Consumer Financial Protection

Financial institutions wield enormous power over our daily lives. Consumer financial protection law strives to reshape this power dynamic, mediating relationships between financial institutions and consumers. This course examines federal and state laws governing consumer financial transactions and explores how government regulation has shaped these relationships, for better and worse. Key topics will likely include traditional lending markets (housing, student, and auto loans), fringe financial products, credit scoring and discrimination, debt collection, digital banking and fintech, and the dismantling of federal consumer protection under the Trump administration. Grades will be based primarily on a final exam. Students may elect to take this class pass/fail.