Dean and Len highlight why strong, proactive compliance management is crucial for financial institutions facing regulatory change and emerging risks…
more
/ Finance & Banking
Now that the Trump Administration has announced its intention to repeal the 2023 CRA rule many bankers are way too eager to move on and forget about the soon-to-be-repealed rule. It was unbelievably complex, confusing and…
more
/ Administrative Law, Consumer Protection, Finance & Banking
Banks play a pivotal role in the economic wellbeing of our nation and local communities. Banks do this by being “financial intermediaries” facilitating the flow of funds between savers and borrowers. This obligation is so…
more
/ Finance & Banking, Privacy, Real Estate - Residential
President Trump signed Executive Order 14281, “Restoring Equality of Opportunity and Meritocracy on April 23, 2025”. The EO proclaims a policy goal of eliminating “the use of disparate-impact liability in all contexts to the…
more
/ Administrative Law, Civil Rights, Finance & Banking
In Podcast 95, Len and Dean argue that the 2023 CRA rule is flawed and confusing, urging its repeal and calling for reforms that truly support community development…
more
/ Finance & Banking
Just when you thought the flurry of executive orders pertaining to “deregulation” might have slowed down, the President signed, on April 23, 2025, Executive Order 14281, “Restoring Equality of Opportunity and Meritocracy.” The…
more
/ Administrative Law, Civil Rights, Finance & Banking
Len and Dean examine the rising threat of bank fraud, its financial toll, and how institutions can fight back with technology, education, and compliance…
more
/ Criminal Law, Finance & Banking
Dear Banker,
Many bankers are easily confused by the technical requirements for loans in "disaster areas'' to be potentially qualified for community development credit under CRA. This brief article explains how to avoid the…
more
/ Administrative Law, Finance & Banking, Zoning, Planning & Land Use
In the previous articles of this 4-part series, I identified and explained three types of fatal flaws in the 2023 CRA rule and I presented 5 suggestions to improve the effectiveness of the legacy CRA rule. In this article I put…
more
/ Administrative Law, Finance & Banking, Science, Computers, & Technology
In the first 3 articles in this series (1, 2, 3), we identified fatal flaws in the 2023 CRA rule. In Parts 4a – 4c we propose the regulators consider potential improvements to the rule when they publish the Notice of Proposed…
more
/ Administrative Law, Business Organizations, Commercial Law & Contracts, Finance & Banking, Real Estate - Residential
In the previous 3 articles of this 4-part series I identified and explained three types of fatal flaws in the 2023 CRA rule:
1. The unreliable and sometimes misleading performance ratings based on unrealistic assessment areas…
more
/ Administrative Law, Finance & Banking, Consumer Protection
Len & Dean examine how the 2023 CRA rule and Section 1071 could impose unrealistic standards on banks through rigid assessment areas, urging the industry to engage in the rulemaking process and prepare for regulatory changes…
more
/ Finance & Banking
Len and Dean discuss recent regulatory guidance on elder financial exploitation, emphasizing the need for financial institutions to balance intervention and senior autonomy through effective policies, AI-driven fraud detection,…
more
/ Criminal Law, Finance & Banking
When the new CRA rule was published in late 2023 it contained some very serious flaws that need to be corrected. In fact, some of those flaws are so bad that they left the Trump Administration with only 2 choices, significantly…
more
/ Administrative Law, Business Organizations, Commercial Law & Contracts, Finance & Banking, Consumer Protection
Yesterday, as I was writing this article the news broke about the regulators deciding they intend to rescind the 2023 CRA rule. My first reaction was to toss this article in the “trash” folder. But upon further reflection I…
more
/ Administrative Law, Business Organizations, Finance & Banking, Real Estate - Residential
