgage Attorneys, where he is past Chair of the College’s Multifamily, Regulatory and Residential Committee.  He is a member of the Colorado Mortgage Lenders Association Legislative and Regulatory Affairs Committee, and the California Mortgage Bankers Association Legislative Review Committee and its Mortgage Quality and Compliance Committee.  Mike is also a past Chair of the California Lawyers Association Financial Institutions Committee, the California Mortgage Bankers Association Legal Affairs Committee, the American Bar Association Title Insurance Litigation Committee, and a past member of the Colorado Division of Real Estate Forms Committee.
 

Melissa Richards, CMB is a California licensed attorney with a national practice specializing in regulatory compliance, licensing and enterprise risk management for bank and non-depository financial services industries. Ms. Richards has over 3 decades experience representing clients on license administration, examination and enforcement matters before the California Department of Financial Protection and Innovation (California Financing Law; California Residential Mortgage Lending Act), and the California Department of Real Estate (Real Estate Law). Ms. Richards is a frequent author of compliance and legislative developments affecting the financial services industry in California.

Ms. Richards also represents clients on federal mortgage and consumer protection laws administered by the federal Consumer Financial Protection Bureau including RESPA, TILA ECOA, HMDA, SAFE Mortgage Licensing Act, FCRA and FDCPA. Ms. Richards also has general counsel experience, serving as the Chief Legal & Risk Officer of a mid-size independent mortgage company ranked as one of Scotsman Guide’s Top 15 Mortgage Lenders in 2018-2019.

Keith R. Forrester, Esq., is a principal of Aldrich & Bonnefin. Since 1993, Mr. Forrester has been extensively involved with advising financial institutions on a variety of general banking operations and compliance matters. Mr. Forrester is a member of the firm's Operations and FinTech Practice Group and in that capacity assists financial institutions in areas such as Bank Secrecy Act compliance, funds transfers, information security, negotiable instruments, electronic banking, new accounts, treasury services, right to financial privacy laws and legal processes.

Kenneth Miller works for SMBC MANUBANK as Deputy General Counsel and Executive Director. Mr. Miller primarily assists the Bank with commercial real property loan production matters, focusing on structuring, negotiating and drafting commercial real property loans, as well as on workout matters for all types of the Bank’s problem commercial loans. Prior to working for SMBC MANUBANK, Mr. Miller was a partner at several regional law firms in the Los Angeles, California area, focusing on representing financial institution clients with respect to commercial loan production, workout, litigation and bankruptcy matters. Mr. Miller currently serves as a Regent for the American College of Mortgage Attorneys.

Michael is a shareholder with the firm. As an experienced litigator, his practice emphasizes commercial and real estate litigation, bankruptcy reorganization and liquidations, major debt workout negotiations and restructuring, and the documentation of commercial, personal property, and real estate-secured credits.

He is frequently called upon when a client, mostly a lender but not always, brings him in to advise them on how to best to deal with a commercial financing transaction that is on the verge of a crash landing, or one that has already fallen apart. His main work entails getting a detailed understanding of the situation, and all its nuances, evaluating the position of our client, and setting up a strategy to maximize the recovery in the shortest time possible.

Michael strives to create efficiencies for clients by bringing in lower billing colleagues to implement the strategy, and oversee that work and mid-course corrections. This can entail work out discussions and documenting a deal, forcing or defending state court litigation, chasing one or more parties into bankruptcy, or all of the above happening at the same time.