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Posts tagged as “Ethics”

7th Cir. Holds Trial Court Erred in Reducing Punitive Damages Without New Trial

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit held that the trial court erred when it reduced the plaintiff’s punitive damages award without giving him the option of a new trial on damages. Accordingly, the Seventh Circuit reversed the ruling of the trial court, and remanded the matter for the court to offer the plaintiff the option of a new trial on damages. A copy of the opinion in Beard v. Wexford Health Sources, Inc. is available at:  Link to Opinion. An inmate plaintiff filed a complaint against members of a prison’s medical staff and administrative team alleging they…

Whitepaper: Model RPC Changes from the ABA 20/20 Commission Impacting Credit and Collection Attorneys

Last August the American Bar Association adopted several amendments to its Model Rules of Professional Conduct. Several of these changes would impact attorneys engaged in credit and collection law, if adopted in their jurisdictions. I’ve prepared the attached whitepaper outlining the amendments.  More information on the ABA’s 20/20 Commission and other amendments to the  Model Rules of Professional Conduct adopted this month are available here.  

New York Federal Court Strikes Down NYC Regulation of Attorneys Engaged in Debt Collection

A City of New York regulation that sought to regulate attorneys who practiced debt collection law, was struck down Wednesday by a Federal Court sitting in the Eastern District of New York because it violated New York’s Constitutional separation of powers. In Eric Berman, P.C. v.  City of New York the court found that New York City had exceeded its authority under New York law by enacting a regulation which dictated how licensed New York attorneys may provided debt collection legal services. The regulation attempted to distinguish attorneys who regularly send debt collection letters — what it described as attorneys who “regularly…

CFPB Plans to Regulate The Practice of Law

Yesterday the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (“CFPB”) released its proposed rule “Defining Larger Participants in Certain Consumer Financial Product and Service Market.” The proposed rule calls for the CFPB to regulate certain attorneys to protect the public welfare. Why? Becuase, Collection attorneys and law firms may collect through litigation (i.e., filing suit against consumers to collect debt). How dare those attorneys file complaints and litigate lawsuits. You can bet I’ll have a little more on the topic in a few days.