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Brooke Conkle offers consumer-facing companies compliance counseling and litigation services to help them address federal and state consumer protection laws. Recognizing the challenges facing financial services companies, she provides in-depth analysis of complex issues related to consumer protection and compliance.

The deadline for motor vehicle dealer compliance with the Federal Trade Commission’s revised Used Car Rule is rapidly approaching.  The January 28, 2018 compliance date imposed by the FTC requires dealers, as of that date, to use the agency’s revised window sticker, known as the “Buyers Guide,” on all used vehicles offered for public sale.

On January 16, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau announced its intention to reconsider a controversial rule affecting the short-term (payday) and auto-title lending industries.  This reconsideration could signal that a stripped down rule that omits a number of the rule’s more controversial provisions could be in the offing.

The original rule was finalized in October

On Tuesday, December 5, 2017, the Government Accountability Office (“GAO”) levelled a heavy blow on a major regulatory initiative of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (“CFPB”): its highly controversial “disparate impact” discrimination theories as applied to pricing in the indirect automobile financing industry. The specific GAO ruling finds that a 2013 “Bulletin” stating the CFPB’s

A recent report released by the Center for Microeconomic Data at the Federal Reserve Bank of New York found that American household debt continues to increase, including debt resulting from automobile loan balances.  The third quarter of 2017 saw a $116 billion increase, continuing a march upward since mid-2013.

The report specifically addressed the growth

The Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System recently issued a Consent Order against Peoples Bank, based in Lawrence, Kansas, to settle claims of deceptive residential mortgage origination practices that arose from the bank’s charging of fees in mortgage originations.  The Federal Reserve alleged that Peoples told mortgage borrowers that certain additional fees that

The Third Circuit recently clarified in important ways its ascertainability standard for class actions under Rule 23 in a case that arose from the efforts of an auto finance company to generate business by marketing efforts directed at automobile dealers.  The decision reflects two key findings:  (1) that defendants who argue a class is not

On November 6, a judge in the Southern District of New York dismissed a proposed class action alleging that Wolfgang’s Steakhouse impermissibly printed payment card expiration dates on customers’ receipts, relying on the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in Spokeo to find that customers were not actually harmed by any information revealed.

Relying on the Second

On November 1, President Donald J. Trump signed a resolution passed by Congress to nullify the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s Arbitration Rule.  As we reported here, the Senate narrowly passed a resolution to repeal the Rule in late October, ensuring that the controversy would make its way to the President’s desk.  Trump’s signature ensures

On Tuesday, October 24, 2017, the Senate voted to nullify the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s (“CFPB”) arbitration rule (the “Rule”) in a 51-50 vote. Only two Republicans voted against the measure – Lindsey Graham (SC) and John Kennedy (LA). President Trump praised the vote, saying that he will sign the resolution when it reaches his

On October 23, the U.S. Department of the Treasury released a report objecting to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s arbitration rule.  As we previously reported, the rule prevents class action waivers in arbitration provisions for covered entities and also requires covered entities to provide information to the Bureau regarding any efforts to compel arbitration.