Michelle R. Ratledge
Attorney
Overview
Michelle Ratledge is an attorney in Holland & Knight's Chicago office and a member of the firm's Litigation and Dispute Resolution Practice. Ms. Ratledge focuses her practice on commercial litigation and consumer financial services litigation.
Ms. Ratledge has significant experience litigating contested foreclosures, contract disputes, property title disputes, defending clients against claims arising from the Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act (RESPA), Truth in Lending Act (TILA), Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA), and other regulatory and consumer protection laws, as well as assisting clients in an assortment of other litigation matters.
Additionally, Ms. Ratledge is a Certified Information Privacy Professional in the U.S. (CIPPP/US) with the International Association of Privacy Professionals (IAPP).
Prior to joining Holland & Knight, Ms. Ratledge worked for a Chicago area-based firm, where she handled litigation cases for financial service providers throughout Illinois.
Representative Experience
- Defended a large mortgage servicing client in a foreclosure post-appeal and in a second appeal against allegations that anticipatory repudiation of loss mitigation agreement prevented foreclosure, and in barring borrower from depositions of servicer's representative; trial court's order barring deposition and entry of summary judgment in favor of lender/servicer affirmed
- Defended a large servicer in a Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA) claim alleging use of a mail vendor to send a default notice was an unauthorized communication with a third party, and against claims barred by provisions of the mortgage regarding property inspection fees and face-to-face meeting allegations
- Defended large servicers from claims involving Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act (RESPA), Truth in Lending Act (TILA) and Illinois' unfair and deceptive practice law stemming from loan origination and servicing
Credentials
- Thomas Jefferson School of Law, J.D., cum laude
- North Central College, B.A.
- Illinois
- U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois
- U.S. District Court for the Central District of Illinois
- Illinois Bar Association, 2012-Present
- Privacy and Information Security Law Section, 2018-Present; Section Council, Editor in Chief, 2023
- International Association of Privacy Professionals (IAPP), 2019-Present