Oral Arguments Set in in CFPB v. Hanna Law Firm

A date has been set for oral arguments on a motion to dismiss the lawsuit brought by the CFPB against Georgia law firm Frederick J. Hanna & Associates P.C. The hearing is set for June 3, 2015 at 2:00 PM EDT in Atlanta.

insideARM has been monitoring and reporting on the case since its inception.

The lawsuit has garnered significant attention within the ARM industry and the legal community.

The suit was originally filed by the CFPB in July of last year. The CFPB alleged that the firm was a “lawsuit mill” that churned out debt collection actions and violated the FDCPA en masse.

In September of last year Hanna filed its motion to dismiss. Hanna’s primary argument is that the CFPB does not have the authority to regulate the practice of law. Hanna also claims to meet all requisite standards for “meaningful attorney involvement” in their processes.

The CFPB response to the motion to dismiss was vigorous and contentious. The Bureau countered all of the Hanna arguments.

In March of this year Hanna filed another lengthy pleading pointing the court to a recent ruling against the CFPB to bolster their defense.

The case has meaningful implications for law firm collection activity and beyond. The parties have taken firm positions. As of this point, it appears that any settlement is unlikely.