Alston & Bird has expanded its consumer financial services capabilities with the addition of John Redding as a partner in the firm’s Los Angeles office. Arriving from financial services boutique Buckley LLP, he brings more than 25 years of in-house and private practice experience advising clients on consumer finance investigative, regulatory, and enforcement actions by the federal government and state attorneys general.

“At a time when federal and state regulators are already issuing warnings to the consumer finance industry and gearing up for enforcement activity due to the COVID-19 pandemic, John is perfectly placed to support our clients in navigating today’s complex regulatory landscape,” said Chris Frieden, co-chair of Alston & Bird’s Financial Services & Products Group. “We have established a market-leading practice counseling clients across the whole spectrum of consumer financial services – including credit reporting, marketing, and origination of consumer lending products – and John’s arrival adds significant and credible bench strength to our offering.”

Redding’s experience extends to a broad range of regulatory, compliance, and enforcement matters involving the Department of Justice, Federal Trade Commission, Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), and other federal agencies. He counts among his clients banks, auto finance companies, private equity firms, and other investors; loan servicers; and debt purchasers and collectors. He also represents financial institutions in state attorneys general investigations.

Before joining Buckley as a partner in 2011, Redding served as general counsel and associate general counsel of several consumer finance companies, including Accredited Home Lenders Inc., Encore Capital Group, and Midland Credit Management Inc., where he oversaw legal operations, managed large-scale litigation, and supervised regulatory compliance, loan origination, servicing, and debt collection matters.

Active in the legal community, Redding serves on the American Bar Association’s Consumer Financial Services Committee. He is also a member of the American Financial Services Association’s (AFSA) Law Committee, State Governmental Affairs Committee, and Operations and Regulatory Compliance Committee.

Redding is the most recent addition to Alston & Bird’s Financial Services & Products Group and Consumer Financial Services Team. Earlier this year, the firm added Brian Johnson, former deputy director of the CFPB, as a partner in its Washington, D.C. office.

“Investment in our financial regulatory and enforcement services is part of our strategic growth ambitions, and California is an important market for the firm,” said Thomas Wingard, partner in charge of Alston & Bird’s Los Angeles office. “John’s combination of in-house and broad financial services experience, coupled with his strong reputation in California, not only adds to our corporate capabilities in the region but also supports the further growth and development of our other key practices and industry groups here and nationally.”