Author Archives: Jeff Sovern

Interview with former CFPB officials on where the CFPB should go now

At Ballard Spahr’s Consumer Finance Monitor podcast. The former officials are Jason Brown, former CFPB Assistant Director for Research and now a visiting fellow at the Brookings Institution, and David Silberman, former Acting Deputy Director and longtime Associate Director for Research, Markets and Regulation.

ACCFSL announces Writing Competition for significant written contributions to the field of U.S. consumer financial services

We received the following announcement: 2027 WRITING COMPETITION The American College of Consumer Financial Services Lawyers is pleased to announce its 2027 annual writing competition to recognize significant written contributions to the field of U.S. consumer financial services law in the following categories: a) Books b) Publishable articles, book chapters, or substantial book reviews by […]

Richard Frankel article on mass arbitration

Richard Frankel of Drexel has written The Mass Arbitration Illusion, 83 Washington and Lee Law Review _ (forthcoming 2026). Here is the abstract: Mass arbitration has emerged as the latest battleground in the ongoing tug-of-war between corporations and their consumers and employees regarding binding mandatory arbitration clauses. After businesses succeeded in shielding themselves from liability […]

Law360: CFPB Brass Accused Of ‘Sham’ Probe Of Union Leader

Emily Brill has the story here. Excerpt: The CFPB placed Stephen Wheeler on administrative leave and began an internal investigation shortly after he spoke to National Public Radio for a story about issues with the agency’s office relocation, NTEU Local 335 claimed. The probe launched within days of Mark Paoletta, a former DLA Piper partner […]

Trump administration removing CFPB complaint narratives

Protect Borrowers has the story, headlined Trump CFPB Buries Financial Companies’ Abuses. So much for the claim that Trump is the most transparent president ever. This will reduce freedom of choice, something the administration has claimed to champion in other contexts, for consumers who want to avoid patronizing businesses that other consumers have found unsatisfactory. […]