Connie Montoya brings nearly two decades of class action experience to her trial and litigation practice in employment law and consumer protection defense. She is widely recognized for successful strategies that resolve litigation disputes and governmental investigations, and ensure compliance with various regulatory requirements. Her clients benefit from her risk management programs and counseling on all aspects of employment regulations and consumer defense. Connie has litigated in the federal, state and administrative courts of New York and New Jersey in countless class action lawsuits involving claims brought under various federal and state employment and consumer laws. She has represented publicly and privately held companies; not-for-profit organizations; banking, finance and financial services firms; governmental entities; law firms; tech companies and startups; health care providers; and restaurant, insurance, manufacturing, pharmaceutical and retail businesses.
In the field of labor and employment, Connie counsels her clients on a variety of employment issues, focusing on discrimination and harassment matters, including claims relating to discrimination on the basis of ethnicity, gender, age, pregnancy and disability. She has defended employment claims before the federal and state courts, as well as administrative and governmental agencies, including the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), in connection with claims brought pursuant to Title VII, as well as those arising from the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA) and the Trafficking Victims Protection Act (TVPA). She also defends claims involving the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) arising from alleged public accommodation and website accommodation violations. Connie has also defended employers and institutions from allegations involving sexual abuse and sexual violence. She routinely deals with claims involving state and local employment laws, and compliance with the same.
As for consumer class action litigation, Connie frequently defends leading financial services organizations against claims arising from various federal regulatory statutes, including the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA), the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA), the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA), and the Truth-in-Lending Act (TILA). Her clients include banks, credit card companies, creditors, loan servicers, debt buyers and third-party debt collectors. She also counsels clients in the financial and consumer industries regarding compliance with federal and state regulatory standards.
Whether for employment matters or consumer protection, Connie has a proven track record of effectively handling governmental investigations and achieving successful outcomes for claims brought by governmental agencies.
Connie is a member of Hinshaw’s Diversity Committee.
Professional Background
Connie has designed and conducted training workshops for clients in the consumer lending industry regarding compliance with the FDCPA, FCRA, and TCPA and regulations promulgated by the Consumer Federal Protection Bureau (CFPB).
Before joining Hinshaw, Connie was an Assistant Corporation Counsel in the Special Federal Litigation Division of the Office of the Corporation Counsel of the City of New York, where she defended the City and its municipal employees in federal civil rights actions.
Professional Affiliations
- Federal Bar Council, Inn of Court, Barrister
- National Association of Women Lawyers, Board Member
- Diversity Committee, Co-Chair
- National Asian Pacific American Bar Association, Member
- LGBTQ Network, Former Co-Chair
- Asian American Bar Association of New York, Member
- Litigation Committee, Former Co-Chair
- LGBT Bar Association of Greater New York (LeGaL), Board Member
- Filipino American Lawyers Association of New York, Immediate Past President
Honors & Awards
- Recognized on the Nation’s Best list by Lawyers of Color, 2019
- Distinguished Alumni Award, Asian Pacific American Law Students Association of Brooklyn Law School, 2017
- Municipal Affairs Award presented by the Association of the Bar of the City of New York, 2004
- Legal Rookie of the Year, Office of the Corporation Counsel of the City of New York, 2000 – 2001