Lynne E. Evans

Partner

  • Lynne E. Evans
  • Phone: +1 215 979 1102

    Lynne E. Evans - LinkedIn Import to Address Book

  • Duane Morris LLP
    30 South 17th Street
    Philadelphia, PA 19103-4196
    USA

Lynne E. Evans is a trial lawyer and counselor with significant experience representing financial institutions, corporate and government entities and individual clients in matters in federal and state courts throughout the United States.

Her areas of practice include complex commercial litigation, matters involving breach of contract, negligence, fraud, RICO, breach of fiduciary duties, consumer class actions and internal and government investigations. Ms. Evans also handles a wide variety of banking-related matters, including claims involving bank regulations, the Uniform Commercial Code, NACHA rules, Fair Credit Reporting Act, Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, Telephone Consumer Protection Act, Electronic Fund Transfer Act, Truth in Lending Act and Bank Secrecy laws.

Ms. Evans represents clients at all phases of litigation, including pre-litigation counseling and investigation, motion practice, requests for injunctive relief, discovery, trial and appeal, and at mediation and arbitration. She also frequently advises clients in assessing business transactions and strategies designed to avoid litigation and manage risk.

Ms. Evans serves on the Firm’s Diversity & Inclusion Committee, and Philadelphia office Recruitment and Retention Committee and Inclusion Committee. She is admitted to practice in Pennsylvania and New Jersey. Ms. Evans is a 2012 cum laude graduate of the University of Pennsylvania Law School, and a magna cum laude graduate of Duke University.

Areas of Practice

  • Banking/Financial
  • Commercial Litigation
  • Class Action Litigation
  • Corporate Governance

Representative Matters

    Banking/Financial

  • Obtained dismissal with prejudice in federal court on behalf of creditor and loan servicer in action alleging Fair Debt Collection Practices Act and Florida Consumer Collection Practices Act claims.

  • Won dismissal on behalf of major bank client on breach of contract, breach of fiduciary duty and negligence claims based on allegations concerning account setup.

  • Won dismissal with prejudice in federal court on behalf of a major bank client in an action alleging breach of a construction loan agreement, state statutory violation and common law claims.

  • Represented a trustee of mortgage backed securities in a jury trial on a mortgage loan default claim and defense of a RICO counterclaim, successfully settling case during trial.

  • Seconded at one of ten largest nationally chartered banks, managing extensive portfolio of retail bank and credit card litigation.

  • Manage attorney teams throughout the United States and litigation portfolios for large bank clients in matters involving retail bank claims, including disputes over credit reporting, account documentation and transactions, financial instruments, liens, statutory and common law claims.

  • Manage attorney teams throughout the United States and portfolio involving credit card litigation, including cases raising consumer protection statutes (e.g., FCRA, FDCPA, TCPA) and common law claims.

  • Won dismissal in the U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey for a major bank facing claims of violations of the Uniform Commercial Code (UCC) and negligence arising out of an account opened in similar name by former employee of plaintiff.

    • Commercial

  • Won summary judgment for a major bank in the Superior Court of New Jersey, in an action in which plaintiff alleged multimillion-dollar claims for breach of contract, implied covenant, and promissory estoppel over the bank's termination of a commercial lease, where Court found both factual and legal bases warranted dismissal with prejudice of all claims.

  • Won dismissal, for a major bank, of a commercial lease dispute in Bergen County, New Jersey Court which granted the extraordinary sanction of dismissal because of plaintiff’s discovery violations.

  • Won partial motion for summary judgment reducing recoverable damages by over $3 million, after which plaintiff voluntarily dismissed matter against insurance broker for claims based on program administration.

  • Served as national litigation counsel to company specializing in document management systems and services in commercial contract disputes, frequently involving third party claims for indemnification.

    • Class Action

  • Represented osteopaths in a nationwide antitrust class action, resolved with an injunction against the unlawful tying arrangement and benefits to osteopathic physicians valued around $84 million.

  • Defended national bank in federal putative class action alleging FCRA violation following bankruptcy discharge.

  • Represented major bank in putative class action alleging federal and state credit reporting claims based on reporting of historical data following settlement of account.

  • Represented major retailer in successfully resolving putative class action alleging violations of the TCPA.

  • Represented through class administration major bank in action concerning mortgage discharge recording.

  • Represented through class administration major bank in action alleging violation of state consumer credit protection act based on collection notices.

  • Won dismissal with prejudice in federal court on behalf of a debt collector of putative class action, alleging violation of the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act based on efforts to collect a time barred debt.

  • Defended national bank in putative class action alleging claims based on state and common law privacy laws.

  • Won motion for summary judgment in putative class action concerning alleged violation of UCC and consumer protection laws governing repossession notices.

    • Corporate Governance

  • Represented former officer and director of publicly traded company in high-profile SEC investigation that resulted in the SEC issuing a "no action" letter to conclude its multi-year inquiry.

Admissions

  • Pennsylvania
  • New Jersey
  • U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania
  • U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania
  • U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey
  • U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Indiana
  • U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Indiana
  • U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Wisconsin
  • U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois

Education

  • University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School, J.D., cum laude, 2012
    - Senior Editor, University of Pennsylvania Journal of Constitutional Law
  • Duke University, A.B., magna cum laude, 2008
    - Phi Beta Kappa

Experience

  • Duane Morris LLP
    - Partner, 2021-present
    - Associate, 2012-2020

Honors and Awards

  • The Legal Intelligencer Lawyers on the Fast Track, 2022 
  • Named to Best Lawyers "Ones to Watch," 2021 and 2022

  • Listed in Pennsylvania Super Lawyers Rising Stars, 2017-2021

  • Part of the Duane Morris team awarded the first TD Bank "U.S. Legal Champion" Award

No aspect of these rankings has been approved by the Supreme Court of New Jersey. Further information on methodologies is available via these links.

Selected Publications

Selected Speaking Engagements

  • Speaker, “Fair Lending Laws: An Overview and Update on Recent Developments,” August 16, 2023.
  • Moderator, Duane Morris Fintech General Counsel Roundtable, Webinar, December 2, 2022
  • Panelist, "Model Rule 8.4 and The Ethics of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion," Association of Corporate Counsel Ethics and Compliance CLE Institute, December 1, 2021
  • Speaker, “The Ethics and Challenges of Working Remotely”- challenges of remote working and best practices for managing risk, complying with ethics rules and minimizing impacts on teams and mental health during the pandemic and beyond, May 3, 2021

  • Speaker, "Fraud on Your Finance Department – Risks, Rules and Recommendations for Preventing Bank Account Frauds," Association of Corporate Counsel – Greater Philadelphia’s 11th Annual In-House Counsel Conference, Philadelphia, April 24, 2019

  • Speaker, "Retail Fraud: Costs, Claims and Other Considerations" - overview of sources of retail fraud affecting banks and related business impacts, Mar. 31, 2017
  • Speaker, "Why Inclusion Matters" - considerations on diversity and inclusion in the workplace, Feb. 22, 2017
  • Speaker, "An In-House Counsel Perspective" - recommendations on working with in-house law departments, Feb. 10, 2017
  • Speaker, "Know Your Customer" - requirements for Bank Secrecy Act / Anti-Money Laundering compliance programs, Mar. 16, 2016
  • Speaker, "Maintaining the Privilege: Practice Issues and Real-World Examples" - privilege considerations for in-house counsel, Feb. 11, 2015; Mar. 11, 2016