Author Archives: Adam Pulver

NY consumer protections expanded under FAIR Business Practices Act

Just before the holidays, NY Governor Kathy Hochul signed the FAIR Business Practices Act, which expanded the protections for New York consumers under the state’s  General Business Law–a move recommended by the pre-Vought CFPB. Among other things, the statute expands the enforcement powers of the state attorney general, both in terms of the entities and […]

Linda McMahon plays the Grinch as ED resumes wage garnishment for defaulted loans

Just in time for Christmas, the Department of Education announced that, for the first time since the first Trump Administration stopped the practice in 2020, it would resume garnishing wages of borrowers in default on their federal student loans at the start of the new year. After red states successfully sued to stop modest debt […]

CFPB plays Scrooge and says paycheck advance loans aren’t loans

The Administration claims that the CFPB will have to shut down next year because it can’t ask the Federal Reserve for funds if the CFPB decides that the Federal Reserve isn’t operating at a profit (a claim being challenged in 3 different actions currently pending in federal district courts in California and the District of […]

7th Circuit Holds Threat of Acceleration and Foreclosure Provides Standing

The Seventh Circuit issued a decision in Milam v. Selene Finance today, an FDCPA case where the Court punted on the merits but addressed standing in a manner that may be notable for practitioners. Ramona Milam sued Selene Finance, the servicer of her home mortgage, after Selene sent her a letter threatening acceleration and foreclosure if […]

Class certification *may* revive right to compel arbitration, Third Circuit holds

Today’s decision from the Third Circuit as to waiver of arbitration reflects some of the dangers raised by protracted delays in litigation. In 2014, Dawn Valli commenced a putative class action against Avis related to its practices related to fines and penalties incurred by car rental consumers.  There were amendments and motions to dismiss over […]

DoorDash and Uber Eats challenge pro-consumer law arguing “affordability”

After New York City enacted minimum pay rate laws for food delivery workers, DoorDash and Uber Eats changed the way tipping options appeared on its app — making it so tipping was not available until after a customer checks out.  DoorDash claimed this would somehow “balance the impact” of new fees that it was charging […]

8th Circuit Reverses Certification of Folgers Consumer Class Action

Just after Thanksgiving last week, the Eighth Circuit issued an opinion reversing a district court’s certification of a class in one of several actions brought by a consumer against Folgers and consolidated by the JPML. In the action on appeal, the consumer had alleged that representations on coffee containers featured misrepresentations about the number of […]

New CFPB Director Nomination

Reuters is reporting that Stuart Levenbach has been nominated to serve as the next Director of the CFPB. Unsurprisingly, Mr. Levenbach appears to have no experience in consumer protection or consumer finance whatsoever. According to a February 2025 release announcing his appointment to a position at OMB: Prior to OMB, Dr. Stuart Levenbach was the […]

(De)Regulatory Assault on Fair Lending

The past week has seen the announcement of two proposals to weaken mechanisms for identifying and combatting discriminatory lending practices. Last week, the CFPB issued a proposal to amend Regulation B under the Equal Credit Opportunity Act, which would eliminate disparate impact claims, significantly narrow the prohibition on statements that would discourage applicants or potential […]

Second Circuit rejects industry challenge to dietary supplements for minors law

In 2023, New York adopted a law prohibiting the sale of over-the-counter diet pills or dietary supplements “for weight loss or muscle building” to anyone under age 18. It defined the covered supplements as those “labeled, marketed, or otherwise presented for the purpose of achieving weight loss or muscle building.” Under the name “Council for […]