Mr. Klein is admitted to practice before the Supreme Judicial Court of Massachusetts, the First, Second, Third, Sixth, and Seventh Circuit Courts of Appeals, and the United States Supreme Court. He is a graduate of Rutgers Law School (J.D. 1985) and Yale University (B.A. 1980).
Mr. Klein is a nationally recognized expert on consumer law and consumer education. His practice includes both class and individual litigation in the areas of unfair business practices, consumer protections for predatory lending and equal credit opportunity. He also provides training on homeownership issues and prevention of predatory home mortgage lending.
From 1991 to 2000, Mr. Klein was a Senior Attorney at the National Consumer Law Center and Director of the Center’s Sustainable Homeownership Initiative. Prior to joining NCLC, Mr. Klein was a managing attorney at New Hampshire Legal Assistance in Manchester, and a staff attorney at Community Legal Services, Inc. in Philadelphia, PA. From 1987 to 1988, Mr. Klein was a law clerk to the Honorable Bruce I. Fox of the United States Bankruptcy Court For The Eastern District Of Pennsylvania.
Mr. Klein has written and spoken extensively on consumer law and specifically on predatory lending and consumer bankruptcy issues. His publications include:
Editor, Consumer Bankruptcy Law and Practice, The Consumer Credit and Legal Practice Series (National Consumer Law Center, 6th ed. 2000).
Repossessions and Foreclosures, (National Consumer Law Center, 4th ed. 1999).
Contributing Author, Truth in Lending, (National Consumer Law Center, 4th ed. 2000).
Surviving Debt: A Guide for Consumers, (3rd ed. 1999).
“Remedies for Discharge Violations”, American Bankruptcy Institute Law Journal (November/December 2000).“Legislative Intent or Judicial Myth-making? No Legislative History Supports Policy Argument Advanced Against Stripdown”, American Bankruptcy Institute Law Journal (December/January 2000).
“Consumer Bankruptcy: Providing a Safety Net for Overwhelmed Families” (Senate Testimony), 52 Consumer Finance Law Quarterly Rep. 185 (Spring, 1998).
Seminars he has conducted include:
“Predatory Lending as a Fair Housing Issue ,” New Orleans Fair Housing Action Center (June 2004).
“Preventing Predatory Lending,” Milwaukee Fair Housing Center (June 2004).
“Mortgage Servicing Issues,” Consumer Financial Services Litigation Seminar, Practicing Law Institute (April, 2004).
“Predatory Mortgage Loans and Bankruptcy,” American Bankruptcy Institute (July, 2003).
“Preserving the American Dream,” A series of seminars on foreclosure prevention and financial literacy for Housing Counselors, Neighborhood Reinvestment Institute (1998-2000).
“Defending Foreclosures & Utility Terminations,” MCLE (November, 1999).
“Preventing Predatory Lending and Preserving Homeownership,” Neighborhood Reinvestment Institute (June, 1999).
“Preventing Foreclosure on Low-Income Homeowners,” Legal Services for New York City (December, 1998).
“Preserving the American Dream: Loss Mitigation for Homeowners,” A series of 10 trainings for the Department of Housing and Urban Development (1997 – 1998).
Mr. Klein has testified frequently before both houses of Congress on consumer
credit issues and the Bankruptcy and his legislative advocacy included
successfully lobbying Congress in 1994 for passage of the Homeownership and
Equity Protection Act (HOEPA) and organizing opposition to credit industry
efforts to revise the nation’s bankruptcy laws.
He is a past director of the American Bankruptcy Institute and of the
National Association of Consumer Bankruptcy Attorneys. He is currently
a director of the Coalition for Consumer Bankruptcy Debtor Education.