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Category Archives: Compliance

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Compliance, Enforcement and Prosecution Policy and Trends

BancorpSouth Bank Agrees to Pay More Than $10 million to Settle Charges of Redlining and Discrimination in Mortgage Underwriting and Pricing

On June 29, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), the Department of Justice (DOJ), and BancorpSouth Bank (BancorpSouth) agreed to settle allegations of redlining and discrimination in violation of the Equal Credit Opportunity Act and the Fair Housing Act.  Notably, this case marks the second instance of the CFPB’s new approach to redlining analysis, which,… Continue Reading
Compliance, Enforcement and Prosecution Policy and Trends, Financial Institution Regulation

CFPB’s Supervisory Highlights Regarding Auto Lending

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (“CFPB”) recently issued its Supervisory Highlights – Issue 12, Summer 2016 report, addressing, among other industries, automobile origination.  The report reflects supervisory activity generally completed between January 2016 and April 2016 and makes it clear that there is increased scrutiny and consumer complaint activity in the auto lending industry.  The… Continue Reading
Compliance

SEC Loses Chief of the SEC’s Office of the Whistleblower

On Friday, July 8, 2016, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) announced Sean McKessey, Chief of the SEC’s Office of the Whistleblower, will be leaving his post by the end of the month.  Jane Norberg, Deputy Chief of the SEC’s Office of the Whistleblower will serve as Acting Chief until a replacement is found. McKessey… Continue Reading
Anti-Bribery and Corruption, Compliance, Securities and Commodities

DOJ’s First Corporate Enforcement Action Under Pilot Program

In April 2016, the Department of Justice (DOJ) announced its Foreign Corrupt Practices Act Enforcement Plan and Guidance, which includes a one-year pilot program to incentivize individuals and companies to voluntarily self-disclose Foreign Corrupt Practices Act-related (FCPA) misconduct, cooperate with DOJ investigations and remediate controls and compliance programs.  Under the guidance, the DOJ may extend… Continue Reading
Compliance, Financial Institution Regulation

CFPB Proposes Rule on Small Dollar Lending

On June 2, 2016, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (“CFPB”) released its proposed rule on small dollar lending during its scheduled field hearing in Kansas City, Missouri. The controversial proposed rule will affect payday loans, single-payment vehicle title loans, deposit advance products, and certain-high cost loans. Under the proposed rule, lenders would be responsible for making… Continue Reading
Compliance, Enforcement and Prosecution Policy and Trends, Securities and Commodities

The SDNY Provides Guidance on a Company’s Duty to Disclose Government Investigations

Due to the absence of instructive case law and interpretative guidance from the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), companies are often left in the dark with regard to whether and/or when they should publicly disclose that they are under investigation.  The Southern District of New York recently provided much-needed guidance on the issue. On… Continue Reading
Compliance, Financial Institution Regulation

CFPB Announces Plan to Promulgate Key Mortgage Disclosure Rule

Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) Director Richard Cordray recently informed several banking and other industry groups that the Bureau plans to introduce a proposed rule to address concerns related to CFPB mortgage disclosure requirements. In an April 21, 2016 letter to several key industry groups, Cordray stated that the CFPB received feedback on the Know… Continue Reading
Anti-Bribery and Corruption, Anti-Money Laundering, Compliance

The Anti-Corruption Summit – UK plans for further corporate criminal offences, and a host of other proposals

The UK’s Prime Minster David Cameron has just hosted the  “Anti-Corruption Summit”, a first of its kind, bringing together world leaders, business, and civil society with the goal of seeking to agree on a package of steps to: Expose corruption so there is nowhere to hide Punish the perpetrator and support those affected by corruption Drive… Continue Reading
Compliance, Financial Institution Regulation

CFPB’s Proposal Marks Government’s Latest − and Largest − Step Regulating Arbitration Clauses

Last week at a field hearing in Albuquerque, New Mexico, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) announced a proposed rule that would prohibit providers of certain consumer financial products and services from including arbitration provisions in consumer contracts that bar the consumer from filing or participating in a class action with respect to the product… Continue Reading
Compliance, Financial Institution Regulation

Marketplace Lenders May Be Supervised by CFPB in 2017

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) plans to begin supervising online “peer-to-peer” or “platform” lenders as soon as late 2017, according to the Wall Street Journal. The Journal reported that this oversight is part of the agency’s previously announced intent to monitor the largest lenders offering small-dollar loans and lenders that offer loans secured by… Continue Reading
Compliance, Financial Institution Regulation

Senators Take Steps to Ban Arbitration Clauses in Telecommunications Contracts

On Thursday, April 28, 2016, Senators Al Franken (D-Minn.) and Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) proposed legislation that would ban arbitration clauses in telecommunication service contracts. The proposed bill, the Justice for Telecommunications Consumers Act of 2016, would invalidate “any agreement to arbitrate a dispute that has not yet arisen at the time of the making of… Continue Reading
Compliance, Immigration and Worksite Enforcement

Buyer Beware: Noncompliant Electronic I-9 Software Risks Customer Company Fines

Electronic I-9 software can be very attractive to companies looking for efficiency and ensuring compliance. Not to mention the elimination of file drawers that once housed these voluminous paper I-9 files. However, buyers beware, not all electronic I-9 software meets the federal regulations’ requirements. And the problem for well-meaning companies: ICE will still hold the… Continue Reading
Compliance, Enforcement and Prosecution Policy and Trends, Financial Institution Regulation

CFPB’s First-Ever Data Security Enforcement Action

Earlier this month, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) made headlines by bringing its first enforcement action in the data security space.  Dwolla, Inc., an Iowa-based online payment processor, was the CFPB’s target.  According to CFPB Director Richard Cordray, “With data breaches becoming commonplace and more consumers using these online payment systems, the risk to… Continue Reading
Compliance, Financial Institution Regulation

CFPB Director Forecasts Rulemaking on Consumer Arbitration Clauses in American Constitution Society Speech

In the latest public pronouncement on the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s (CFPB’s) intention to engage in rulemaking to ban the use of certain arbitration clauses in consumer contracts – in particular, those that would limit consumer class relief – CFPB Director Richard Cordray recently elaborated on the CFPB’s goals in a speech to the American… Continue Reading
Anti-Bribery and Corruption, Compliance

SHARPER TEETH FOR SANCTIONS ENFORCEMENT?

The current UK sanctions enforcement regime is a complicated web reflecting the requirements of UN Security Council Regulations, EU Regulations, and UK Primary and Secondary Legislation.  Penalties for breaches of sanctions are generally set out in the various statutory instruments that implement particular sanctions. The UK Government, through the Policing and Crime Bill that is… Continue Reading
Anti-Bribery and Corruption, Compliance, Enforcement and Prosecution Policy and Trends, Securities and Commodities

Key Takeaways From This Year’s Early FCPA Enforcement Actions

February has been a big month for U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) enforcement. It started with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) quietly resolving a string of relatively small matters.  Then, at the end of last week, the SEC and U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) entered into a global resolution with VimpelCom in… Continue Reading
Compliance, Sanctions, Trade Embargo, and Export Controls

Iran Sanctions and the Implementation of the JCPOA: Lots of Changes, but Little Impact on U.S. Businesses?

In recent days, the news has been full of stories referring to the “end” or “lifting” of U.S. sanctions against Iran, actions that were taken after the International Atomic Energy Agency confirmed on January 16, 2016, that Iran has met its obligations under the July 14, 2015, Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) in connection… Continue Reading
Compliance, Securities and Commodities

PCAOB Adopts Audit Engagement Partner Disclosure

On December 15, 2015, the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (PCAOB) continued its pursuit of providing investors with improved audit transparency and audit accountability by adopting new rules requiring auditors to disclose: the name of the engagement partner; the name, location and extent of participation of any other accounting firm participating in the audit whose… Continue Reading

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