Joseph L. Barloon

Mr. Barloon has litigated matters in federal courts throughout the country. He represents individual officers and directors in the context of related government enforcement and consumer civil action complaints, and has negotiated numerous complex settlement agreements for financial institutions and other clients.

From 2019-21, Mr. Barloon served as general counsel to the U.S. trade representative (USTR) and as acting deputy USTR. As general counsel, he led U.S. enforcement actions against China, India, France and numerous other countries, and was responsible for litigation on behalf of the U.S. at the World Trade Organization. In addition, he was the chief U.S. counsel for adoption and implementation of numerous trade agreements, including the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement. Mr. Barloon also served as the acting deputy USTR in 2020-21 and was responsible for international trade matters involving the U.S. and China, including implementation of the Economic and Trade Agreement Between the United States of America and the People’s Republic of China (the Phase One Agreement).

Mr. Barloon repeatedly has been ranked as a top practitioner in Chambers USA: America’s Leading Lawyers for Business, in which clients have recognized him as being “an expert in his field” and a “very thoughtful and responsive attorney,” while noting his “great ability to present complex information in a way that’s easy to understand” and providing advice that considers “the legal perspective but also the business perspective.” Additionally, Mr. Barloon has been recognized in Best Lawyers in America in the Criminal Defense: White-Collar and Financial Services Regulation Law categories.

Among his notable representations in private practice are:

• a consumer finance lender in litigation with the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), as well as in more than 20 state regulatory enforcement actions and consumer class actions with proceedings in several federal district courts and federal appellate courts;
• a major accounting firm in third-party litigation and subpoena matters;
• a debt settlement provider in litigation with the CFPB and in bank regulatory matters;
• bank officers and directors in investigations and litigation commenced by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation and the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency;
• several national and regional banks in U.S. Department of Justice investigations; and
• investors and financial advisors in connection with debt and equity transactions related to emerging fintech participants.

Mr. Barloon has lectured and published on various topics, including the Dodd-Frank Act, administrative agency litigation and enforcement, and financial services regulation.