National law firm Husch Blackwell is pleased to announce that Christopher Friedman and Alex McFall have joined the firm’s Consumer Financial Services practice team as partner and senior counsel, respectively. Residents of Nashville, Friedman and McFall are based in the firm’s virtual Link office.
“The addition of Chris and Alex—and their national practice—will continue to deepen and strengthen the bench of our thriving Consumer Financial Services team,” said partner Marci Kawski, who leads Husch Blackwell’s Consumer Financial Services practice. “Their enthusiastic approach to client service—one that is tailored to each individual client—aligns with how we do business. We are elated they have chosen to join Husch Blackwell.”
Friedman maintains a robust consumer finance regulatory and compliance practice, focusing on consumer lenders, fintechs, banks, credit unions, mortgage companies and service providers. He also maintains an active practice in the alternative commercial finance space, working with factoring companies, commercial lenders, revenue-based finance companies, and others who offer financial products to small and medium sized businesses. In particular, Friedman and his team have helped alternative commercial finance companies address the increasing regulatory requirements posed by state and federal regulators.
Friedman’s practice is deeply focused on helping clients meet their business goals while managing regulatory risk. He routinely helps clients address issues related to the Equal Credit Opportunity Act (ECOA), Fair Housing Act (FHA), Truth-in-Lending Act (TILA), the Home Mortgage Disclosure Act (HMDA), Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act (RESPA), TILA-RESPA Integrated Disclosure Rule (TRID), prohibitions against Unfair, Deceptive and Abusive Acts and Practices (UDAAP), state licensing regimes, disclosure laws, and fair lending requirements. Friedman has also led regulatory diligence teams for mergers, acquisitions, and other complex transactions involving financial services clients.
McFall shares a similar practice to Friedman, with a strong focus on regulatory compliance and licensing in the financial services sector. McFall brings valuable experience in retail installment sales, new product launches, and comprehensive licensing, encompassing a wide range of financial service providers such as lenders, fintechs, money transmitters, and both consumer and commercial finance companies. McFall’s practice has increasingly focused on helping alternative commercial finance companies address the mounting regulatory requirements posed by state and federal regulators. With her comprehensive knowledge of licensing and regulatory compliance, she has been able to guide her clients through complex regulatory landscapes while minimizing compliance burdens.
“Husch Blackwell’s platform is an ideal fit for our practice,” Friedman said. “The firm’s national footprint, alignment by industry, and deep bench across multiple practice teams will greatly benefit our clients in the financial services space. The Husch Blackwell team has a growth-based mindset and is focused on adding value for clients.”
Friedman and McFall arrive from Bradley Arant Boult Cummings.