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  1. Professionals

Caitlin M.R. Mandel

Partner

Washington, DC

+1 202-282-5048

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  • Overview
  • Experience
  • Credentials
  • Insights & News

Caitlin is an experienced defense attorney who focuses her practice on representing clients, both corporate and individual, in investigations and enforcement actions before the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA), the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), state Attorneys General, and Congress, among others. Caitlin has many years of experience counseling her financial institution clients with regard to compliance with consumer protection and securities laws and regulations.

Caitlin has represented numerous broker-dealers and other financial institutions in investigations by the SEC and FINRA relating to anti-money laundering and securities fraud. She also has substantial experience in consumer-facing financial products. For example, she led a complex internal investigation into a client’s mortgage servicing practices, which concluded in a favorable resolution of a lengthy investigation by the CFPB.

Clients routinely rely on Caitlin to assist with internal investigations, often prompted by whistleblower complaints or internal audit findings. Caitlin recently led an internal investigation at the direction of an Audit Committee, ultimately convincing the SEC not to pursue an enforcement investigation. She has also supported several financial institutions in revising and enhancing their compliance programs and has provided strategic and technical guidance in helping clients draft compliance and remediation plans.

Caitlin also served as an in-house lawyer at a large financial institution, where she advised on multiple aspects of consumer financial law, including relating to deposits, collections, and branding, as well as corporate governance.

Caitlin is actively involved in pro bono activities and has had several successes winning asylum claims on behalf of her clients. She has also served as a guardian ad litem in D.C. Superior Court, and she participates in the firm’s initiative to mentor local high school students.

Key Matters

Some of the experience represented below may have been handled at a previous firm.

  • Representing a major financial institution in coordinated investigations by the CFPB and state attorneys general relating to its partnership with an e-wallet provider
  • Representing an executive at a pharmaceutical company in an investigation by the SEC into alleged insider trading
  • Representing an executive of a wellness company in an investigation by the SEC related to alleged fraudulent public disclosures
  • Representing a major financial institution in coordinated investigations by multiple regulators, including CFPB, the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, and the Federal Reserve Board, relating to consumer account opening processes
  • Representing a special purpose acquisition company (SPAC) in the SEC’s first enforcement action relating to a SPAC transaction
  • Representing a major financial institution in a CFTC investigation relating to oversight of its clearing fees process
  • Representing a social media company relating to Congressional and regulatory investigations of its content moderation policies
  • Representing a company relating to a CFPB investigation into its student loan servicing practices
  • Representing the Audit Committee of a public company in investigating whistleblower allegations relating to financial reporting practices
  • Representing a real estate investment trust (REIT) in an SEC investigation relating to valuation practices
  • Representing an executive of a cryptocurrency company in an SEC investigation
  • Representing a broker-dealer in SEC and FINRA investigations regarding violations of the Market Access Rule
  • Representing a broker-dealer in SEC and New York State Attorney General investigations of dark pools, including allegations of “masking” order executions
  • Representing a mortgage loan company in a broad congressional inquiry relating to its corporate governance
  • Representing a broker-dealer relating to a U.S. Department of Justice investigation into potential anti–money laundering violations by a financial advisor
  • Counseling a credit union in defending against a third-party subpoena
  • Representing a broker-dealer in investigations by several regulators relating to the sale of low-priced securities
  • Advising a financial institution facing a regulatory inquiry into its automobile lending practices
  • Representing an annuities company in a state-level regulatory investigation

Caitlin was recognized in the 2024 edition of Legal 500 US in the area of Financial Services Litigation.

Caitlin is a member of the American Bar Association Consumer Financial Services Committee and is a volunteer for the Girl Scouts of the United States of America.

Capabilities

Government Investigations, Enforcement & Compliance
Compliance Programs
Securities, M&A & Corporate Governance Litigation
Financial Innovation & Regulation
Public Companies

Key Matters

Some of the experience represented below may have been handled at a previous firm.

  • Representing a major financial institution in coordinated investigations by the CFPB and state attorneys general relating to its partnership with an e-wallet provider
  • Representing an executive at a pharmaceutical company in an investigation by the SEC into alleged insider trading
  • Representing an executive of a wellness company in an investigation by the SEC related to alleged fraudulent public disclosures
  • Representing a major financial institution in coordinated investigations by multiple regulators, including CFPB, the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, and the Federal Reserve Board, relating to consumer account opening processes
  • Representing a special purpose acquisition company (SPAC) in the SEC’s first enforcement action relating to a SPAC transaction
  • Representing a major financial institution in a CFTC investigation relating to oversight of its clearing fees process
  • Representing a social media company relating to Congressional and regulatory investigations of its content moderation policies
  • Representing a company relating to a CFPB investigation into its student loan servicing practices
  • Representing the Audit Committee of a public company in investigating whistleblower allegations relating to financial reporting practices
  • Representing a real estate investment trust (REIT) in an SEC investigation relating to valuation practices
  • Representing an executive of a cryptocurrency company in an SEC investigation
  • Representing a broker-dealer in SEC and FINRA investigations regarding violations of the Market Access Rule
  • Representing a broker-dealer in SEC and New York State Attorney General investigations of dark pools, including allegations of “masking” order executions
  • Representing a mortgage loan company in a broad congressional inquiry relating to its corporate governance
  • Representing a broker-dealer relating to a U.S. Department of Justice investigation into potential anti–money laundering violations by a financial advisor
  • Counseling a credit union in defending against a third-party subpoena
  • Representing a broker-dealer in investigations by several regulators relating to the sale of low-priced securities
  • Advising a financial institution facing a regulatory inquiry into its automobile lending practices
  • Representing an annuities company in a state-level regulatory investigation

Credentials

Education

Caitlin received her J.D. from the American University Washington College of Law in 2011, cum laude, where she was Note & Comment Editor of the Administrative Law Review. She received her B.A., cum laude, in government from Hamilton College in 2006, where she was News Editor at The Spectator, and was a member of Phi Sigma Iota and Pi Sigma Alpha. She received her M.A.T. in secondary education from American University in 2008 as part of her Teach for America service.

    Admissions
    • District of Columbia
    • Virginia
    • New York
    Clerkships
    • DC Superior Court for the Honorable Anthony C. Epstein
    • DC Superior Court for the Honorable Anthony C. Epstein

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    Capabilities

    Government Investigations, Enforcement & Compliance
    Compliance Programs
    Securities, M&A & Corporate Governance Litigation
    Financial Innovation & Regulation
    Public Companies
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