FTC Announces Panels for Debt Collection Dialogue in Dallas on September 29, 2015

The Federal Trade Commission has announced the panels for the Debt Collection Dialogue in Dallas on September 29, 2015, the second of three such planned events. Representatives from the FTC, other federal and state law enforcement agencies, and the debt collection industry will discuss enforcement actions, consumer complaints, compliance issues, industry best practices, and how regulatory enforcement actions are investigated and pursued.

NOTE: The Federal Trade Commission has moved the Dallas Debt Collection Dialogue to Southern Methodist University’s Dedman School of Law on September 29, 2015. The FTC changed to this larger venue because the number of pre-registrations had almost reached the maximum for the originally planned venue. Pre-registration, which was closed on August 13, has now been re-opened.

The event will feature two moderated panels with representatives from enforcement agencies and the collection industry. This is the tentative schedule:

1:30 – 1:45 p.m.	Opening Remarks
	Christopher Koegel, Assistant Director, FTC Division of Financial Practices
1:45 – 3:15 p.m.	Panel 1
	Moderator: Mary Spector, Professor, Dedman School of Law, Southern Methodist University Panelists: Christopher Koegel, FTC Gregory Nodler, Senior Counsel for Enforcement Policy and Strategy, Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) Jessica Lesser, Managing Attorney, Dallas Regional Office, Consumer Protection Division, Office of the Texas Attorney General Michael Frost, Chief Legal Officer & General Counsel, CBE Companies, Inc., and member of the ACA International Board of Directors Patricia Baxter, General Counsel, Recovery Management Systems Corp., and President-Elect of DBA International
3:15 – 3:30 p.m.	Break
3:30 – 5:00 p.m.	Panel 2
	Moderator: Dama Brown, Director, Southwest Region, FTC Panelists: Christopher Koegel, FTC Gregory Nodler, CFPB Robert L. Föehl, Vice President & General Counsel, ACA International Joann Needleman, Sr. Counsel and Practice Group Leader, Clark Hill, PLC, and President of the National Association of Retail Collection Attorneys
5:00 – 5:10 p.m.	Closing
	Dama Brown, FTC

The event will be in the Center for Community Cooperation, 2900 Live Oak Street. More information, including how to pre-register and how to submit questions for the two panels in advance, is posted at www.ftc.gov/debtcollectiondialogue-dallas. Pre-registration is not necessary to attend but is encouraged for event planning.

The third Debt Collection Dialogue, to be held in Atlanta, will begin at 1:30 p.m. on November 18 at the Latin American Association, 2750 Buford Highway. Information is available at www.ftc.gov/debtcollectiondialogue-atlanta.

Both events will be free and open to the public.

The Federal Trade Commission works for consumers to prevent fraudulent, deceptive, and unfair business practices and to provide information to help spot, stop, and avoid them. To file a complaint in English or Spanish, visit the FTC’s online Complaint Assistant or call 1-877-FTC-HELP (1-877-382-4357). The FTC enters complaints into Consumer Sentinel, a secure, online database available to more than 2,000 civil and criminal law enforcement agencies in the U.S. and abroad. The FTC’s website provides free information on a variety of consumer topics. Like the FTC on Facebook, follow us on Twitter, and subscribe to press releases for the latest FTC news and resources.