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Valerie L. Hletko

Partner

Washington +1 202 662 5146

  • About
  • Representative Matters
  • Credentials
  • About

    An accomplished and commercially-minded litigator, Valerie Hletko’s practice has a particular emphasis on financial services regulation and enforcement. She counsels a wide range of financial services industry participants as they navigate dynamic and increasingly interrelated state, federal, and global legal and regulatory challenges.

    Valerie represents clients in complex civil litigation, as well as in investigations and administrative enforcement actions initiated by the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC), the Federal Reserve Board (FRB), the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), and state bank regulatory agencies and state Attorneys General. She has assisted clients with pre-enforcement matters relating to a variety of consumer financial products and services, including responding to Proposed Action and Request for Response (PARR) letters, Notice and Opportunity to Respond and Advise (NORA) letters, and managing issues relating to self-disclosure.

    Valerie also counsels clients in connection with regulatory examinations and governance and risk management matters implicated by consumer financial laws, including the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA), the Equal Credit Opportunity Act (ECOA), the Fair Housing Act (FHA), the Fair Debt Collections Practices Act (FDCPA), the Truth in Lending Act (TILA), the federal Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (SCRA) and related state laws, the Military Lending Act (MLA), and prohibitions on unfair, deceptive, or abusive practices in Section 5 of the Federal Trade Commission Act: Unfair or Deceptive Acts or Practices (UDAP) and Section 1036 of the Consumer Financial Protection Act: Unfair, Deceptive, or Abusive Acts or Practices (UDAAP). She further advises clients on a variety of issues that touch the financial services industry, including arbitration and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).

    Valerie frequently speaks and publishes on a range of subjects of interest to financial institutions, including fintech, fair and responsible banking practices, specialty finance, and regulatory enforcement trends.

    Areas of Expertise

  • Practices and Industries
  • Representative Matters
    • Consumer reporting company in a lawsuit filed by the CFPB, which alleges violations of a consent order and federal consumer financial laws in connection with the marketing and sale of credit scores and credit monitoring subscription products.
    • National bank in lawsuits filed in the Northern District of Georgia and the Northern District of Illinois by municipalities alleging violations of the FHA arising out of the foreclosure crisis.
    • Nonbank mortgage lender in an investigation and settlement with the DOJ and U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of New York relating to alleged violations of the False Claims Act and Financial Institutions Reform, Recovery, and Enforcement Act in connection with the origination of mortgages insured by the Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Federal Housing Administration or guaranteed by the Department of Veterans Affairs.
    • Fintech company in a lawsuit filed by the Administrator of the Colorado Uniform Consumer Credit Code challenging federal preemption under Section 27 of the Federal Deposit Insurance Act and the valid-when-made rule, which resulted in a landmark settlement establishing a safe harbor for the fintech-bank partnership model.
    • Retailer in a CFPB and New York Attorney General investigation alleging TILA and UDAAP violations relating to the offering of in-store credit card accounts, and in class action litigation following issuance of the consent order.
    • National bank in a settlement with the DOJ over alleged violations of the SCRA relating to automobile repossessions.
    • Nonbank mortgage servicer in multiple class actions relating to post-default inspection fees, resulting in dismissal.
    • Bank in a lawsuit relating to agent fees for loans issued by the Small Business Administration under the Paycheck Protection Program.
    • Industrial bank in connection with a fair lending referral to the DOJ, which was sent back to the FDIC.

    • Multiple nonbank mortgage lenders in CFPB investigations.
    • National bank in a HUD investigation of alleged violations of the FHA in connection with underwriting practices.
    • Multiple industry participants in investigations by the New York Department of Financial Services relating to advertising on social media and the Washington State Department of Financial Institutions relating to licensable activity.
    • Nonbank mortgage lender in contractual dispute relating to the purchase of mortgage loans pursuant to the terms of a monitorship.
    • Nonbank mortgage lender in a HUD investigation relating to appraisal discrimination.
    • Nonbank mortgage lender in a HUD investigation relating to pricing discrimination.
    • National bank in connection with a 30-day letter from the OCC relating to redlining.
    • Multitude of institutions in preparing for, completing, and responding to findings resulting from supervisory examinations.

    Areas of Expertise

  • Credentials
    Education
    • The University of Chicago Law School, J.D., 2001
    • Harvard University, M.T.S., 1998
    • Kenyon College, B.A., 1995
    Bar Admissions
    • District of Columbia
    • New York
    • Illinois
    • U.S. Supreme Court
    • U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit
    • U.S. District Court, District of Columbia
    • U.S. District Court, Southern District of New York
    • U.S. District Court, District of Colorado
    • U.S. District Court, Northern District of Illinois
    • U.S. District Court, Southern District of Indiana
    • U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Michigan
    Accolades
    • Chambers USA, Financial Services Regulation: Consumer Finance (Litigation) (2019-2022)
    • The Legal 500 US, Financial Services: Litigation "Next Generation Partner" (2022)
    • Benchmark Litigation, "Litigation Star" (2023)
    • Lawdragon 500 Leading Litigators in America (2022)
    • Washington DC Super Lawyers, Consumer Law, Civil Litigation: Defense, and Banking (2014-2020, 2023)
    Memberships and Affiliations
    • Co-Chair, Compliance, Exam, and Audit Law Subcommittee, Banking Law Committee, American Bar Association

    Areas of Expertise

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