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Through his actions and collective experience, Haydn Richards has demonstrated that he is one of the foremost leaders in state financial services law and financial services licensing matters. Haydn is a nationally recognized leader on mortgage and financial services licensing matters, including counseling clients relating to the formation of financial services companies and strategic acquisitions. He regularly interacts on behalf of financial services companies with federal and state regulatory agencies, both in adversarial and non-adversarial matters. Haydn counsels clients on CFPB compliance,federal and state origination-related issues, as well as all aspects of the Secure and Fair Enforcement for Mortgage Licensing (SAFE) Act, financial services licensing matters and the Nationwide Multistate Licensing System & Registry (NMLS). He also supports companies relating to matters involving residential and commercial mortgage lenders, brokers, and servicers in both the forward mortgage and reverse mortgage industries; consumer finance companies; student loan companies; third-party loan fulfillment companies; and debt collectors.

On May 2, 2022, Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp signed SB 470, which amends provisions of Georgia’s banking laws relating to the denial or revocation of a mortgage license or registration due to certain felony convictions. SB 470 will reduce the impact on mortgage companies as a result of Georgia’s existing prohibition on the employment of

Updates from 12 State Regulatory Agencies Regarding Coronavirus and Related Work from Home IssuesAs regulatory agencies provide guidance regarding working from home for financial services professionals while the COVID-19 outbreak progresses, we summarized the additional guidance issued in the recent past and current as of March 24, 2020.

California Department of Real Estate Released Frequently Asked Questions Relating to COVID-19

The California Department of Real Estate’s Frequently Asked

Four Additional States Issue New Guidance Relating to Working from Home; Massachusetts and New York Supplement Previous GuidanceAs we continue to follow the trend of regulatory agencies providing guidance allow working from home for financial services professionals while the COVID-19 outbreak progresses, we summarized the additional guidance issued in the recent past and current as of March 19, 2020.

Colorado Department of Regulatory Agencies, Division of Real Estate Issued an Advisory on

Financial Services Licensing and Compliance Obligations and COVID-19As members of the financial industry prepare to meet the challenges associated with COVID-19, key government agencies have begun to offer guidance with respect to how their regulated financial institutions, including non-depositories, can meet their compliance obligations while balancing the realities of a pandemic event due to COVID-19. This blog summarizes the updates that we

Financial Services Licensing and Compliance Obligations and COVID-19As members of the financial industry prepare to meet the challenges associated with COVID-19, key government agencies have begun to offer guidance with respect to how their regulated financial institutions, including non-depositories, can meet their compliance obligations while balancing the realities of a potential pandemic event due to COVID-19. This blog summarizes the latest updates

Financial Services Licensing and Compliance Obligations and COVID-19As members of the financial industry prepare to meet the challenges associated with COVID-19, key government agencies have begun to offer guidance with respect to how their regulated financial institutions, including non-depositories, can meet their compliance obligations while balancing the realities of a potential pandemic event due to COVID-19. This blog summarizes the updates that

California Latest State to Consider Lead Generation LicensingOn Wednesday, June 26, 2019, the California Senate Banking Committee will take up AB 642, which would add certain lead generation activities to the definition of “broker” under the California Financing Law (Cal. Fin. Code § 22004 et seq.). If passed, companies that engage in lead generation (“lead generators”) would be required to

Five Years Later: Five Takeaways From the Bulletin That Rocked the Auto Finance IndustryIn 2013, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) issued a bulletin on indirect auto lending that took the industry by storm. As we approach the five-year anniversary of the memo’s issuance, it’s valuable to reflect on how the bulletin was received, how the auto finance industry has changed since the bulletin and subsequent CFPB actions,

2017 in Review: Three State Enforcement Trends Impacting the Auto Finance IndustryAuto lenders, like many private citizens, began 2017 curious as to what change the impending Trump administration would bring. In the landscape of government enforcement, however, the consensus amongst industry participants was that the Trump administration would bring loosened regulation for the consumer finance industry. Many industry insiders mused about the potential sea change that

The Four Cornerstones: Regulatory Focus Sharpens on Student Loan Servicing IndustryWe have previously written about recent regulatory focus on the student loan servicing industry. In particular, we discussed the issuance of a 151-page report issued by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) titled “Student Loan Servicing: Analysis of Public Input and Recommendations for Reform,” as well as the “Joint Statement of Principles on