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Joseph Reilly

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Financial services companies depend on Joe for all aspects of their regulatory and compliance needs. Drawing from two decades of experience in the sector, he provides actionable guidance in a complex and evolving landscape.

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As recently discussed on our podcast here, section 1071 of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act of 2010 (Dodd-Frank Act) amended the Equal Credit Opportunity Act (ECOA) to require lenders to collect information about small business credit applications they receive, including geographic and demographic data concerning the principal owners, lending decisions, and the price of credit. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB or Bureau) issued its proposed rule in 2021, and after considering the over 2,500 comments it received, on March 30, 2023, the CFPB issued the massive, highly technical, and complicated Final Rule. The Final Rule and its accompanying discussion and analysis, as well as the Official Commentary totals 888 pages exclusive of the 123-page Filing Instruction Guide and numerous other documents released by the Bureau. In this first in a multi-post blog series, we will provide a high-level overview of the Final Rule.

On May 19, the Massachusetts Division of Banks entered into a consent order with Educational Computer Systems, Inc. (ECSI) to resolve allegations that ECSI was engaging in the business of a third party loan servicer or student loan servicer without the appropriate license. Under the terms of the consent order, ECSI must: 1) pay an…

On April 19, the Superior Court of Connecticut issued an opinion affirming the Connecticut Department of Banking’s (DOB) decision to issue a $750,000 fine against a mortgage lender for allowing its unlicensed employees to engage in activities that required a license.

In 1st Alliance Lending, LLC (1st Alliance) v Department of Banking, 1st Alliance…

On April 26, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB or Bureau) issued an advisory opinion reminding the industry that a debt collector who brings or threatens to bring a foreclosure action to collect a time-barred mortgage debt may violate the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA). According to the CFPB, the impetus for issuing the…

On April 26, the Texas Bankers Association and Rio Bank, McAllen, Texas filed a complaint in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas challenging the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s (CFPB or Bureau) final rule under § 1071 of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (Final Rule). As discussed here, § 1071 amended the Equal Credit Opportunity Act (ECOA) to impose significant data collection and reporting requirements on small business creditors. The plaintiffs rely heavily on the Fifth Circuit’s decision in Community Financial Services Association (CFSA) v CFPB, finding the CFPB’s funding structure unconstitutional and, therefore, rules promulgated by the Bureau invalid. The plaintiffs also argue portions of the Final Rule violate various requirements of the Administrative Procedure Act (APA).