Severson and Werson

Sunny Huo specializes in the mortgage lending litigation and compliance issues. He has extensive experience defending class actions, UDAP/UCL lawsuits, and individual consumer actions. Mr. Huo also provides guidance on RESPA, TILA, FCRA, and HAMP matters.
 
Mr. Huo was Co-Chair of the California Mortgage Bankers Association’s Residential Legal Services Committee in 2006 and 2007, and often speaks at CMBA and Mortgage Banker’s Association events. He is also the co-founder of the REGListServ professional networking group.
 
Mr. Huo graduated cum lade from U.C.L.A. and also obtained his Juris Doctorate degree there.

Mr. Huo's areas of practice include:

Class actions, complex litigation, and residential mortgage lending.

Mr. Huo has significant experience in:

Complex Litigation: Defended national banks and mortgage lenders in over four dozen class actions, Bus. & Prof. Code § 17200 lawsuits, and Consumer Legal Remedies Act cases involving alleged federal and state regulatory and statutory violations, collection of improper fees at loan origination and payoff, disclosures, per diem interest, yield spread premiums, rescission claims, force-placed insurance, and other issues.

Lender Liability: Defended various financial institutions in individual actions involving allegations of wrongful foreclosure, improper handling of escrow accounts, inadequate disclosures, fraud, and discriminatory/predatory lending practices.

Regulatory Compliance: Consulted and advised clients on compliance with various Federal and State lending laws (e.g. FCRA, RESPA, TILA, and ECOA).

Biographical Information:

Education: U.C.L.A. School of Law (J.D., 1995); University of California, Los Angeles (B.A., cum laude, 1992).

Honors: Chair of California Mortgage Bankers Association’s Legal Services Committee (2005-present); Co-Editor-in-Chief, U.C.L.A. Pacific Basin Law Journal (1994-95); U.C.L.A. Moot Court (1993-94).

Admitted to Practice: California, 1995; United States Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit, 1995; United States District Court, 1995.

Speaking Engagements: 2006 MBA Legal Issues Conference (Newcomer’s Workshop: Litigation Concerns for In-house Counsel); 2006 MBA Legal Issues Conference (Newcomer’s Workshop: FCRA and RESPA); 2006 CMBA Legal Issues & Regulatory Compliance Conference (FCRA, FACTA, Privacy & Advertising); 2005 CMBA Legal Issues & Regulatory Compliance Conference (Recent Developments in FCRA Class Actions).

Foreign Language: Mandarin Chinese.

• Represented a dozen major lenders in multiple nationwide class actions. Obtained dismissal of all nationwide allegations at inception by motion.

• Represented national mortgage lender in nationwide class action involving the collection of various loans fees. Obtained dismissal of Consumer Legal Remedies Act and other claims at inception by demurer.

• Represented major loan servicer in unfair business practices class action involving late reconveyance fees. Successful defense by summary judgment.

• Represented national mortgage lender in unfair business practice class action contesting lender’s right to charge more than actual cost for loan fees and services. Successful defense by summary judgment.

• Represented national wholesale lender in loan fee disclosure class action. Successful defense of multiple class certification attempts leading to favorable settlement terms.

Publications

• “Class Action Update” (CMBA 2010 Legislative, Regulatory, QA and Compliance Conference, Irvine, California, December 2010).
  
• “Expedited Jury Trials in California: An Overview and Discussion of Strategic Considerations” (November 2010).
  
• “Strategies for Defending Your Company Against Individual Litigation” (Mortgage Banker’s Association Legal Issues Conference, San Diego, California, May 2010).
  
• “Defending Your Company Against Individual Cases” (Mortgage Banker’s Association Legal Issues Conference, Chicago, Illinois, May 2009).
  
• “Does the Consumers' Legal Remedy Act Apply to Financial Transactions” (The Corporate Counselor, Winter 2008).
  
• “Financial Institution Litigation” (41st Annual Bank Counsel Seminar, San Francisco, California, February 2008).
  
• “Outsourcing and Other Hot Topics in Law and Technology” (Mortgage Banker’s Association, San Diego, California, November 2007).
  
• “Recent Developments Surrounding the Class Certification of UCL and CLRA Claims” (Bridgeport CLE Class Action Litigation Conference, Costa Mesa, California, November 2007).
  
• “Legal and Compliance Updates” (CMBA Western States Legislative, Regulatory & Compliance Conference, November 2007).