Many predicted that newly-elected President Donald Trump would remove Richard Cordray, Director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, upon taking office. Cordray remains the head of the CFPB, but uncertainty still looms at the agency. President Trump has characterized the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, the legislation which created the CFPB, as
North Carolina House Votes Overwhelmingly to “Ban the Box”
The North Carolina House of Representatives recently voted 98-14 to “ban the box” for state agency hiring. The bill would not apply to private employers or to state positions that “involve direct interaction with minors or the elderly.”
House Bill 409 would prevent state agencies from inquiring into an employment applicant’s criminal history at
Multistate Coalition of AGs Calls on Congress to Support Consumer Protections for Prepaid Debit Cards
A multistate coalition of attorneys general led by District of Columbia Attorney General Karl A. Racine is opposing three resolutions before Congress (S.J. Res. 19, H.J. Res. 62, and H.J. Res. 73) that would block a Consumer Financial Protection Bureau final rule intended to give users of prepaid cards some of the same protections given
Troutman Sanders Welcomes Amy Pritchard Williams
Troutman Sanders LLP announced today that Amy Pritchard Williams has joined the firm’s Financial Services Litigation practice in the Charlotte office. She previously practiced at K&L Gates LLP.
Williams’ practice focuses on financial services litigation and bankruptcy. She represents financial institutions in connection with False Claims Act actions, internal investigations and government investigations. She also
NY AG Announces Settlement with Health App Developers Over Marketing and Privacy Practices
On March 23, New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman announced settlements with three health-related applications sold in Apple’s App Store and Google’s Play Store. The settlements arose from allegations of misleading claims and irresponsible privacy practices. Under the terms of the settlements, the developers agreed to provide additional information about how the apps
New York AG Announces Settlement with Freedom Stores
On March 22, New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman announced that his office reached a $540,000 settlement with Freedom Stores, a Norfolk, Virginia-based retailer that sold furniture and electronics in stores near military bases. Schneiderman said that the settlement will clear debt and judgments charged to 257 soldiers from New York serving at various locations
Consumer Protection Remains Stated Focus of Washington AG
A recent interview given to the Washington State Tri-City Herald highlights the increased focus of the Washington Attorney General’s office on consumer protection issues.
In the interview, Attorney General Bob Ferguson explained that his focus is to recover money for consumers who have been harmed. He told the paper that since he has
Maryland AG Announces Settlement with Debt Collection Firms
On March 16, the Consumer Protection Division of the Maryland Attorney General’s Office announced a settlement with five California law firms and Mandip Purewal , the owner of the firms. The Attorney General alleged that the firms illegally collected advance fees from consumers, ostensibly to settle the consumers’ debts. In actuality, the
Virginia AG Reaches Settlement with Two Pawnbrokers Over Illegal Interest
On March 10, Virginia Attorney General Mark Herring announced settlements with two Fredericksburg, Virginia pawnbrokers – Pawnking, LLC and All Star Pawn & Gold, LLC – over allegations the companies charged consumers illegal interest and fees in violation of Virginia’s pawnbroker statutes and the Virginia Consumer Protection Act. As part of the settlement, Pawnking and
DOJ Issues New Guidance on Corporate Compliance Programs
On February 8, 2017, the Criminal Division of the U.S. Department of Justice quietly issued new guidance on corporate compliance programs for companies implicated in misconduct. Specifically, the Criminal Division posted a set of “important topics and sample questions that the Fraud Section has frequently found relevant in evaluating a corporate compliance program” to the