Blank Rome is pleased to announce that Todd A. Boock has joined the Firm as Of Counsel and David A. Berkley, Christopher J. Donewald, and Robert P. Merten III as Associates in the Firm’s Los Angeles office.

Todd A. Boock joins Blank Rome as Of Counsel in the Consumer Finance Litigation group and as a member of the Consumer Financial Services industry team. Mr. Boock was previously a member of the National Consumer Finance Litigation & Compliance Practice Group at Akerman Senterfitt LLP in Los Angeles, and prior to that, served as Assistant General Counsel at Bank of America, N.A. in Los Angeles. Mr. Boock concentrates his practice in consumer financial services and commercial litigation, representing mortgage loan originators, servicers, investors, and other clients through all aspects of litigation in state and federal courts. He regularly represents lenders and financial institutions in a variety of consumer finance litigation matters, including disputes under TILA, RESPA, FCRA, ECOA and FDCPA, state law UDAP claims, and a variety of common law claims. Admitted to practice in California, Mr. Boock received his Juris Doctor from the University of California, Hastings College of the Law and his Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from the University of California, Berkeley.

David A. Berkley joins Blank Rome as an associate in the Corporate Litigation group. Mr. Berkley previously was an associate in the Business Litigation Practice Group at Robins, Kaplan, Miller & Ciresi LLP in Los Angeles. He focuses his practice in corporate litigation matters, and has experience with partnership and limited liability company disputes, guaranty defense, foreclosure litigation, leasing, and provisional remedies. Admitted to practice in California, Mr. Berkley received his Juris Doctor from Loyola Law School, his MBA from Loyola Marymount University, and his Bachelor of Arts in International Relations from the University of Pennsylvania.

Christopher J. Donewald joins Blank Rome as an associate in the Consumer Finance Litigation group and as a member of the Consumer Financial Services industry team. Mr. Donewald was previously an associate at AlvaradoSmith, APC in Los Angeles. Mr. Donewald concentrates his practice on consumer financial services litigation, representing financial institutions in state and federal courts in disputes concerning alleged violations of state and federal law. Admitted to practice in California, Mr. Donewald received his Juris Doctor from Golden Gate University School of Law where he served as a writer and editor for The Ninth Circuit Review. Mr. Donewald earned a Bachelor of Arts in History and a Bachelor of Science in Justice Studies, both magna cum laude, from Arizona State University.

Robert P. Merten III joins Blank Rome as an associate in the Consumer Finance Litigation group and as a member of the Consumer Financial Services industry team. Mr. Merten previously served as a litigation associate at Early Sullivan Wright Gizer & McRae LLP in Los Angeles. He concentrates his practice on litigation matters, with a particular focus in consumer finance, complex business, entertainment and title insurance litigation. Mr. Merten has represented clients in state and federal courts through all aspects of litigation. Admitted to practice in California, Mr. Merten received his Juris Doctor from the University of California, Berkeley School of Law and his Bachelor of Arts in Law & Society and Philosophy, summa cum laude, from the University of California, Santa Barbara.

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