Financial Services Focus

The podcast dives into the fast-evolving world of stablecoins, explaining how these dollar-pegged digital assets are transforming payments with speed, transparency, and fractional flexibility. We also delve into the GENIUS Act’s bold framework, which would create bespoke AML and sanctions obligations for permitted payment stablecoin issuers—moving beyond the awkward “square peg, round hole” of legacy rules.

In this episode of the Financial Services Focus Podcast, we’ll examine changes in federal enforcement actions, financial penalties, and what these signal for the future under the Trump Administration. Additionally, we discuss the emergence of new risks—such as the expanded use of the False Claims Act in areas like DEI lawsuits, tariff evasion, and healthcare fraud.

In this episode, our host Lauren Pryor is joined by Chris Gough and Michael Linger from Houlihan Lokey to discuss recent trends in Mortgage M&A, including consolidation among originators and servicers and developments in PropTech.

In this episode, host Lauren Pryor and her colleagues discuss the recent actions by FinCEN, which designated three Mexican financial institutions as primary money laundering concerns under the expanded Section 311 authority, strengthened by the Fend Off Fentanyl Act. This designation aims to disrupt fentanyl-related financial crime by prohibiting U.S. financial institutions from processing transactions involving these entities. The discussion highlights the broader U.S. government effort to combat cartels, drawing parallels to post-9/11 actions against terrorist financing. 

In this episode of Financial Services Focus, Lauren Pryor and her colleagues discuss a recent Delaware Chancery Court opinion that reinforces Delaware's pro-sandbagging stance in M&A transactions. This conversation covers the implications of this ruling, particularly regarding the interpretation of representations and warranties, the use of transaction multiples for calculating damages, and key takeaways for buyers and sellers in Delaware M&A transactions.

Join us for a new episode of Financial Services Focus, with partner Lauren Pryor, co-lead of the Financial Services Product Team, and Brad Peterson, a partner at the firm’s Chicago office and member of the Technology & IP Transactions practice. They are joined by John Guzzo and Ted Conway, Managing Directors at KBW, to dive into the evolving world of mortgage servicing technology trends. Together, they discuss the latest trends in mortgage servicing M&A, the mortgage tech landscape, outsourcing trends, opportunities for consolidation among technology vendors, and the challenges and opportunities that come with technology adoption in this space. Additionally, Lauren and Brad explore the impact of generative AI on mortgage servicing contracts.

Join us for a new episode of Financial Services Focus with partner Eric Mitzenmacher and associate Kerri Webb, as they discuss the CFPB's recently proposed FCRA rulemaking, which, if finalized as proposed, would affect the availability and use of certain information about consumers—particularly with respect to data brokers. In this episode, we provide some background on the proposed data broker rule, the CFPB's goals for the proposal, and the potential impacts of the rule if enacted.

Join us for a new episode of Financial Services Focus with partners Gina Parlovecchio and Matthew Bisanz, and associate Kelly Truesdale, as they discuss FinCEN’s recent confirmation that reporting companies are not required to file beneficial ownership reports for as long as the current nationwide injunction of the CTA remains in effect. In this episode, we cover how we got here, the court's reasoning for this decision, the next steps the government is likely to take, and what companies can do to prepare now. For more details please see: In Brief: FINCEN Confirms Suspension of Corporate Transparency Act Filing Obligations During Nationwide Injunction FINCEN Confirms Suspension of Corporate Transparency Act Federal Court Suspends Enforcement of Corporate Transparency Act Nationwide Federal Court Declares The Corporate Transparency Act Unconstitutional  

Join us for a new episode of Financial Services Focuswith partner Martin Heuber, leader of the German office's Banking & Finance practice. In this episode, we discuss the impact of current events in Europe on the private debt market in Germany, particularly how these developments are affecting the quality of transactions handled by alternative lenders, and why debt funds are entering the market right now. We also explore the regulatory barriers lenders encounter when entering the market and provide insight into the legal environment, examining whether it favors borrowers or lenders.

Join us for a new episode of Financial Services Focus with partner Susannah Schmid and associate Jenna Siebold from Mayer Brown's Banking & Finance practice in Chicago, as they discuss the traditional plain-vanilla structure for mortgage loan warehousing, shifts and trends they are seeing in this structure, and key considerations when transitioning to SPV LLCs and trusts as repo counterparties.

Join us for a new episode of Financial Services Focus with Mayer Brown partners Airlie Goodman (London) and Archis Parasharami (Washington, DC), who co-lead Mayer Brown’s class action and collective actions practice, as they explore the growing risks posed by the rise of collective action regimes across the UK and Europe. Airlie and Archis discuss the need for financial services institutions with a presence in the UK or EU to be aware of their potential exposure to these regimes.

Join us for a new episode of Financial Services Focus with Mayer Brown Partner, David Beam, and Houlihan Lokey Managing Director, Kartik Sudeep. Beam and Sudeep discuss developments in the payments industry, real-time payments and cross-border transactions, alongside concerns about fraud and the evolving regulatory landscape the integration of FinTech and banks, regulatory compliance's impact on acquisitions.

In this episode of Financial Services Focus, Eric Edwardson, Lauren Pryor and Chris Smith discuss selected key terms of purchase and sale agreements for residential mortgage servicing rights, exploring the typical perspectives and concerns of buyers and sellers. 

Join us for the latest episode of Financial Services Focus as Andy Demko and Archis Parasharami discuss how consumer arbitration became popular among U.S. businesses in response to class actions from the late 90s onward. The 2011 Supreme Court ruling in AT&T Mobility v. Concepcion changed how arbitration waive class actions under federal law. They examine the emergence of mass arbitration and how leveraging technology has presented new challenges.

Mayer Brown Partners Ana Bruder, Justin Herring, and Oliver Yaros focus on cybersecurity risks and regulations in the EU and UK. They explore third-party risks, ransomware incidents, and the impact of AI, while examining how DORA (Digital Operational Resilience Act) reshapes compliance for financial institutions. They emphasize the critical need for risk management frameworks and highlight the evolving landscape of cybersecurity governance.

Join us for the latest episode of Financial Services Focus for a discussion of Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell’s recent Humphrey-Hawkins testimony before the House Financial Services Committee and Senate Banking Committee. Andrew Olmem and Jeff Taft dive into Powell’s insights regarding the future of the Basel endgame proposal and the long-term debt proposal.

Join us for this episode of Financial Services Focus, where Lauren Pryor, Eric Edwardson, Haukur Gudmundsson and Krista Cooley dive into considerations for MSR (Mortgage Servicing Rights) fund investments and outline the complexities of MSR fund investments, touching on market structures, licensing requirements, and acquisition strategies. They discuss the trade-offs between building or buying servicing platforms and explores various methods for acquiring MSR assets, such as loan origination and bulk portfolio purchases.

Join us for this episode of Financial Services Focus, where Lauren Pryor, Holly Spencer Bunting and Darius Horton delve into the rising popularity of home equity products, discussing how these offerings provide homeowners with cash without requiring monthly payments, outlining the financing challenges and regulatory considerations involved.

Join us on the latest episode of Financial Services Focus as Justin Herring, Jeff Taft and Ana Bruder discuss key cyber threats facing the financial services industry, including third-party risks, sophisticated ransomware, and AI-powered attacks.  It examines the evolving and rapidly expanding regulatory landscape, with a complex mix of federal and state rules focused on areas like governance, risk assessments, and third-party management. It also covers enforcement trends, as regulators ramp up investigations and fines.

Join us for the first episode of Mayer Brown’s Financial Services Focus series. Financial Services Focus will provide updates on the key legal issues affecting financial products across legal disciplines. This podcast series will dive into the regulatory and policy updates in the marketplace, plus novel transactions and financing structures, and trends in enforcement and litigation, whether in the US or across the globe. In our first episode, please join the leaders of Mayer Brown’s financial services team, Chris Chapman, Chris Houpt, Lauren Pryor, Andrew Olmem, and Jeff Taft, as they highlight some hot topics in financial services and what to expect in the regulatory environment for 2024.