Consumer Finance Monitor

In a recent episode of the award-winning Consumer Finance Monitor podcast, Alan Kaplinsky was joined by Nick Bourke , Kate Griffin , and Ballard Spahr partner Joseph Schuster to discuss a groundbreaking new report from the Aspen Institute Financial Security Program: United We Stand: A National Strategy to Prevent Scams. The episode builds on Nick and Kate's prior appearance on the podcast last Jul...

On today's Consumer Finance Monitor podcast, we are releasing an episode about a timely and wide-ranging discussion on one of the most significant and fastest-evolving developments in commercial finance: the rapid "consumerization" of small business lending law. In this episode, host Alan Kaplinsky welcomes Louis Caditz-Peck, Executive Director of the Responsible Business Lending Coalition (RBLC),...

In the episode of the Consumer Finance Monitor podcast we are releasing today, we examine what may be the most consequential development in New York consumer protection law in nearly half a century: the enactment of the New York State Fair Business Practices Act (the FAIR Act). Signed into law in December 2025 and taking effect on February 17, 2026, the FAIR Act represents the first comprehensive...

On this episode of the Ballard Spahr Consumer Finance Monitor Podcast, we examine consumer debt and bankruptcy through the lens of Debt's Grip: Risk and Consumer Bankruptcy (University of California Press, 2025), by Pamela Foohey, Robert M. Lawless, and Deborah Thorne. Based on decades of research from the Consumer Bankruptcy Project, the nation's most comprehensive study of bankruptcy filers, Deb...

In this episode of the Consumer Finance Monitor Podcast, we examine one of the most closely watched and increasingly controversial developments in consumer finance: earned wage access (EWA) products. EWA products allow workers to access a portion of wages they have already earned before their scheduled payday. Proponents describe these products as a valuable financial tool that helps consumers man...

Our podcast show this week consists of a webinar we produced on November 10, 2025, titled, "Breaking Developments in National Bank Act Preemption." Join our panel of top legal experts as they break down how landmark court rulings are changing the rules for national banks, examine the growing application of state law, and discuss what these changes mean for compliance, risk, and the future of consu...

Join us for a timely and insightful conversation on the evolving landscape of anti-money laundering (AML) compliance in consumer financial services. In this episode of the Consumer Finance Monitor Podcast, Alan Kaplinsky, founder and senior counsel of Ballard Spahr's Consumer Financial Services Group, hosts Terence Grugan, co-chair of Ballard Spahr's AML team and a recognized authority in financia...

This week on the award-winning Consumer Finance Monitor Podcast , host Alan Kaplinsky is joined by Senior Counsel Mark Levin and special guest Professor Mohsen Manesh for a powerful roundtable on one of today's most consequential topics: the SEC's new position on mandatory arbitration in corporate governance documents and how state law and market realities are shaping the future for consumer finan...

Join host Alan Kaplinsky, founder and former longtime leader of Ballard Spahr's Consumer Financial Services Group and one of the foremost thought leaders in the industry, as he welcomes two special guests for a timely and insightful conversation about the most significant deregulatory developments in banking law during 2025. Alan is joined by his Ballard Spahr colleague Scott Coleman, a partner wi...

Today's episode features Part 2 of our November 4 webinar, "The CFPB's Most Ambitious Regulatory Agenda Ever."   (Part 1 of this series was released on December 18. We encourage you to listen to that episode as well). In Part 2, we continue to unpack the far-reaching implications of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau's (CFPB) regulatory ambitions. The CFPB has published a sweeping agenda tha...

Today's episode features Part 1 of our November 4 webinar, "The CFPB's Most Ambitious Regulatory Agenda Ever." In this packed episode, our expert panel breaks down the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau's largest and boldest regulatory agenda to date. Discussing an unprecedented lineup of 24 rulemaking items that could reshape the consumer financial services industry. What's Included: Unpreceden...

Today's podcast brings listeners a timely and insightful discussion as our panel examines the CFPB's proposed amendments to Regulation B under the Equal Credit Opportunity Act (ECOA). As our regular listeners know, we released an episode yesterday, and we are providing this additional special episode in light of a development we consider both time-sensitive and exceptionally important. The discuss...

Today's episode features Part 2 of our October 30, 2025 webinar, "AI in Financial Services: Understanding the White House Action Plan – and What It Leaves Out." In this installment, our panel dives deeper into the evolving intersection of artificial intelligence, regulation, and innovation in financial services. Moderated by Alan Kaplinsky , Senior Counsel, founder and former longtime leader of Ba...

Today's episode features Part 1 of our October 30, 2025 webinar, "AI in Financial Services: Understanding the White House Action Plan – and What It Leaves Out." In this installment, a panel of leading experts breaks down the rapidly evolving role of artificial intelligence in financial services—from foundational concepts to the latest regulatory developments. Moderated by  Alan Kaplinsky , Senior...

Step into the intersection of consumer finance law and the solar energy industry with host Alan Kaplinsky, senior counsel at Ballard Spahr, and special guest Steven Burt, attorney and former public policy leader at major residential solar companies. In this episode, listeners will get an insider's look at today's solar landscape. Discover the key market segments, from utility-scale projects to com...

Today's episode marks the second of a two-part series, with Part One having been released on November 13 th . In this installment, we continue our conversation on the many changes in fair lending policy and enforcement under the second Trump administration. The discussion is moderated by  Alan Kaplinsky , Senior Counsel, founder and former chair for 25 years of Ballard Spahr's Consumer   Financial...

Today's episode marks the first of a two-part series, with Part Two scheduled for release on November 20 th . In this installment, we examine the sweeping changes in fair lending policy and enforcement under the second Trump administration. The discussion is moderated by Alan Kaplinsky , Senior Counsel, founder and former chair for 25 years of Ballard Spahr's Consumer Financial Services Group, and...

Today's podcast features the second part of a recent webinar produced on September 24, 2025, titled: "A New Era for Banking: What President Trump's Debanking Executive Order and Related State Laws Mean for Financial Institutions, Government, and Banking Customers." In Part 2, we discuss the following topics: 1.                What are the areas of uncertainty with respect to the Executive Order, i...

Today's podcast features the first part of a recent webinar produced on September 24, 2025, titled: "A New Era for Banking: What President Trump's Debanking Executive Order and Related State Laws Mean for Financial Institutions, Government, and Banking Customers." In Part 1, we discuss the following topics: 1.      History of Debanking, including: o    Operation Chokepoint: An initiative by federa...

Today's podcast features the second part of a repurposed webinar produced on September 3, 2025, which dive s into the legal risks, compliance challenges, and emerging constitutional questions stemming from the GENIUS Act. The conversation examines the strict prohibition of deceptive claims regarding federal backing or insurance for stablecoins, highlighting the significant civil liabilities and pe...

Today's podcast features the first part of a recent webinar produced on September 3, 2025, which examined the key provisions of the GENIUS Act ("The Guiding and Establishing National Innovation for U.S. Stablecoins Act") and its regulatory impact on banks, fintechs and the future of stablecoins. The discussion covers critical definitions, licensing, oversight and enforcement requirements, the rela...

We are pleased to share a new podcast episode, which was taken from our September 9, 2025, webinar featuring Malini Mithal, Associate Director of the Federal Trade Commission's Division of Financial Practices. Malini has been a valued guest on our podcast in past years, and this session provided another timely and insightful discussion. In today's episode she gives her thoughts on the FTC's recent...

The podcast show we are releasing today is a repurposing of part 2 of a webinar we produced on August 13, 2025, which explored the U.S. Supreme Court's pivotal 6-3 decision in  Trump v. CASA, Inc. , a ruling that significantly curtails the use of nationwide or "universal" injunctions. A universal injunction is one which confers benefits on non-parties to the lawsuit. This case marks a turning poin...

As our regular podcast listeners know, we ordinarily release a new regular podcast show once each week on Thursday. On a very few occasions, we have released a special extra podcast show during the same week. We have only done that when a development occurs which we feel is of extraordinary importance and time sensitive. On September 22, the United States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit iss...

The podcast show we are releasing today is a repurposing of part 1 of a webinar we produced on August 13, 2025, which explored the U.S. Supreme Court's pivotal 6-3 decision in  Trump v. CASA, Inc. , a ruling that significantly curtails the use of nationwide or "universal" injunctions. A universal injunction is one which confers benefits on non-parties to the lawsuit. This case marks a turning poin...