by Jeff Sovern
A student forwarded me the following email (I've omitted identifying information to protect the student's confidentiality):
Good afternoon,
Thank you for your interest in the CFPB’s Honors Attorney Program. Unfortunately we will not be extending offers for the program this year.
Please keep the Bureau in mind as you plan your future career.
Thank you,
Ryan Pond
Student Programs Manager
Office of Human Capital
Up until December, the CFPB operated the Louis D. Brandeis Honors Attorney Program. On December 19, the Bureau announced that it was changing the name of the program to the Joseph Story Honors Attorney Program. The Bureau's December 19 announcement states:
We hope that Associate Justice Joseph Story’s legacy will inspire our new honors attorneys as we work to enforce federal consumer financial laws for the benefit of American consumers and realize the Founders’ vision for our Republic.
The student had applied for a job in the Story program and received the email quoted above. It looks like there won't be any new honors attorneys under any name to be inspired by Justice Story's legacy this year, which makes sense as it also appears the Bureau won't be enforcing federal consumer financial laws this year–at least judging by the fact that the Bureau still hasn't announced any new enforcement actions since Mr. Mulvaney took over. Speaking of announcements, I can't find any on the CFPB's web site to the effect that it is not hiring for the program this year, which makes me wonder what else the Bureau is doing that hasn't been made public. I also wonder if the Bureau is going to have an honors attorney program going forward. But then we know that if Mr. Mulvaney had his way,we wouldn't have a CFPB going forward either.
