Expert Analysis

• Fintech-Bank Partnerships Hold Potential, But Tread Carefully

  

  A study recently released by the Federal Reserve Board highlights the federal preemptions that financial technology lenders can take advantage of to lend profitably in certain states, though fintech-bank partnerships face some regulatory challenges as well, say attorneys at Venable.

• Series

  Calif. Banking Brief: The Notable Compliance Updates In Q3

  

  Among the most significant developments in the California financial services sphere last quarter, the Legislature passed a new Digital Financial Assets Law, and the California Department of Financial Protection and Innovation continued its campaign against facilitation of out-of-state loans, say attorneys at Troutman Pepper.

• Unearthing The Lesser-Known 'Buried Facts' Doctrine

  

  A New York federal judge’s recent suggestion that the “buried facts” doctrine may be applicable in the fraud trial of FTX cofounder Sam Bankman-Fried should serve as a reminder to attorneys in all kinds of cases involving corporate disclosures that this lesser-known rule could torpedo their defense, say Corban Rhodes and Li Yu at DiCello Levitt.

• Opinion

  Newman Suspension Shows Need For Judicial Reform

  

  The recent suspension of U.S. Circuit Judge Pauline Newman following her alleged refusal to participate in a disability inquiry reveals the need for judicial misconduct reforms to ensure that judges step down when they can no longer serve effectively, says Aliza Shatzman at The Legal Accountability Project.

• When And How Companies Should Build An AI Strategy

  

  Once a company has decided to engage with artificial intelligence, there are myriad steps that need to be taken, beginning with the creation of an AI leadership team that has deep knowledge about the company's business risks and is highly respected by senior management, say Judith Rinearson and Corey Bieber at K&L Gates.

• Consumer Finance Cos. Must Seriously Consider Complaints

  

  In light of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau's recent action against alternative finance company Tempoe for failing to act on consumer complaints, other businesses that offer financial products or services should implement robust complaint response functions to mitigate or avoid similar encounters with the bureau, says Josh Burlingham at Goodwin.

• Data Furnishers Should Watch CFPB Plans For Class Actions

  

  Companies should follow the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s rulemaking process as it considers allowing class actions against data brokers that provide incorrect consumer information to credit reporting agencies, a move that could rewrite the legal risks of participating in the consumer reporting ecosystem, say attorneys at Troutman Pepper.

• Calif. Delete Act Paves Way For Data Broker Accountability

  

  California's recent enactment of a law that will allow state residents to delete personal information held by some 500 data brokers shows there is renewed focus on holding an extremely lucrative but underregulated industry accountable — but doing so may require both legislation and litigation, says Karina Puttieva at Cohen Milstein.

• DeFi Enforcement Is Growing, Despite CFTC Dissonance

  

  The U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission’s recently settled actions against operators of three decentralized finance protocols appear to be part of an enhanced enforcement push, though commissioners don’t agree on how to promote constructive regulation, say Michael Philipp and Sarah Riddell at Morgan Lewis.

• Regulators' Focus On AI Highlights Risks For Lenders

  

  Recent guidance from the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and other regulators illuminates potential pitfalls that lenders and other companies should take steps to avoid when leveraging artificial intelligence-based technologies in consumer credit transactions, say attorneys at Sheppard Mullin.

• Series

  ESG Around The World: Japan

  

  Japan is witnessing rapid developments in environmental, social and corporate governance policies by making efforts to adopt a soft law approach, which has been effective in encouraging companies to embrace ESG practices and address the diversity of boards of directors, say Akira Karasawa and Landry Guesdon at Iwata Godo.

• How And Why Your Firm Should Implement Fixed-Fee Billing

  

  Amid rising burnout in the legal industry and client efforts to curtail spending, pivoting to a fixed-fee billing model may improve client-attorney relationships and offer lawyers financial, logistical and stress relief — while still maintaining profit margins, say Kevin Henderson and Eric Pacifici at SMB Law Group.

• What Fed Supervision Letters Mean For Bank-Fintech Collabs

  

  Recent Federal Reserve guidance, which creates a program to supervise bank-fintech partnerships and requires banks to obtain advance approval before offering stablecoins, may reflect both regulators’ skepticism of banks engaging in cryptocurrency-related activities and a growing realization that these collaborations require novel supervisory approaches, say attorneys at MoFo.

• Series

  Conn. Banking Brief: The Notable Compliance Updates In Q3

  

  The most notable legal changes affecting Connecticut financial institutions in the third quarter of 2023 included increased regulatory protections for consumers, an expansion of state financial assistance for underserved communities, and a panoply of tweaks to existing laws, says Brian Rich at Barclay Damon.

• Opinion

  Judicial Independence Needs Defense Amid Political Threats

  

  Amid recent and historic challenges to the judiciary from political forces, safeguarding judicial independence and maintaining the integrity of the legal system is increasingly urgent, says Robert Peck at the Center for Constitutional Litigation.