CFPB finalizes rule on personal financial data rights

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau today announced its final rule on personal financial data rights under section 1033 of the Consumer Financial Protection Act. According to the bureau’s release, the rule will enable consumers to “fire fintechs and banks that provide lousy service” by enabling transfer of bank data to other banks; “shop for better […]

Third Circuit Clarifies Standard for Discovery Into Arbitrability

In Guidotti v. Legal Helpers Debt Resolution, L.L.C., 716 F.3d 764 (3d Cir. 2013), the Third Circuit addressed the question of, when considering a motion to compel arbitration,  what standards district courts should apply when determining whether an agreement to arbitrate was actually formed between the parties. The court held that the Rule 12(b)(6) standard […]

Various Texas authorities reject latest attack on CFPB’s funding

As reported in Politico’s Morning Money enewsletter, two courts in Texas and Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, have rejected arguments that the CFPB cannot act because it is funded out of the Federal Reserve’s earnings and the Fed is currently running a deficit. Paxton’s office wrote that the: argument thus rests on the flawed premise […]

FTC finalizes “Click-to-Cancel” Rule

Today, the FTC announced it had finalized its “Click-to-Cancel Rule.” Amending its 1973 “Negative Option Rule,” the rule will prohibit sellers from: misrepresenting any material fact made while marketing goods or services with a negative option feature; failing to clearly and conspicuously disclose material terms prior to obtaining a consumer’s billing information in connection with […]

Who is a “consumer” under the Video Privacy Protection Act?

Enacted in 1988, the Video Privacy Protection Act  (VPPA) makes it unlawful for a “video tape service provider” to “knowingly disclose[], to any person, personally identifiable information concerning any consumer of such provider.” The statute further defines “consumer” as “any renter, purchaser, or subscriber of goods or services from a video tape service provider.”  The […]

Another arbitration provider heard matters in which it had a conflict

Remember how the National Arbitration Forum, also known as NAF, arbitrated disputes involving an affiliated debt collector? Well, the CFPB has banned another arbitration service provider, Ejudicate from consumer arbitrations for a variety of reasons, including that Ejudicate heard matters brought by a party with whom it had a financial relationship, Prehired Recruiting. The CFPB […]

SDNY holds online-only retailers are not covered by the ADA

Title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act prohibits discrimination “on the basis of disability in the full and equal enjoyment of the goods, services, facilities, privileges, advantages, or accommodations of any place of public accommodation by any person who owns, leases (or leases to), or operates a place of public accommodation.” Courts of appeals […]

In this election, the future of the CFPB could be on the line

My latest op-ed, in the American Banker (behind paywall but available on Lexis). An excerpt: Polls show that the CFPB is extremely popular, even among Republican voters. So why are Republican politicians so quick to attack it? One answer is that the politicians believe that the free market provides better consumer protection than the government. […]

NACA announces 2-year consumer law fellowship program for upcoming law school grads

Here’s the announcement, which can also be found at Two Year Consumer Law Fellowship – NACA (consumeradvocates.org) NACA Consumer Law 2-Year Fellowship Program Jumpstart Your Career in Consumer Law: Be a NACA Inaugural Fellow and Make a Real Impact from Day One! This unique two-year fellowship offers students about to graduate law school the opportunity […]