Karin Dryhurst focuses her practice on government-facing and qui tam litigation and investigations. She has defended financial institutions and other clients in litigation, investigations, examinations and inquiries by state regulators, US Department of Justice, various US Attorneys’ Offices, SEC, OCC, CFPB, Federal Reserve and FHFA. Ms. Dryhurst’s representations routinely involve organizations facing attention from multiple federal and state regulators, including parallel criminal and civil investigations and overlapping private class actions.

Ms. Dryhurst’s clients include a wide array of leading financial institutions, such as major banks, mortgage and student loan servicers, payments platforms and secondary market participants. She has also represented individuals, technology and media companies, educational institutions and consumer goods companies in investigations and litigation.

Ms. Dryhurst has extensive experience handling all phases of litigation. She has argued motions in federal court, taken and defended dozens of depositions of fact and expert witnesses, managed complex e-discovery, and served as trial counsel. In addition, she has prepared and defended CEOs and other senior executives in testimony and interviews before the SEC, CFPB and DOJ.

Ms. Dryhurst has counseled clients through matters involving consumer protection statutes, securities and antitrust laws, the False Claims Act, fair lending and anti-discrimination issues and sexual misconduct allegations.

Ms. Dryhurst shares the firm’s commitment to pro bono work with an emphasis on criminal justice, immigration and civil rights.

Prior to joining the firm, Ms. Dryhurst clerked for the Honorable Harris L Hartz of the US Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit.

Experience

  • A selection of recent litigation and investigation matters include:

    • Defending a leading payments platform in litigation brought by a state consumer protection agency.
    • Obtaining dismissal of multiple class actions filed against a national credit union related to alleged fraud on Zelle.
    • Defending through trial the former chief auditor of a large bank holding company in an OCC enforcement action.
    • Defending a large student loan servicer in one of the few actively litigated CFPB enforcement actions, from the motion to dismiss through discovery and dispositive motions.
    • Defending a large bank in a False Claims Act qui tam litigation.
    • Defending a technology company in a consumer class action alleging claims based on alleged gift card fraud.
    • Representing a large bank in mediation regarding alleged employment discrimination.
    • Representing a consumer goods company in criminal and civil False Claims Act investigations and litigation, resulting in a no-admission civil settlement with the DOJ, multiple US Attorneys’ Offices, the FTC, all 50 states, and several qui tam relators.
    • Representing a life sciences company in qui tam False Claims Act litigation based on alleged Anti-Kickback Statute violations.
    • Representing a large secondary mortgage market participant in multiple fair lending reviews.

Recognition

  • Named a 2022 Washington DC "Rising Star" by The National Law Journal

Insights & News

Credentials

  • Education

    • JD, New York University School of Law, 2013

      cum laude

      Senior Articles Editor, Journal of International Law and Politics

    • BA, Political Science and Journalism, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 2008

  • Admissions

    • District of Columbia

    • New York

  • Clerkships

    • The Hon. Harris L Hartz, US Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit, 2014 - 2015

Credentials

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