Credit Union Attorneys Conference
Instructors

Instructors

  Edward J. Kaushas

Edward Kaushas, Esq/CPA, is an attorney in private practice, specializing in the areas of financial institutions, finance, corporate, and real estate law. He also offers expertise in credit union strategic planning, corporate governance, due diligence, and policy and procedure reviews. In addition to his law degree, Ed is also a Certified Public Accountant.

Edward worked for the National Credit Union Administration (NCUA) as an examiner for four years before attending law school and has served as an auditor and regulatory consultant. He developed a comprehensive anti-money laundering program to ensure credit unions, corporate credit unions, and CUSOs complied with the Bank Secrecy Act. While working at Carver & Associates, a CPA firm, Ed created a regulatory compliance program for credit union clients and developed AML, ACH (Automatic Clearing House), commercial lending, internet banking, and due diligence review programs.

  Laurie S. Kennedy

Laurie S. Kennedy, associate counsel for the Pennsylvania Credit Union Association, provides legal counsel to the Association and its affiliates. She also supports the Association's compliance and operations area, performs legislative analysis, and engages in regulatory advocacy. Before joining PCUA, she was general counsel and senior vice president to a large mortgage banking company where she provided legal advice to officers and employees regarding statutory and regulatory requirements associated with conducting a multi-state mortgage banking and brokering business. Kennedy was counsel for the Pennsylvania Department of Banking for ten years.

  Paul Schieber

Paul Schieber, a partner in the firm of Blank Rome, concentrates his practice in the area of consumer financial services and retail banking. He represents credit unions, banks, thrift institutions, mortgage companies, finance companies, and other financial services providers. He is often asked to speak before financial services organizations and is widely published on consumer finance issues. Prior to entering private practice in 1986, Paul was the executive director of the Public Housing Authorities Directors Association in Washington, D.C. He was also a legislative assistant in Governor Hugh Carey's New York State Office of Federal Affairs and to Congressman James Scheuer.

  Molly Snody

Molly Snody, director of Pennsylvania Credit Union Association's business advisory services, provides advice, guidance, and education to credit unions serving the small business market. Her presentation, Offering Business Services: An Honest Opinion, enlightens a credit union's board and senior management team on initial program costs and expenses; revenue potential; credit union cultural changes; business lending skills and staffing requirements; and NCUA considerations. Molly has an extensive background in commercial loan underwriting and operations.

  Rick Wargo

Rick Wargo, executive vice president/general counsel for the Pennsylvania Credit Union Association, provides legal advice and support to the Association and its affiliated companies. Rick engages in credit union advocacy on behalf of the Association and its member credit unions before legislative bodies, administrative agencies, and courts. Before joining the Association in 1992, Rick served as a staff attorney for the Pennsylvania Department of Banking and he also engaged in the private practice of law.

  Katherine E. Weber

Katherine E. Weber is a partner with the law firm of Messick & Weber P.C. Her practice includes the representation of credit unions, CUSOs, small businesses, and real estate clients. Prior to joining Messick & Weber, Katherine was in-house counsel for a corporation where she handled the legal aspects of purchasing and leasing property for the corporation's use, including negotiating and preparing leases and agreements of sale. Katherine is a member of the bar of the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania, Supreme Court of New Jersey, and Superior Court of Connecticut. She is a member of the Pennsylvania Bar Association, the Delaware County Bar Association, and the American Bar Association. Katherine serves on the Community Outreach Committee for the Delaware County Bar Association, and the Credit Unions Committee of the Business Law Section of the American Bar Association.

  Charles L. Williams, III

Charles L. Williams is a founding shareholder and principal in the Dallas, Texas firm of Blalack & Williams. For nearly three decades he has concentrated his practice on the representation of credit unions and financial service providers, specializing in state and federal regulatory affairs, lending and deposit account systems and policy development, bankruptcy representation, and consumer credit issues. He is a member of the Dallas Bar Association, the Corporate, Business and Bankruptcy Law section of the State Bar of Texas, and the Texas Association of Bank Counsel. Charles is a frequent instructor and lecturer around the country, addressing bankruptcy issues, deposit and lending compliance topics, and other operational, managerial, and regulatory issues.

For more program content information or to request a brochure call 800-356-9655, ext. 4882, or email abollman@cuna.coop. For registration questions, call 800-356-9655, ext.4400 or e-mail reginfo@cuna.coop.