Our Firm
Stern Thomasson LLP is a law firm which advises and represents consumers affected by debt collection activities including
enforcement of the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act against debt collectors and defense against collection lawsuits.
PHILIP D. STERN began in private practice in 1984. He is
licensed in New Jersey and the District of Columbia and has
been admitted pro hac vice in many United States District
Courts. He is a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania and
Benjamin N. Cardozo (Yeshiva University) School of Law and a
former adjunct professor in appellate advocacy at Seton Hall
Law School.

His experience includes business and real estate transactions as
well as litigation including complex commercial litigation.
Throughout his practice, he has welcomed cases involving
consumers. Beginning in 2007, he substantially limited his
practice to representing consumers defending lawsuits brought
by debt collection law firms and pursuing claims against debt
collectors who violate the federal Fair Debt Collection Practices
Act.

In 2009, Mr. Stern became a member of the National
Association of Consumer Advocates, an organization fully
committed to promoting justice for consumers. Mr. Stern has
also been a presenter for continuing legal education on issues
related to consumer debt collection.
In 2012, Mr. Stern was recognized by Inside Jersey Magazine in
its selection of New Jersey's Top Legal Minds. Since the time he
was first rated by Martindale-Hubbell in 1995, he has received
its highest rating, AV Preemnient.

Mr. Stern volunteers as a member of the New Jersey Bar
Association's Consumer Protection Law Committee and as an
attorney with the non-profit Volunteer Lawyers for Justice
Newark Legal Advice and Resource Clinic for Consumers
(NLARCC). Since 2011, Mr. Stern has been a presenter and
panelist for LSNJ's Continuing Legal Education program on debt
collection and FDCPA.

As an active member of the International Association of Lions
Clubs, a worldwide organization of men and women volunteering
to serve their communities, Mr. Stern served as a District
Governor in 2009-2010. He believes that cooperative
volunteering organized to serve local communities but
leveraged, when necessary, to provide global assistance
maximizes our abilities to improve the human condition and
serve the needs of others.
(973) 379-7500
Copyright 2009-2018 - All rights reserved
Stern Thomasson LLC
STERN•THOMASSON LLP
150 Morris Avenue, 2nd Floor
Springfield, NJ 07081
ph: 973-379-7500
ANDREW T. THOMASSON is an experienced lawyer with a
concentration in litigating financial services and business
disputes on behalf of consumers, including class actions
involving state and federal consumer protection statutes. He
has developed an expertise in federal court litigation.

Education
    Thomas Jefferson School of Law, Juris Doctor, Pro Bono Honors
  • ADR/Negotiations Moot Court, Member; Environmental
    Negotiations Moot Court, Member
  • Tax Law Society, Vice President of Finance & Administration
  • ABA Insurance Coverage Litigation Section, Law Student
    Vice Chair
    Arkansas State University, B.A., Political Science; Minor, German
    Studies
  • Pi Gamma Mu, International Honor Society; Pi Sigma Alpha,
    National Honor Society.
Bar Admissions
  • New Jersey
Court Admissions
  • U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit
  • U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit
  • U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit
  • U.S. District Court for the District of Colorado
  • U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida
  • U.S. District Court for the Central District of Illinois
  • U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois
  • U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan
  • U.S. District Court for the Western District of Michigan
  • U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey
  • U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas
  • U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas
  • U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas
  • U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Wisconsin
Class Counsel Certifications
  • Pascal, et al. v. Steine & Associates, P.C., et al., U.S. District
    Court, E.D.N.Y. Case No. 2:12-cv-04436-JFB-WDW;
  • Fischer v. NCB Management Services, Inc., U.S. District Court, S.D.
    N.Y. Case No. 7:12-cv-09451-CS;
  • Freeman v. General Revenue Corporation, U.S. District Court, E.D.
    N.Y. Case No. 1:12-cv-01406-RER;
  • Goldman v. Horizon Financial Management, LLC, U.S. District
    Court, S.D.N.Y. Case No. 7:12-cv-07592-LMS;
  • Dabbas v. Alpha Recovery Corp., U.S. District Court, E.D.N.Y. Case
    No. 1:13-cv-05169-SMG;
  • Sabri v. E. Hope Greenberg d/b/a Law Office of E. Hope
    Greenberg, U.S. District Court, E.D.N.Y. Case No. 1:13-cv-00699-
    FB-VMS;
  • Bryan v. National Enterprise Systems, Inc., et al., U.S. District
    Court, E.D.N.Y. Case No. 2:13-cv-03740-LDW-WDW;
  • Gillman Harris v. Midland Credit Management, Inc., U.S. District
    Court, S.D.N.Y. Case No. 1:13-cv-03125-TPG;
  • Graff v. United Collection Bureau, Inc., U.S. District Court, E.D.N.Y.
    Case No. 2:12-cv-02402-GRB;
  • Rice v. National Enterprise Systems, Inc., et al., U.S. District Court,
    E.D.N.Y. Case No. 2:13-cv-05118-LDW-ARL;
  • Mazzucco, et al. v. Certified Credit & Collection Bureau, U.S.
    District Court, D.N.J. Case No. 3:13-cv-07422-TJB;
  • Kavalin v. AmeriFinancial Solutions, LLC, U.S. District Court, S.D.
    Fla. Case No. 0:13-cv-62789-DPG;
  • Cohen v. M.L. Zager, P.C., U.S. District Court, D.N.J. Case No. 2:14-
    cv-03143-JBC;
  • Manuel, et al. v. Caliber Home Loans, Inc., U.S. District Court, D.N.
    J. Case No. 2:14-cv-05233-SRC-CLW; and
  • Babcock, et al. v. C.Tech Collections, Inc., et al., U.S. District
    Court, E.D.N.Y. Case No. 1:14-cv-03124-MDG.
Notable Cases
  • Franco v. Allied Interstate LLC, 602 Fed. Appx. 40 (2d Cir. 2015)
    — obtained reversal of district court judgment that defendant's
    unaccepted Rule 68 offer mooted his individual claim in a
    consumer class action case
  • Hayes v. Convergent Healthcare Recoveries, Inc., 2015 U.S. Dist.
    LEXIS 93760 (C.D. Ill. July 20, 2015) — defeated defendants'
    motion to transfer venue in consumer class action case from
    United States District Court for the Central District of Illinois to
    the District of New Jersey
  • Manuel, et al. v. Caliber Home Loans, Inc., C.A. No. 2:14-cv-05233-
    SRC-CLW (D. N.J. August 20, 2015) — $1 million national
    settlement achieved for class of consumers for claims under the
    Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, Truth in Lending Act, and Real
    Estate Settlement Procedures Act
Professional and Community Involvement
  • National Association of Consumer Advocates, Member
  • National Consumer Law Center, Donor
a limited liability partnership