Barbara S. Mishkin

Firm/Organization: Ballard Spahr LLP
Blogs: Consumer Finance Monitor

Latest Articles

The OCC’s decision to issue special purpose national bank (or fintech) charters has sparked renewed litigation.  In this episode, we review the charter’s potential benefits and drawbacks, provide a litigation update and examine its possible impact on charter applicants, and flag issues for potential applicants.  We also look at fintech charter alternatives, including full-service and Utah industrial banks. To listen and subscribe to the podcast, click here.    …
At the end of last week, the CFPB announced that it had entered into a consent order with State Farm Bank, FSB to settle allegations that the Bank violated the Fair Credit Reporting Act, Regulation V, and the Consumer Financial Protection Act in connection with furnishing information to consumer reporting agencies (CRAs ) and obtaining and using consumer reports.  The consent order does not require the Bank to pay any consumer redress or a civil…
The Attorneys General of 42 states and the District of Columbia (collectively, the States) have entered into an Assurance of Voluntary Compliance/Assurance of Discontinuance  (Agreement) with Encore Capital Group, Inc. and its subsidiaries, Midland Funding, LLC and Midland Credit Management, Inc., (collectively, Midland) to settle allegations relating to Midland’s debt collection practices.  According to a press release from the Illinois AG, which describes Midland as one of the nation’s largest debt buyers, Midland engaged in…
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This afternoon, by a vote of 50-49, the Senate confirmed Kathy Kraninger as CFPB Director. Pursuant to the Dodd-Frank Act, the CFPB Director has a five-year term.  The approximate 12 months during which Mick Mulvaney has served as Acting Director since former Director Cordray’s resignation last November does not count against Ms. Kraninger’s five-year term.  As a result, Ms. Kraninger could serve as Director for approximately three years of the next four-year Presidential term that…
AML/BSA compliance continues to be the focus of rigorous enforcement on both the federal and state levels.  In this episode, we look at the conduct for which financial institutions have been faulted in recent enforcement actions, flag other missteps that can trigger regulatory scrutiny, and offer practical tips for avoiding regulatory criticism and reducing enforcement risk. To listen and subscribe to the podcast, click here.  If you would like to remain updated on AML/BSA developments, …
In this week’s episode, we discuss recent state legislative and enforcement developments involving state analogues to the federal Servicemembers Civil Relief Act.  We review state efforts to increase the duration of federal protections, expand the groups entitled to them, and extend similar protections to additional products and services. To listen and subscribe to the podcast, click here.    …
Thirteen Republican Senators have sent a letter to FDIC Chairman Jelena McWilliams urging the FDIC to take action to ensure that lawful businesses are no longer at risk of adverse financial consequences as a result of “Operation Choke Point, and its associated culture and Choke Point-like regulatory actions.” “Operation Choke Point” was a federal enforcement initiative involving various agencies, including the DOJ, OCC, FDIC, and Fed.  Initiated in 2012, Operation Choke Point targeted banks serving…
Politico has reported that Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell filed cloture this afternoon on President Trump’s nomination of Kathy Kraninger to serve as CFPB Director.  The filing means that the full Senate will vote on the nomination once it returns after Thanksgiving, although the date of a vote remains uncertain.    …
The CFPB has issued its Spring 2018 Semi-Annual Report to Congress covering the period October 1, 2017 through March 31, 2018. At 41 pages, the new report is even shorter than the Bureau’s last semi-annual report (which was 55 pages) and continues what appears to be a goal under Acting Director Mulvaney’s leadership of issuing semi-annual reports that are substantially shorter than those issued under the leadership of former Director Cordray.  Like the prior semi-annual report…
In this week’s episode, we discuss recent enforcement activity under the Military Lending Act and the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act, as well as takeaways about compliance.  We also review the CFPB’s controversial decision to no longer conduct exams for MLA compliance, look at the legal basis for the decision, and analyze the arguments made by critics. To listen and subscribe to the podcast, click here.…