Kabat Chapman & Ozmer LLP (KCO) is pleased to announce the addition of attorneys Aaron Wagner and John Michael Kearns and paralegal Kathrin Bishop, to the firm. Wagner, our newest partner, joins us from Oregon, where he will work remotely as part of the Financial Services Litigation practice group out of the Firm’s new Portland, Oregon office. Kearns joins the Atlanta office as an associate, where he will also work in the Financial Services Litigation practice group. The attorneys in this practice group represent national banks and mortgage servicers in all aspects of financial litigation at the trial and appellate court levels. 

“We are very excited for Aaron, John Michael and Kathrin to join our firm,” said Michael Kabat, KCO’s managing partner. “The attorneys bring extensive backgrounds in consumer and financial services litigation, and their experience representing financial institutions and other businesses makes them excellent additions to our team. Growing our firm encompasses more than just expanding our roster of attorneys and our practice areas; it's about fostering a team that embodies excellence in every aspect of legal practice.”

Prior to joining KCO, Wagner was a partner at a Houston-based law firm, where he focused on commercial and consumer finance, product liability, consumer class action, and business-related financial services litigation. He is a trial attorney with extensive experience representing businesses in over 20 class, collective and representative actions, along with defending his clients in many individual lawsuits alleging violations of consumer protection laws and other matters. Wagner's clients include banks, lenders, servicers and investors. He also advises.  Aaron also represents various corporations on commercial litigation matters, including breach of contract, statutory violations and real estate transactions. Wagner is a former military officer and provides pro bono services to veterans and victims of sexual assault. He earned his undergraduate degree at the United States Military Academy at West Point, where he graduated in the top 10% of his class, and his law degree from Texas Tech University School of Law, where he finished first in his class, was editor in chief of the law review, and was a member of the Order of the Coif.  . 

Kearns previously served with Wagner at the same Houston-based law firm, where he represented financial institutions in consumer finance, real estate and foreclosure litigation. He has nearly 20 years of experience litigating cases arising under various federal consumer protection statutes, including the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA), Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act (RESPA), Truth in Lending Act (TILA) and Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA). Kearns also defends clients on claims of negligence, wrongful foreclosure and issues related to the enforcement of security instruments. He provides counsel to investors, servicers, lenders, banks and other institutions. Kearns earned his undergraduate degree from Emory University and his law degree from the University of Georgia School of Law, where he served on the Law Review.