People who have been around the industry for more than a year will remember the name of Leandra English, who was the deputy director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and became embroiled in a legal battle over who would replace Richard Cordray when he resigned as director of the CFPB in November 2017. Yesterday, English was named a Special Policy Advisor to Linda Lacewell, the New York Superintendent of Financial Services.
The move comes at a time when the state is ramping up its consumer protection efforts and wants more oversight over the debt collection industry. Earlier this month, Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced a proposal that would require debt collectors to be licensed in order to operate in New York state.
As a special policy advisor, English will “manage and develop the Department’s portfolio of policy initiatives involving consumers, financial services, and other issues,” the DFS announced in a press release. “She will also spearhead the Department’s policy development and analysis process, and help identify common regulatory trends and risks across industries to ensure DFS remains an active and effective protector of New York consumers.”
Cordray named English as his successor when he resigned as director of the CFPB in November 2017 to make an unsuccessful run for governor of Ohio. But President Trump stepped in and named Mick Mulvaney as acting director. Both Cordray and President Trump used different laws to justify their appointments and English tried to sue the president to be named acting director. The lawsuit was not successful and English ended up leaving the CFPB.
“I am honored to join the DFS team to help drive policy decisions that benefit New Yorkers,” English sad in a statement. “I have spent the majority of my career fighting to make sure that consumers have a voice and a shot at building a safe financial future for their families. The team at DFS works to do this every day, and I am proud to be able to add my experience to this essential goal.”
