Your Legal Partner for Business, Real Estate and Mortgage Banking for the Western United States

undefinedT. Robert Finlay

Partner

California
(949) 477-5050

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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 Link to /speaking-engagementsspeaker (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). Mr. Finlay is a regular contributor to several Link to /publicationsindustry 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.

Education

  • University of California, Irvine (B.A., Political Science; B.A., Economics, 1990)
  • University of Southern California (J.D., 1993)

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