Joseph Gabai's practice focuses on the representation of banks, savings associations, mortgage banking companies, finance companies, and their holding companies and affiliates.  He has special expertise in the regulatory area. Mr. Gabai regularly works with the Truth-in-Lending Act, Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act, Home Mortgage Disclosure Act, Community Reinvestment Act, Electronic Fund Transfer Act, Fair Credit Reporting Act, Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, Truth in Savings Act, Equal Credit Opportunity Act, Homeowners Protection Act, National Bank Act, Home Owners' Loan Act, Federal Deposit Insurance Act, state lender licensing laws, and federal and state privacy laws. Notwithstanding the esoteric nature of his practice, Mr. Gabai takes a pragmatic approach to solving client problems. Much of Mr. Gabai's time is spent on strategic planning issues, regulatory developments, retail banking issues and negotiating with the federal and state banking agencies on behalf of financial institution clients.  He has also worked with financial institution clients and their lobbyists in connection with the drafting of legislation and regulations on both the federal and state levels.  Mr. Gabai is a frequent speaker on issues of interest to banks and thrifts.  He has served as a member of California State Bar's Consumer Financial Services and Financial Institutions Committees.

Mr. Gabai joined Morrison & Foerster as a partner in 1990 and is a former chair of the firm's Financial Services Practice Group.  He was previously a partner and chairman of the banking department of McKenna, Connor & Cuneo.

Representative Matters

• Assisted large bank in resolving significant compliance issues raised in connection with a federal regulatory agency compliance examination.
• Served as legal counsel for a national mortgage lender's implementation of the HMDA regulatory amendements that became effective in 2004.
• Restructured complex financial services holding company, its subsidiary bank, and the bank's operating subsidiary.
• Developed privacy policies to meet the needs of both large and small financial services companies.