The advice I give clients is grounded in the valuable experience I’ve received throughout my career, which spans the public and private sectors and reflects a cross-section of the financial services industry. I’m able to contribute practical knowledge gained through serving in two government agencies (regulating banks and bank products as well as auto, mortgage, and payday lenders) as an examiner, supervisory policy analyst, program manager, and attorney, and in two banks as compliance officer and in-house counsel. I understand the concerns, perspectives, and processes of my clients and their regulators and that makes a big difference in gaining positive outcomes.
Serving a national client base, Brian Fink advises depository and non-depository financial institutions in a broad range of compliance, government investigations, and regulatory matters. With a focus on lending, Brian counsels clients involved in issues stemming from products, including consumer installment, credit card, payday, auto, and mortgage loans.
Brian draws on his extensive background in government and the financial services industry, including his former roles as a supervisory analyst, attorney advisor, and program manager within the Office of Supervision Policy of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB). Brian also previously worked as a supervisory analyst in the Federal Reserve Board of Governors, where he advised reserve banks on significant examination issues and led formal operations reviews of Federal Reserve Banks’ compliance examination programs. These positions gave Brian keen insight into the complex regulatory issues his clients face, with particular emphasis on matters relating to the Truth in Lending Act (TILA), Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act (RESPA), Electronic Funds Transfer Act (EFTA), and the determination of unfair, deceptive, and abusive acts and practices (UDAAP).
Brian’s multi-faceted career in the legal and financial services arenas includes his prior position as vice president and associate general counsel for M&T Bank, where he supported its consumer lending division. He also served as vice president and compliance, Bank Secrecy Act (BSA), and Community Reinvestment Act (CRA) officer for First National Bank of Pennsylvania and examiner for the Minneapolis Federal Reserve Bank. Today Brian steers clients through the examination process by helping them prepare, address on-site examiner concerns, and respond to examination reports.
In addition to enjoying the classic lawyerly duties such as performing thorough research and crafting nuanced arguments or thoughtfully written memos, Brian relishes the problem-solving element of his job. He finds it highly satisfying to provide practical, useful guidance to people in a way that minimizes risk and allows them to pursue their business goals, such as bringing new products to market. In addition to a J.D., Brian earned an M.B.A., and that foundation helps him understand the real pressures his clients face every day.