E. Michelle Drake

• Board Member for Southern Center of Human Rights
• Board Member for the National Association of Consumer Advocates, 2014 – Present
• Partner’s Council Member for the National Consumer Law Center, 2014-Present
• Minnesota Association for Justice, Board of Governors, 2016 – Present
• Member of Ethics Committee for the National Association of Consumer Advocates, 2015
• American Bar Association Member
• Federal Bar Association Member
• Minnesota State Bar Association Member
• National Employment Lawyers Association Member
• Public Justice

Speaking engagements:

• “Evidentiary Challenges in Certifying Class Actions,” Class Action Symposium, Consumer Rights litigation Conference, National Consumer Law Center, December 2021.
• “Conducting Financial & Criminal Background Checks – Applicant Rights and Employer Best Practices,” Minnesota Continuing Legal Education, Minneapolis, MN, October 2020.
• “Current Accuracy Topics for Traditional Credit Reporting,” Accuracy in Consumer Reporting, FTC/CFPB Workshop, Washington, DC, December 2019.
• Plaintiffs’ Food Fraud Litigation Forum, Cambridge Forums, Manalapan, FL, November 2019.
• “Sealing, Expungement and FCRA: Criminal Records Reporting in a New Era,” Consumer Rights Litigation Conference, National Consumer Law Center, Boston, MA, November 2019.
• “Stop Stealing the Microphone! Amped-Up Judicial Scrutiny of Class-Action Settlements,” Class Action Institute, American Bar Association, Nashville, TN, October 2019.
• “The Complete Lawyer: Consumer Law,” Minnesota Continuing Legal Education, Minneapolis, MN, June 2019.
• “Fair Credit Reporting Act/Debt Collection Issues,” 24th Annual Consumer Financial Services Institute, Practising Law Institute, Chicago, IL, May 2019.
• “Ethics Session: Referrals and Fee-Sharing,” Fair Credit Reporting Act Conference, National Association of Consumer Advocates, Long Beach, CA, May 2019.
• “Consumer Law: Recent Trends and Hot Topics in FCRA Litigation,” Minnesota Continuing Legal Education, Minneapolis, MN, January 2019.
• “Diamonds in the Rough: Identifying Good Class Claims,” Mass Torts Made Perfect Fall Seminar, Las Vegas, NV, October 2018.
• “Nationwide Settlement Cases – The Impact of the Hyundai/ Kia Litigation,” Class Action Symposium, Consumer Rights Litigation Conference, National Consumer Law Center, Denver, CO, October 2018.
• “Developments in Public Records Litigation,” Consumer Rights Litigation Conference, National Consumer Law Center, Denver, CO, October 2018.
• “Big Challenges in the City of BIG Shoulders, Electronic Discovery’s Rise to Prominence,” ABA 22nd Annual National Institute on Class Actions, Chicago, IL, October 2018.
• “Jurisdiction Issues Post Bristol-Myers,” Bridgeport 2018 Class Action Litigation Conference, San Francisco, CA, September 2018.
• “New Developments in the Law of Personal Jurisdiction in the Aftermath of the Supreme Court’s Decisions in BNSF Railway Co. v. Tyrrell and Bristol Myers and the Strategies,” Plaintiffs’ Class Action Roundtable, Rancho Palos Verdes, CA, April 2018.
• “New Developments in Personal Jurisdiction,” Litigator’s Short Course, Minnesota Continuing Legal Education, Minneapolis, MN, February 2018
• “Game Changing Blindspots that Create Privacy Liabilities – a Plaintiff-Side Litigator’s Insights,” Midwest Legal Conference on Privacy & Data Security, Minneapolis, MN, January 2018
• “Federal Discovery: Winning Your Cases Early,” & “FCRA Report Disclosures: Issues and Litigation,” Consumer Rights Litigation Conference, National Consumer Law Center, Washington, D.C., November 2017
• “Strategic Response to Recent Supreme Court Decision in Bristol-Meyers,” Class Action Symposium, Consumer Rights Litigation Conference, National Consumer Law Center, Washington, D.C., November 2017
• “The Times They Are a-Changin’: The Role of Administrative Agencies and Private Counsel in the Trump Era,” American Bar Association Annual National Institute on Class Actions, Washington, D.C., October 2017
• “The CFPB’s New Rule on Arbitration: What It Is and What Comes Next,” Minnesota State Bar Association Continuing Legal Education, Minneapolis, MN, September 2017
• “Standing: Assessing Article III Jurisdiction One Year After Spokeo,” Minnesota State Bar Association Continuing Legal Education, Minneapolis, MN, June 2017
• “House Resolution 985 – Update and Strategies for Defeat,” Presenter, Cambridge Forums – Plaintiffs’ Class Action Forum, Carefree, AZ, May 2017
• “TCPA/Fair Credit Reporting Act/Debt Collection Issues,” Presenter, PLI 22nd Annual Consumer Financial Services Institute, Chicago, IL, May 2017
• “Case Law and Recent Trial Updates,” Panelist, 2017 NACA Fair Credit Reporting Act Conference, Baltimore, MD, April 2017
• “Using the FCRA for Criminal Background Checks” and “Spokeo Standing Challenges (and Opportunities),” Presenter, The Consumer Rights Litigation Conference, National Consumer Law Center, Anaheim, CA, October 2016
• “Appeals: Whether, When and How,” Presenter, The Consumer Rights Litigation Conference Class Action Symposium, National Consumer Law Center, Anaheim, CA, October 2016
• “Recent Developments in Food Class Action Litigation,” Presenter, Food & Beverage Litigation Conference: A Look at Hospitality, Liquor & Food Liability, Perrin Conferences, New York, NY, October 2016
• “A Winning Hand or a Flop? After 50 Years, Are Class Actions Still Legit?,” Presenter, 20th Annual National Institute on Class Actions, American Bar Association, Las Vegas, NV, October 2016
• “Changing Standard for Class Certification Including a Discussion of the Use of Experts and Statistical Sampling at Class Certification in Light of Spokeo and Tyson,” Chair and Presenter, 2016 Class Action Litigation Conference, Bridgeport Continue Education, San Francisco, CA, September 2016
• “The U.S. Supreme Court’s Big New Decisions,” Presenter, Minnesota CLE, Minneapolis, MN, August 2016
• “The Complete Lawyer Series: Consumer Law, Debt Collection and Credit Reporting,” Presenter, Minnesota CLE Webcast, July 2016
• “What Does the Spokeo Decision Mean for Consumer Lawyers,” Panelist, National Association of Consumer Advocates Webinar, May 2016
• “Hot Button Consumer Issues,” Panelist, 21st Annual Consumer Financial Services Institute, Practising Law Institute, Chicago, IL, May 2016
• “Consumer Law,” Presenter, The Complete Lawyer Seminar, Minnesota Continuing Legal Education, May 2016
• “Hot Topics in Class Actions,” Presenter, Bridgeport Class Action Conference, Hollywood, CA, April 2016
• “Hot Button Consumer Issues,” Panelist, 21st Annual Consumer Financial Services Institute, Practising Law Institute, New York, NY, April 2016

• Gambles v. Sterling Infosystems, Inc., No. 15-cv-9746 (S.D.N.Y.). FCRA class action, alleging violations by consumer reporting agency, resulting in a gross settlement of $15 million, one of the largest FCRA settlements to date.
• Thomas v. Equifax Info. Services, LLC, No. 18-cv-684 (E.D. Va.). FCRA class action, alleging violations by credit bureau, providing nationwide resolution of class action claims asserted across multiple jurisdictions, including injunctive relief, and an uncapped mediation program for millions of consumers.
• Clark v. Experian Info. Sols., Inc., No. 16-cv-32 (E.D. Va.). FCRA class action, alleging violations by credit bureau, providing a nationwide resolution of class action claims asserted by 32 plaintiffs in 16 jurisdictions, including injunctive relief and an uncapped mediation program, for millions of consumers.
• Clark/Anderson v. Trans Union, LLC, No. 15-cv-391 & No. 16-cv-558 (E.D. Va.). FCRA consolidated class action, alleging violations by credit bureau, providing groundbreaking injunctive relief, and an opportunity to recover monetary relief, for millions of consumers.
• Rilley v. MoneyMutual, LLC, No. 16-cv-4001 (D. Minn.). Court certified a litigation class of over 20,000 Minnesota consumers alleging that MoneyMutual violated Minnesota payday lending regulations, resulting in $2 million with notable injunctive relief.
• Rubio-Delgado & Moore v. Aerotek, Inc., Nos. 2:15-cv-2701, 2:16-cv-1066 (S.D. Ohio). Serving as lead counsel, Ms. Drake obtained a $15 million settlement on behalf of a nationwide class of employees and applicants against a large temporary staffing company for alleged violations of the Fair Credit Reporting Act.
• Bible v. United Student Aid Funds, Inc., No. 1:13-cv-00575 (S.D. Ind.). Serving as co-lead counsel, Ms. Drake obtained a $23 million settlement on behalf of a nationwide class of borrowers against United Student Aid Funds, Inc. for alleged breach of contract and violations of the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (“RICO”).
• Hillson v. Kelly Services, Inc., No. 2:15-cv-10803 (E.D. Mich.). Serving as co-lead counsel, Ms. Drake obtained a $6.7 million settlement on behalf of a nationwide class of employees and applicants against a national staffing company.
• Halvorson, et al. v. TalentBin, Inc., No. 3:15-cv-05166 (N.D. Cal.). Serving as lead counsel, Ms. Drake obtained a $1.5 million settlement on behalf of a nationwide class against a large consumer reporting agency for alleged violations of the Fair Credit Reporting Act.
• Citibank Force-Placed Insurance Litigation, Nos. 5:12-cv-00820, 1:13-cv-353 (N.D.N.Y.) Ms. Drake obtained a settlement valued at $110 million in this consolidated class action on behalf of nationwide classes of borrowers whose mortgage loans were serviced by Citibank or CitiMortgage and who were force-placed with hazard, flood or wind insurance by Citi.
• Arnett v. Bank of America, N.A., No. 3:11-cv-1372 (D. Or.). Co-Lead Counsel. Ms. Drake obtained a settlement of $31 million on behalf of a nationwide class of borrowers whose mortgage loans were serviced by Bank of America and who were force-placed with flood insurance by Bank of America.
• Hart v. RCI Hospitality Holdings, Inc., No. 09 Civ. 3043, 2015 WL 5577713 (S.D.N.Y. Sept. 22, 2015) Lead Counsel. Ms. Drake achieved final approval of a settlement valued at $15 million on behalf of a certified class of 2,000 female adult entertainers who were improperly misclassified as independent contractors, denied the minimum wage, and required to pay a variety of unlawful fees and fines.
• Farmer v. Bank of America, No. 5:11-cv-00935-OLG (W.D. Tex.) Lead Counsel. Ms. Drake obtained a $10 million settlement on behalf of Texas borrowers who were force-placed or otherwise improperly required to obtain insurance on their homes.
• Hofstetter v. Chase, No. 10-cv-1313-WHA (N.D. Cal.) Lead Counsel. Ms. Drake obtained a $10 million settlement on behalf of a nationwide class of borrowers who were improperly force-placed with flood insurance.
• Knights v. Publix Super Markets, Inc., No. 3:14-cv-00720 (M.D. Tenn.) Lead Counsel. Ms. Drake obtained a $6.8 million settlement in this Fair Credit Reporting Act case challenging Publix’s improper procedures for obtaining background checks on its employees.
• Ernst v. DISH Network, LLC, DISH Network Service, LLC, and Sterling Infosystems, Inc., No. 12-cv-8794-LGS (S.D.N.Y.) Lead Counsel. Ms. Drake obtained a $4.75 million settlement with Sterling on Fair Credit Reporting Act claims against background check company Sterling for improperly reporting outdated criminal background information. Ms. Drake defeated DISH’s motion for summary judgment litigation against DISH is ongoing.
• Singleton v. Domino’s Pizza, No. 8:11-cv-01823(DKC (D. Md.) Lead Counsel. Ms. Drake obtained a $2.5 million settlement on behalf of a nationwide class in this Fair Credit Reporting Act case which challenged Domino’s improper procedures for obtaining and using employment-related background checks. Ms. Drake successfully defeated a motion to dismiss in this case, establishing authoritative precedent on the impropriety of including liability releases in required disclosures.
• Rasschaert v. Frontier, No. 11-cv-02963-DWF (D. Minn.) Lead Counsel. Ms. Drake secured a settlement whereby Frontier applied for a $9 million sales tax refund on behalf of a class of Minnesota internet customers from whom Frontier improperly collected sales tax.