Douglas A. Thompson

Partner, Los Angeles Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner

Douglas Thompson defends class action complex litigation matters and represents institutions and businesses in related regulatory investigations. Mr. Thompson is a Leader of the firm’s Global Banking Sector, collaborating across our platform to deepen relationships with Banking Sector clients, and championing innovation, inclusion and thought leadership initiatives to benefit clients and the firm alike. Thompson previously served in other firm leadership roles, including Managing Partner of the Los Angeles office (2016 through 2019) and Class and Derivative Actions Practice Group Leader (2011 through 2016).
Mr. Thompson represents financial services institutions and other businesses in putative consumer class action matters and other complex litigation in federal and state courts across the US. Throughout his career, he has represented clients in more than 250 putative class actions, and has been admitted pro hac vice in numerous federal district courts.

For financial institutions, he has defended claims under federal banking and consumer lending laws such as the Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act (RESPA), Truth in Lending Act (TILA), Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA), Fair and Accurate Credit Transactions Act (FACTA), Fair Debt Collections Practices Act (FDCPA), and Equal Credit Opportunity Act (ECOA). He also defends banking deposit operations claims, such as Know Your Customer (KYC) rules, Bank Secrecy Act (BSA)-related privacy and contract claims, and commercial banking rules claims, including swaps products, purported Ponzi schemes, and related alleged violations of state unfair and deceptive acts or practices (UDAP) statutes.

For other businesses, including technology, food and cosmetics, and retail companies, Mr. Thompson has defended a variety of statutory claims arising from operations and sales practices, labeling and marketing. These suits often assert state law UDAP, fraud and unjust enrichment challenges. He has represented businesses both in defending and asserting unfair competition, breach of contract, and trade secret claims, as well as claims for alleged violations of representation and warranties.
Mr. Thompson has counseled clients with respect to regulatory and government agency investigations and other complex commercial disputes, including implementing quantitative risk assessment protocols, electronic discovery/ESI protocols, preferred litigation provider networks, vendor management protocols, and legal matter management technology. He is experienced in developing alternative pricing for litigation and has represented class action clients under such arrangements.

As a leading supporter of the firm’s mentoring, associate development and innovation programs, he sponsors diverse senior associates and mentors diverse junior associates in two unique firm programs, the Sponsorship program and the Global Connections Mentoring program, helping spearhead the latter to match diverse associates and partners across the globe. He is a presenter at the firm’s Business Academy for associates, and acts as an Innovation champion for the firm.

Prior to joining the firm, Mr. Thompson spent more than a decade leading litigation and related legal administration strategy in corporate law departments. In this capacity, he managed a national financial services institution’s portfolios of consumer finance, employment, commercial, and securities litigation and class actions. Mr. Thompson’s extensive in-house experience enables him to focus litigation strategy and resources to address the issues most critical to institutional clients.