Raymond is a mortgage-industry attorney with over 25 years of experience as in-house General Counsel and Compliance Officer at the nation’s leading mortgage companies. He also brings to the table his former roles as a loan officer and hands-on experience in loan processing, underwriting, funding, customer service, and internal audit, providing legal representation that is informed by practical experience at all levels of a mortgage company. A firm belief that providing high-quality legal representation includes a working knowledge of the technical requirements of the laws - balanced by a keen awareness of the practical limitations of each client - serves as the bedrock of his practice. He provides common-sense business-minded solutions to legal and operational challenges.

Raymond advises clients on corporate and general counsel functions, consumer finance regulatory federal and state laws, risk management, risk assessments. In the area of consumer finance regulatory law, Raymond possesses deep and practical knowledge in TILA, RESPA, FCRA, ECOA, HMDA, Fair Lending, TCPA, data security requirements, and applicable state laws and regulations. Over the years he has navigated his clients through various investor, warehouse bank, and state examinations. In the area of corporate and transactional law, he advises clients on contract management and negotiation, general corporate governance, and overseeing litigation matters of a multitude of subjects and degrees. Raymond also assists clients in government and industry relations, bringing experience from his in-house roles and leadership roles in industry trade associations.

Raymond speaks frequently at legal and compliance industry conferences.

REPRESENTATIVE MATTERS

• Provided numerous clients with legal and compliance advice ranging from Federal and state law interpretations, examination-audit preparation and examination-finding defense, and legal and compliance risk assessments

• Analyzed and drafted agreements for multiple proposed business arrangements for compliance with RESPA Section 8

• Represented national trade association as state legislative counsel and to draft comments to proposed federal regulation

• Reviewed, negotiated and drafted agreements for dozens of servicing-sale transactions

• Supported clients in company-acquisition transaction due diligence

• Defended clients in loan-pool due diligence matters.

EXPERIENCE

• General Counsel and Chief Compliance Officer at National Non-Depository Mortgage Companies

• Chief Operations Officer at National Non-Depository default loan purchaser and servicer

• Various mortgage-company leadership positions, including in compliance, human resources, operations, internal audit, and customer service.

EDUCATION

• Western State University College of Law (J.D.)

• California State University Long Beach (B.S., Finance with Specialty in Real Estate)

BAR ADMISSIONS

• California