Photo of Kristen Eastman

Kristen is an attorney in the firm’s Consumer Financial Services practice, working primarily with the debt collection and regulatory teams.

Earlier this month, we discussed the lawsuit filed by ACA International, LLC and Collection Bureau Services, Inc. in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia against the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB or Bureau) and Director Rohit Chopra. The lawsuit challenges the CFPB’s October 1, 2024 advisory opinion on medical debt collection practices. The plaintiffs are seeking an order vacating the advisory opinion and a stay of the effective date pending the conclusion of the case.

On November 1, ACA International, LLC and Collection Bureau Services, Inc. filed a lawsuit against the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB or Bureau) and Director Rohit Chopra, challenging the CFPB’s recent advisory opinion on medical debt collection practices. The lawsuit, filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, challenges the CFPB’s authority and the procedural validity of the advisory opinion. The plaintiffs are seeking an order vacating the advisory opinion and a stay of the effective date pending the conclusion of the case.

On October 1, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB or Bureau) issued an advisory opinion aimed at debt collectors and emphasizing their obligations under the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA) and Regulation F. The opinion specifically emphasizes the prohibitions on false, deceptive, or misleading representations, and unfair or unconscionable means to collect or attempt to collect medical debts.

In this special crossover episode with Regulatory Oversight podcast, Ashley Taylor is joined by Kim Phan and Kristen Eastman to discuss the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s (CFPB) proposed Rule 1033, also known as the Personal Financial Digital Rights rule. This rule, part of the Dodd-Frank Act, aims to restrict the sale or misuse of consumer data. It focuses on entities subject to the Truth in Lending Act (TILA) and Regulation Z, such as depository institutions, credit card companies, and payment processors. The rule requires these entities to make financial records available both to consumers and their authorized third parties.