Our State AG practice — recognized with a Chambers USA Band 1 ranking, the highest recognition available — handles investigations across all 50 states, combining strong legal skills with firsthand experience developed from resolving hundreds of matters with AGs to bring order to the chaos. Our team is made up of more than 50 attorneys, including two former U.S. district attorneys, two former state solicitors general, three former deputy attorneys general, a former deputy solicitor general, former assistant deputy attorney general, and seven former assistant attorneys general, as well as attorneys with a variety of other governmental backgrounds and decades of experience representing clients in multiple industry sectors in state AG enforcement actions and litigation.
Troutman Pepper Locke State Attorneys General Team
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Ashley Taylor – Co-leader and Firm Vice Chair Ashley is co-leader of the firm's nationally ranked State Attorneys General practice, vice chair of the firm, and a partner in its Regulatory Investigations, Strategy + Enforcement (RISE) Practice Group. He helps his clients navigate the complexities involved with multistate attorneys general investigations and enforcement actions, federal agency actions, and accompanying litigation. |
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Clay Friedman – Co-leader Clay co-leads the firm's State Attorneys General practice and is nationally ranked by Chambers USA for AG Government Relations and in Best Lawyers for Advertising Law. He has dedicated his entire career to state attorney general and federal work, serving for nearly a decade in a senior role and more than 25+ years in private practice. Clay focuses his practice on helping industry-leading companies mitigate the risks associated with state and federal regulatory investigations and associated litigation. |
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Chris Carlson Chris advises clients on regulatory, civil, and criminal investigations and litigation. With a background as an assistant attorney general, he provides practical guidance to clients with matters involving state attorneys general and federal regulatory agencies. |
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Lauren Fincher Lauren has vast experience handling state attorneys general investigations, navigating complex regulatory compliance matters, and providing strategic counsel in enforcement actions across various industries. She helps clients manage high-stakes regulatory matters and guides them through complex legal landscapes. |
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Stephen Piepgrass Stephen leads the firm's Regulatory Investigations, Strategy + Enforcement (RISE) Practice Group, representing clients in single and multistate enforcement actions, including inquiries and investigations involving state attorneys general and other state and federal governmental enforcement bodies including the CFPB and FTC. He regularly represents clients in highly regulated sectors such as financial services, emerging technologies, health care, insurance, and education. |
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Michael Yaghi Mike handles high-profile investigations led by state attorneys general, the FTC, and other federal and state regulatory bodies. He assists clients through these complex government inquiries, assisting them throughout the entire life cycle of investigations, from regulatory enforcement through formal litigation. |
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Matthew J. Berns Drawing on his experience in senior leadership roles in the New Jersey Attorney General's and Governor's Offices and as a trial attorney for the U.S. Department of Justice, Matt provides an insider's perspective when guiding clients through complex government investigations, litigation, and other actions. |
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Jeff Johnson Jeff helps clients navigate complex regulatory and litigation challenges with local, state, and federal authorities. His clients benefit from his decade of broad litigation experience, understanding of emerging state and federal regulatory issues, and strong relationships with attorneys general across the U.S. In addition to handling cases from trial through state or federal appeals, Jeff serves as amicus counsel in advancing legal rules to support his clients' vital interests. |
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Jay Myers Jay assists clients in heavily regulated industries, including health care, energy, insurance, emerging industries, and data privacy. He provides both regulatory legal advice and government relations strategies. Jay's past and current clients include Fortune 10 companies, startups, nonprofits, industry associations, and advocacy groups. Recognizing that state government matters are often complex and multifaceted, he utilizes regulatory guidance, government advocacy, or both in tandem to deliver tailored solutions for each client's unique needs. |
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Zoe Schloss Zoe represents clients in litigation and government investigations. As former deputy attorney general for the Delaware Department of Justice, she is an experienced litigator who understands the enforcement priorities that impact her clients. Zoe works with individuals and corporate entities in highly regulated industries, including financial services, health care, and energy. |
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Jessica Birdsong Jessica is an associate in the firm's Regulatory Investigations, Strategy + Enforcement Practice Group. She received her J.D. from the University of Richmond School of Law, magna cum laude, where she served as associate articles editor of the Journal of Law & Technology. |
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Sydney Goldberg Sydney is an associate in the firm's Regulatory Investigations, Strategy + Enforcement (RISE) Practice Group. She advises clients on regulatory compliance and state attorney general (AG) investigations in highly regulated industries, including health care and life sciences. She routinely helps clients navigate alcohol compliance and licensing issues, helping proactively manage regulatory risk. |
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Troy Homesley Troy is an accomplished litigator who has represented and defended clients across a wide range of complex, high-stakes disputes at both the trial and appellate levels. He has represented technology companies, business executives, law firms, investment funds, high-ranking federal officials, international non-profits, and asylum seekers. Troy draws on his broad litigation experience to advise clients before litigation arises, while claims are pending or threatened, and leading up to and through trial and appeals. |
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Namrata Kang Namrata (Nam) is an associate in the firm's Regulatory Investigations, Strategy + Enforcement (RISE) Practice Group, based in the Washington, D.C. office. She routinely advises clients on a wide variety of state and federal regulatory matters, with a particular emphasis on state consumer protection laws relating to consumer financial services and marketing and advertising. Nam's experience transcends multiple industries, including financial services, telecommunications, media, and sports betting. |
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Michael Lafleur Michael is an associate in the firm's Regulatory Investigations, Strategy, and Enforcement Practice Group. Based out of the firm's Boston office, Mike has deep experience in litigation, investigations, and other regulatory matters involving state-level regulators and state attorneys general. |
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William LaRosa Bill represents clients in complex regulatory investigations, state attorneys general matters, and enforcement proceedings. He draws on his experience as a former assistant U.S. attorney and as a private-sector litigator advising corporations in high-stakes litigation and regulatory investigations, including multistate AG investigations. |
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Lane Page Lane represents financial institutions and other clients in federal and state regulatory investigations and complex civil litigation. He is particularly focused on consumer protection and fair lending issues. |
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Dascher Pasco Dascher provides strategic counsel and representation to clients navigating regulatory compliance, enforcement, and high-stakes litigation. She regularly represents clients in both single and multistate state attorney general (AG) investigations and enforcement actions, as well as before other state enforcement bodies and local government agencies. |
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Kyara Rivera Rivera Kyara is an associate in the firm's Regulatory Investigations, Strategy + Enforcement Practice Group. She received her J.D. from the University of Richmond School of Law, cum laude, where she served as publications and online editor of the Public Interest Law Review. |
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Timothy Shyu Timothy advises clients on regulatory compliance and enforcement in highly regulated industries, including health care and life sciences, data privacy and cybersecurity, and emerging technology. He assists companies in navigating complex investigations and enforcement actions, helping them mitigate regulatory risk proactively. |
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Trey Smith Trey focuses his practice on representing and advising regulated utilities before state public utility commissions. He routinely helps clients obtain certificates of public convenience and necessity for transmission infrastructure. In this role, Trey works with his clients' subject-matter experts to manage administrative proceedings, including by preparing initial filings; responding to discovery requests; drafting rebuttal testimony; and litigating any disputed issues. |
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Daniel Waltz Dan helps clients navigate all aspects highly regulated relationships between industry participants and federal, state and local governments. Whether engaging with regulators, negotiating transactions or representing clients in the courtroom, he delivers solutions that help his clients achieve their strategic goals. |
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Stephanie Kozol Stephanie is Troutman Pepper Locke's senior government relations manager in the state attorneys general department. |
On July 27, 2026, a bipartisan coalition of 50 state and territorial attorneys general (AGs) submitted a letter to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) urging the FCC to adopt stronger “know your customer” (KYC) requirements for originating voice service providers. The coalition’s letter targets what the AGs view as inadequate due diligence on the part of providers, which may allow scammers to access U.S. telephone networks and flood consumers with illegal automated calls.
The 2026 attorney general (AG) primary season has largely come to a close, and while the November general elections will ultimately determine the partisan composition of several key offices, the enforcement agenda is already well underway. State AGs have been active across a broad range of industries and issue areas in the first half of 2026 – and the activity shows no signs of slowing. From artificial intelligence (AI) and consumer financial services to privacy, marketing, and advertising, state AGs are filling enforcement gaps left by reduced federal activity and staking out independent regulatory ground. The following is an overview of the key areas where companies should expect continued and intensified state AG scrutiny through the remainder of the year, beginning with an update on the races that will shape the enforcement landscape heading into 2027.
On July 23, 2026, Governor Mikie Sherrill signed the Fair Price Protection Act, P.L.2026, c.65 (A4085/4523), into law, making New Jersey one of the first states in the nation to prohibit the use of consumers’ personal data to set individualized prices for certain products. This bill will take effect on August 1, 2027 — although a moratorium on electronic shelf labeling takes effect on February 1, 2027.
On July 28, 2026, New York Attorney General (AG) Letitia James submitted written testimony in connection with the pending federal Clarity Act, which aims to regulate the crypto market. In her testimony, she urged federal lawmakers to amend the Clarity Act to preserve the authority of the states to protect consumers, prosecute fraud, and hold government officials accountable for profiting from unlawful crypto-related activities. Her testimony came as the subcommittee’s ranking member, Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), convened a public hearing examining alleged gaps in the bill, with particular focus on its ethics and enforcement provisions.
On July 15, 2026, the New Jersey Supreme Court issued a decision overturning lower court rulings that had shielded “semi-professionals” — including insurance brokers, agents, and producers, among others — from regulation and litigation under the New Jersey Consumer Fraud Act (NJCFA).
Key Point: A multistate coalition of 42 state AGs reached a landmark $150 million settlement with 23andMe over a 2023 data breach affecting 6.9 million customers, marking the largest AG multistate settlement involving consumer genetic data to date. This resolution signals heightened regulatory scrutiny of genetic data security practices and establishes a precedent for state enforcement authority in bankruptcy proceedings.
On July 7, a bipartisan coalition of 49 state attorneys general (AGs) sent a letter to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) urging the adoption of stronger measures to combat illegal robocalls. The letter represents another action by the state AGs’ Anti-Robocall Multistate Litigation Task Force, which was established in 2022 to crack down on illegal robocalls.
In June, New Jersey Governor Mikie Sherrill and Attorney General (AG) Jennifer Davenport announced a new statewide initiative on “junk fees.” With this announcement, New Jersey joins other states that have targeted “junk fees” as part of a broader focus on affordability.
On June 30, 2026, New Jersey enacted legislation A5328 (P.L.2026, c.25), which will expose a broad swath of U.S. companies to data broker registration fees ranging from $5,000 to $1.5 million annually. The new legislation is not limited to data brokers in the conventional sense. It applies generally to any company that sells or licenses personal data of New Jersey residents, including those with direct customer relationships. Much of the law takes effect immediately, so companies should begin reviewing the requirements now to comply.
On June 26, 2026, Florida Attorney General (AG) James Uthmeier and Roku, Inc. announced a negotiated resolution of Florida’s enforcement action filed under the Florida Digital Bill of Rights (FDBR). Under the agreement, Roku will enhance its child protection features by giving parents greater control over their children’s streaming experience. The resolution includes no finding of wrongdoing and no civil fine.