The Consumer Financial Services industry is changing quickly. This weekly podcast from national law firm Ballard Spahr focuses on the consumer finance issues that matter most, from new product development and emerging technologies to regulatory compliance and enforcement and the ramifications of private litigation. Our legal team—recognized as one of the industry's finest— will help you make sense of breaking developments, avoid risk, and make the most of opportunity.
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Business leaders are striving to keep their workplaces healthy and productive, tackle issues of equity, and address unprecedented economic challenges. Succeeding in this ever-changing environment requires grit and ingenuity. Welcome to Business Better, a podcast that helps businesses navigate the new normal.
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Listen to our digital planning podcast and learn about all things digital as to estate planning, business planning, and estate administration. Your hosts, attorneys Jennifer Zegel, Ross Bruch, and Justin Brown — will guide you through the digital world with the intent to keep you informed of developments and updates in this ever-changing space. For comments, questions, or suggestions, e-mail us at digitalplanningpodcast@gmail.com.
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The Regulation of Negative Option Consumer Contracts – Silence as Consent
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Our podcast today focuses on negative option consumer contracts, i.e., agreements that allow a seller to assume a customer’s silence is an acceptance of an offer. Such contracts are ubiquitous in today’s marketplace. Today’s guests are Kaitlin Caruso, a professor at the University of Maine Law School, and Prentiss Cox, a professor at the University…
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Have State-Chartered, FDIC-Insured Banks Finally Achieved Interstate Usury Parity with National Banks?
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In today’s podcast, which repurposes a recent webinar, we examine the impact, if any, of a landmark opinion rendered by Judge Daniel Domenico of the Federal District Court for the District of Colorado in a case challenging recently enacted Colorado legislation on interstate loans made from outside Colorado to Colorado residents. We also address the…
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Regulators Escalate Focus on the Risks of Bank Relationships with Fintechs and Other Third Parties
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On July 25, the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, and the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (collectively, the agencies) issued a “Joint Statement on Banks’ Arrangements with Third Parties to Deliver Bank Deposit Products and Services” to “note potential risks related to arrangement…
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The Demise of the Chevron Doctrine – Part II
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On June 28, in Loper Bright v. Raimondo, et al., the Supreme Court overturned the Chevron deference doctrine, a long-standing tenet of administrative law established in 1984 in Chevron U.S.A., Inc. v. Natural Resources Defense Council, Inc. This doctrine directed courts to defer to a government agency’s interpretation of ambiguous statutory languag…
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The Demise of the Chevron Doctrine Part I
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On June 28, in Loper Bright v. Raimondo, et al., the Supreme Court overturned the Chevron deference doctrine, a long-standing tenet of administrative law established in 1984 in Chevron U.S.A., Inc. v. Natural Resources Defense Council, Inc. This doctrine directed courts to defer to a government agency’s interpretation of a statute if the statute wa…
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The Cantero Opinion: The Supreme Court Leaves National Bank Preemption in Limbo
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On May 30, the Supreme Court issued its opinion in Cantero v. Bank of America, reversing and remanding the case to the Second Circuit. Rather than articulating a bright line test for preemption, the Supreme Court instructed the circuit court to conduct a “nuanced analysis” to determine whether the National Bank Act preempts a New York state law tha…
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FinCEN’s Notice of Proposed Regulations to Strengthen and Modernize AML/CFT Compliance Programs
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This episode features a discussion with Nick St. John, Director of Federal Compliance at America’s Credit Unions. We discuss the Notice of Proposed Rulemaking issued by FinCEN and federal banking regulators regarding the enhancement and modernization of anti-money laundering/countering the financing of terrorism (“AML/CFT”) compliance programs unde…
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The CFPB’s Registry of Nonbanks and Circular that Certain Contract Terms Violate Law
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The CFPB recently issued yet another final rule the agency says will help deter violations of consumer protection laws. This rule requires certain nonbank entities to register with the CFPB upon becoming subject to any order from local, state, or federal agencies or courts involving consumer protection law violations. The registry rule applies to a…
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A great number of fintechs are contemplating owning a bank or obtaining a banking charter—either a national bank charter, a state bank charter or a special purpose charter. In this episode, we are joined by our special guest Michele Alt, co-founder and partner of Klaros Group, an investment and advisory firm, and Scott Coleman, a partner in our Con…
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Should Medical Debt Be Included in Creditworthiness Measures?
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The CFPB and state regulators and legislators have medical debt in their crosshairs. In this episode, we’re joined by Chris Eastman, CEO of the Pendrick Group, a Cerberus portfolio company that specializes in financial services solutions for healthcare companies. We discuss the differences between medical debt and other types of debt, as well as ho…
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Credit Card and Other Rewards Programs in the Crosshairs
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Rewards programs drive consumer choice and activity in connection with credit cards and other financial services. The CFPB has reported the most important element by far that influences a consumer’s decision to apply for a specific credit card is the rewards program associated with the card. Further, rewards can affect the consumer's choice at the …
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Sustainability Spotlight – A Conversation with Vicinity Energy
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This episode is part of our Sustainability Spotlight series, which highlights the sustainability efforts that businesses are making to combat climate change and other environmental challenges. This episode features a discussion with Matt O'Malley, Chief Sustainability Officer, and Jeannie Morris, Vice President of Government Affairs at Vicinity Ene…
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Universal Injunctions, Associational Standing, and Forum Shopping - Their Effects on Legal Challenges to Regulations
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Special guest Professor Alan Trammell of Washington and Lee University School of Law joins us today for a deep dive into universal injunctions and the related topics of associational standing and judicial forum shopping, and how these elements come into play in litigation challenging regulations and other government policies and actions. Recent dev…
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Estate Planning and the Corporate Transparency Act
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On this episode of the Digital Planning Podcast, Jen Zegel, Justin Brown, and Ross Bruch dive into the intricacies of the Corporate Transparency Act (CTA) with special guest, corporate and finance attorney, Ashleigh Taylor, of Kleinbard LLC. The conversation breaks down the key aspects of this groundbreaking legislation, designed to enhance corpora…
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Cyber Adviser – A Comparison of AI Regulatory Frameworks
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This episode is part of our Cyber Adviser series, where we discuss emerging issues in the world of privacy and data security. Today, we’re joined by Paolo Sbuttoni, a partner at Foot Anstey with years of experience specializing in technology and data. We compare the AI regulatory landscape in the European Union, the United Kingdom, and the United S…
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Buy Now, Pay Later – Evolution, Regulation, and What You Need to Know about the CFPB Interpretive Rule Effective July 30
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“Buy Now, Pay Later” (BNPL) products emerged relatively recently as a new approach enabling consumers to enjoy the ability to make a purchase and then pay for it over time. Today’s episode, during which we explore the evolution of BNPL products and important recent developments in BNPL regulation, is hosted by Alan Kaplinsky, former practice leader…
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Interest Rate Exportation Under Attack Part II
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The 1978 landmark opinion in Marquette National Bank v. First of Omaha Service Corp held that under the National Bank Act, a national bank has the right to export the interest rate authorized by the state where the bank is located to borrowers located elsewhere. Section 521 of the Depository Institutions Deregulation and Monetary Control Act of 198…
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Interest Rate Exportation Under Attack Part I
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The 1978 landmark opinion in Marquette National Bank v. First of Omaha Service Corp held that under the National Bank Act, a national bank has the right to export the interest rate authorized by the state where the bank is located to borrowers located elsewhere. Section 521 of the Depository Institutions Deregulation and Monetary Control Act of 198…
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California Consumer Finance Law - Hot Topics and Recent Developments
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California frequently is in the vanguard of consumer financial issues and legislation, foreshadowing trends that may spread to other states. Today’s episode, during which we explore important hot topics and recent developments in California consumer finance law, is hosted by Ballard Spahr partner Melanie Vartabedian, and features Partners Michael G…
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Consumer Financial Protection Bureau Wins in Supreme Court But Can the Fed Continue to Fund the CFPB Without Earnings?
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Special guest Alex J. Pollock, Senior Fellow with the Mises Institute and former Principal Deputy Director of the Office of Financial Research in the U.S. Treasury Department, joins us to discuss his recent blog post published on The Federalist Society website in which he urges Congress to look into the question of whether the Federal Reserve can l…
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What Banking Leaders Need to Know About the U.S. Supreme Court Ruling That the CFPB’s Funding Mechanism is Constitutional Part II
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On May 16, 2024, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that the CFPB’s funding mechanism does not violate the Appropriations Clause of the U.S. Constitution. This two-part episode repurposes a recent webinar. In Part II, we first discuss the CFPB’s launch of Fair Credit Reporting Act rulemaking, proposed rule to supervise larger payment providers, proposed …
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What Banking Leaders Need to Know About the U.S. Supreme Court Ruling That the CFPB’s Funding Mechanism is Constitutional Part I
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On May 16, 2024, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that the CFPB’s funding mechanism does not violate the Appropriations Clause of the U.S. Constitution. This two-part episode repurposes a recent webinar. In Part I, we first discuss the SCOTUS decision, the status of the CFPB’s payday lending rule that was at issue in the underlying case, and a potentia…
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Did the Supreme Court Hand the CFPB a Pyrrhic Victory?
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Special guest Professor Hal Scott of Harvard Law School joins us today as we delve into the thought-provoking question of whether the Supreme Court’s recent decision in the landmark case of CFSA v. CFPB really hands the CFPB a winning outcome, or does the Court’s validation of the agency’s statutory funding structure simply open up another question…
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Our special guest this week is John Tonetti. After decades as an industry risk executive, Mr. Tonetti joined the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), where he worked for many years in roles including Debt Collection Program Manager, senior policy analyst, and internal consultant on numerous issues including debt collection and risk manageme…
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Banks and Their Customer Relationships: What is the Appropriate Role of Bank Regulators?
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Our special guests are Professor Dru Stevenson, South Texas College of Law in Houston, and Brian Knight, Senior Research Fellow, Mercatus Center at George Mason University. In this episode, we first discuss the history of “Operation Chokepoint,” the Obama-era initiative in which the FDIC and other federal banking agencies targeted banks serving pay…
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A Discussion of Industry and Consumer Perspectives on Mass Arbitration
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Our special guest is Professor Richard Frankel of Drexel University Thomas R. Kline School of Law and the author of a recent article on mass arbitration. In this episode, we first discuss what mass arbitration is, how it relates to class action lawsuits, and the role of public enforcement. We then discuss the industry and consumer positions on the …
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A Close Look at the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s Proposal to Supervise Large Nonbank Providers of Digital Wallets and Payment Apps
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Our special guest is Brian Johnson, Managing Director of Patomak Global Partners and former CFPB Deputy Director. In Nov. 2023, the CFPB issued a proposed rule to supervise nonbank companies that qualify as larger participants in a market for “general-use digital consumer payment applications.” We first discuss the CFPB’s authority to supervise non…
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The U.S. Supreme Court’s Pending Ruling on National Bank Preemption: A Discussion of Cantero v. Bank of America, N.A.
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On February 27, 2024, the U.S. Supreme Court heard oral argument in Cantero v. Bank of America, N.A., a case involving the effect of the Dodd-Frank Act on the scope of preemption under the National Bank Act (NBA). The specific question before the Court is whether, post-Dodd-Frank, the NBA preempts a New York statute requiring banks to pay interest …
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A Close Look at the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s Final Credit Card Late Fee Rule: Have Cardholders Been Dealt a Winning or Losing Hand?
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Our special guest is Andrew Nigrinis of Legal Economics LLC and former CFPB enforcement economist. The CFPB’s final credit card late fee rule lowers the safe harbor late fee amount that card issuers other than “smaller card issuers” can charge to $8. We first discuss how the final rule differs from the proposed rule and the existing rule, who are “…
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Our special guest is Ian Moloney, Senior Vice President and Head of Policy and Regulatory Affairs with the American Fintech Council (AFC). After reviewing how EWA products are used by consumers and the differences between employer- and provider-based products, we discuss the regulatory challenges faced by the EWA industry, the regulatory approaches…
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A Close Look at the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s Proposed Rules on Overdraft and Nonsufficient Funds Fees
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Our special guest is David Pommerehn, SVP, General Counsel, Head of Regulatory Affairs at the Consumer Bankers Association. In January 2024, the CFPB proposed two new rules: one restricting overdraft fees and the other prohibiting NSF fees on certain declined transactions. The proposals are among the CFPB’s latest moves in furtherance of the Biden …
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The Federal Trade Commission: Looking Back at 2023 and Looking Ahead to 2024 and Beyond
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Our special guest is Malini Mithal, Associate Director of the FTC’s Division of Financial Practices. In this episode, which repurposes a recent webinar, we review highlights of FTC regulatory and enforcement activity in 2023 directed at protecting consumers and small businesses and discuss what to expect from the FTC in 2024 and beyond. After revie…
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The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s Use of Unfairness to Regulate Discriminatory Conduct: A Discussion of the Consumer and Industry Perspectives
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Our special guest is Jeff Sovern, Professor at the University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law. In March 2022, the CFPB announced that it had revised its exam manual to instruct its examiners to apply the “unfairness” standard under the Consumer Financial Protection Act to conduct considered to be discriminatory, whether or not it is co…
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Join Justin Brown, Jen Zegel, and Ross Bruch as they delve into the digital world of influencer planning on the latest episode of the Digital Planning Podcast, featuring the esteemed Laura Giles of Ballard Spahr. Tune in to gain valuable insights and learn more about estate and business planning for influencers. #digitalplanning #influencers…
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Cyber Adviser – Your Data, My Headache: Consumer Health Data Laws
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This episode is part of our Cyber Adviser series, where we discuss emerging issues in the world of privacy and data security. Today, our lawyers discuss new state consumer health data laws in Connecticut, Nevada, and Washington, highlighting the laws’ scope, obligations for regulated entities, and enforcement mechanisms. Greg Szewczyk, Leader of Ba…
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Telephone Consumer Protection Act Update: Developments Impacting Consent and Lead Generation
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New Federal Communications Commission TCPA rules will mean big changes for businesses, particularly comparison shopping websites, lead generators, and other companies that regularly contact consumers via phone or text message. This episode repurposes a recent webinar. After reviewing TCPA consent requirements for calls and texts and exceptions, we …
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Sustainability Spotlight – A Conversation with Aramark
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This is the first episode in our new Sustainability Spotlight series, highlighting the sustainability efforts that businesses are taking to combat climate change and other environmental challenges. This episode features a discussion with Alan Horowitz, Vice President of Sustainability at Aramark, a leading global provider of food and facilities ser…
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The U.S. Supreme Court Hears Two Cases in Which the Plaintiffs Seek to Overturn the Chevron Judicial Deference Framework: Who Will Win and What Does It Mean? Part II
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On January 17, 2024, the U.S. Supreme Court heard oral argument in two cases in which the question presented is whether the Court should overrule its 1984 decision in Chevron, U.S.A., Inc. v. Nat. Res. Def. Council, Inc. That decision produced what became known as the "Chevron judicial deference framework" - the two-step analysis that courts typica…
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The U.S. Supreme Court Hears Two Cases in Which the Plaintiffs Seek to Overturn the Chevron Judicial Deference Framework: Who Will Win and What Does It Mean? Part I
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On January 17, 2024, the U.S. Supreme Court heard oral argument in two cases in which the question presented is whether the Court should overrule its 1984 decision in Chevron, U.S.A., Inc. v. Nat. Res. Def. Council, Inc. That decision produced what became known as the "Chevron judicial deference framework" - the two-step analysis that courts typica…
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Tax Audits, Investigations, and Global Enforcement: A Conversation with IRS Special Agent Jonathan Schnatz
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In this episode, we are joined by Special Agent Jonathan Schnatz, Senior Analyst with IRS Criminal Investigation. Special Agent Schnatz will discuss his work with an international law enforcement and tax compliance group, and how that work directly impacts U.S. businesses and individuals. Peter Hardy and Chris Jones, co-leaders of Ballard Spahr's T…
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How the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau Can Advance the Use of Artificial Intelligence in Consumer Financial Services
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Our special guest is Brad Blower, Principal and Founder of Inclusive-Partners LLC, and author of a recent blog post titled “The CFPB Has An Opportunity to Greatly Advance the Ethical and Non-Discriminatory Use of AI in Financial Services and Should Take It.” We first discuss the lack of clear guidance from the CFPB on the non-discriminatory use of …
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The CARS Rule: What You Need To Know About the Federal Trade Commission’s Final Motor Vehicle Dealer Trade Regulation Rule, Part II
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Our special guest is Richard (“Rick”) Hackett, former Assistant CFPB Director responsible for auto finance regulation and presently a member of the Board of F&I Sentinel, which supports lender compliance in the auto finance and insurance industry. In December 2023, the FTC announced its final Combatting Auto Retail Scams Rule, otherwise known as th…
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Strategic Partnership and Company-Building Investments – A Conversation with Prairie Capital
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In today’s episode, we’re joined by D.J. Lipke, a Principal at Prairie Capital. Prairie Capital is a private equity firm that has provided businesses with thought partnership and strategic guidance for over two decades. Jeffrey Fickes, Co-Leader of the Private Equity Group, hosts the discussion.By Ballard Spahr LLP
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The CARS Rule: What You Need To Know About the Federal Trade Commission’s Final Motor Vehicle Dealer Trade Regulation Rule, Part I
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Our special guest is Richard (“Rick”) Hackett, former Assistant CFPB Director responsible for auto finance regulation and presently a member of the Board of F&I Sentinel, which supports lender compliance in the auto finance and insurance industry. In December 2023, the FTC announced its Combatting Auto Retail Scams Rule, otherwise known as the “CAR…
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Recent Developments Affecting Student Loan Origination and Servicing
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Cyber Adviser – Financial Services 2024 Privacy and Cybersecurity Preview
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This episode is part of our Cyber Adviser series, where we discuss emerging issues in the world of privacy and data security. The privacy and cybersecurity landscape is evolving in the financial sector, from more specific data security reporting requirements, to potential data subject rights and the use of artificial intelligence. Today, our lawyer…
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Navigating the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s Proposed Personal Financial Data Rule
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In October 2023, the CFPB issued a groundbreaking proposal on personal financial data. This episode, which repurposes a webinar, begins with a review of the background of the rulemaking. We then discuss key provisions of the proposal, including the entities, data, and financial products and services that would be covered, the obligations that would…
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AI Developments - Planning & Practice Considerations
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In this episode of the Digital Planning podcast, Jennifer Zegel, Justin Brown, and Ross Bruch discuss developments and policy considerations with the use of AI in the practice of law. The trio also examines estate planning nuances and post-mortem privacy concerns, addressing the emergence of ghost bots and personal generative AI avatars.…
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Understanding the Federal Reserve Board Proposal to Lower Interchange Fee Cap for Debit Card Transactions
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Our special guest is Zarik Khan, Founder of Finsolute Advisors. In October 2023, the Federal Reserve Board issued a proposal to lower the maximum interchange fee that a large debit card issuer can receive for a debit card transaction. We first look at the roles of the various parties involved in a typical transaction in which a consumer uses a debi…
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Investing in the New Mainstream Economy: A Conversation with Palladium Equity Partners
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In today’s episode, we’re joined by Meahgan O’Grady Martin, Head of Business Development at Palladium Equity Partners. Palladium is a private investment firm that targets opportunities in the middle-market, with a focus on companies in the U.S. Hispanic market, founder- and family-owned businesses, and companies with accretive M&A opportunities. Je…
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