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Jesse provides practical and business-minded advice to clients in the financial services sector. With senior in-house and both state and federal government experience, he helps clients mitigate potential risks throughout their business cycle.

On June 20, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB or Bureau) filed a statement of interest in support of converting the bankruptcy case of Synapse Financial Technologies, Inc. from Chapter 11 to Chapter 7, rather than dismissing it. This move comes amidst concerns over significant consumer harm stemming from Synapse’s alleged unfair practices in managing funds across its network of partner financial institutions. The shortfall between the money consumers had in their accounts at the time their accounts were frozen and the money that has been returned by the partner financial institutions may be as high as $95 million.

Today, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB or Bureau) published in the Federal Register an interim final rule extending compliance dates for its 2023 small business lending rule under the Equal Credit Opportunity Act (Regulation B) (Final Rule) This extension comes in response to court orders in ongoing litigation, affecting the timeline for financial institutions to comply with data collection requirements for women-owned, minority-owned, and small businesses.

Last week, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB or Bureau) submitted several regulatory proposals to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review. Among the rules under consideration are those related to loan originator (LO) compensation and discretionary mortgage servicing, governed by the Truth in Lending Act (Regulation Z) and the Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act (Regulation X). Additionally, the CFPB is reviewing its “larger participant” rules, which define the scope of its supervisory authority over major players in the debt collection and consumer credit reporting sectors. These rules, currently in “prerule” status, are under scrutiny by the OMB.

We are pleased to share with you our latest publication, “Navigating Change: First 100 Days under the Trump Administration,” authored by our Digital Assets + Blockchain team. This retrospective examines the pivotal developments in the digital assets industry during the initial phase of the Trump administration.

On May 15, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB or Bureau) officially rescinded its May 2022 interpretive rule concerning the scope of state enforcement authority under § 1042 of the Consumer Financial Protection Act of 2010 (CFPA). According to the CFPB, this decision restores statutory limits on states’ authority and aligns enforcement actions with the original legislative intent of the CFPA. By restoring statutory limits and promoting joint actions, the Bureau seeks to streamline enforcement processes and ensure that both federal and state authorities operate within their designated boundaries.

On May 14, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB or Bureau) published a proposed rule to rescind amendments to its Procedures for Supervisory Designation Proceedings, originally adopted in 2022 and 2024. This proposal marks a significant shift in the Bureau’s approach to supervising nonbank entities. Public comments on the rescission will be accepted until June 13, 2025.

Today, the U.S. Department of the Treasury announced President Trump’s intent to nominate Jonathan McKernan as the Undersecretary of Domestic Finance. The press release states that McKernan’s continued service at Treasury “will ensure that his experience and expertise are best put to advancing the President’s America First agenda.”

Yesterday, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit issued an order temporarily halting the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s (CFPB or Bureau) mass layoffs. The court granted an emergency motion to enforce or clarify its previous order, reinstating the preliminary injunction that prevents the CFPB from executing reductions in force (RIFs).

At an emergency hearing this morning in National Treasury Employees Union v. Vought, Judge Amy Berman Jackson once again halted the layoffs of over 1,000 employees at the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB). The judge emphasized the need for a comprehensive record to determine whether the firings complied with the D.C. Circuit’s order from last week (discussed here).