Former Goldman Sachs Fintech Lawyer Joseph Schuster Rejoins Ballard Spahr

Joseph Schuster—a former Managing Director and Senior Counsel at Goldman Sachs and an experienced consumer financial regulatory and deal attorney—has rejoined Ballard Spahr’s Business and Transactions Department and Consumer Financial Services Group as Partner, firm Chair Peter Michaud announced today. Mr. Schuster is resident in the firm’s Denver office.

“Our clients in the bank and non-bank fields are continuously developing new credit and lending products and need the kind of counsel and regulatory experience Joseph can provide,” Mr. Michaud said. “Technology, consumer habits, and regulation are all changing with lightning speed, and with Joseph on our team, we will be even better able to help financial organizations go beyond the challenges they face today.”

Mr. Schuster was an associate at Ballard Spahr from 2014 to 2016 before joining Goldman Sachs. During his time at Goldman Sachs, Mr. Schuster was responsible for providing and managing the regulatory advice for many of the investment bank’s consumer and small-business credit products. He also previously served as counsel for a credit card offered by a major retail chain.
Mr. Schuster chairs the Electronic Financial Services and Digital Currency Subcommittee of the American Bar Association Committee on Consumer Financial Services. He is a member of the American College of Consumer Financial Services Lawyers, and a member of the Governing Committee of the Conference on Consumer Finance Law.

At Ballard Spahr, Mr. Schuster will work on matters involving credit products, payments, and personal property finance with a focus on new Fintech product development and support.
“Joseph has an uncanny ability to understand the issues at play and deliver clear, practical guidance and solutions,” said Daniel JT McKenna, who co-leads Ballard Spahr’s Consumer Financial Services Group alongside John D. Socknat. “He understands that Fintech decision-makers are businesspeople and works with them not just as a lawyer, but as a trusted business partner.”

Michael R. Guerrero, co-leader of Ballard Spahr’s Fintech and Payment Solutions team, added: “Joseph understands better than anyone the environment in which our clients operate. He is a problem-solver and our clients will appreciate his thoughtful, creative, and pragmatic approach to providing guidance.”

Alan S. Kaplinsky, the founder and former leader of Ballard’s Consumer Financial Services Group, and now Senior Counsel, observed: “When Joseph joined us in 2014, I recognized that Joseph had all the tools to become a star in the consumer financial services legal industry. Joseph has become a luminary in the Fintech world. Many of our competitors tried to recruit Joseph to join them, and we are very fortunate that he chose us for the next stage in his career.”

As part of the Consumer Financial Services Group, Mr. Schuster joins a team of more than 70 attorneys nationwide that has consistently been recognized by Chambers USA, The Legal 500, and many industry publications.

“I am excited to be rejoining a firm that is leading the way in consumer financial services. I know from experience that Ballard has one of the finest, most trusted, and most in-depth practices in the industry,” Mr. Schuster said. “The quality of Ballard attorneys, the sophistication of the work they do, and the client roster—all of it was very appealing to me. So was the opportunity to further expand the group’s Western presence. I’m eager to get started.”

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