
Marshall T. Bell
Partner
Biography
Marshall T. Bell represents financial institutions throughout the United States on consumer finance and bank regulatory issues. As Partner in the Washington, D.C., office of Buckley LLP, Mr. Bell advises both bank and nonbank financial services companies on a range of matters such as the regulation of auto finance, credit cards, fair lending, Regulation Z, the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA), state retail installment sale and usury laws, and debt collection.
He assists clients in relation to regulatory examinations and in enforcement actions by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), Department of Justice (DOJ), and state regulators. He also represents clients in financial services transactional matters, including providing advice regarding regulatory due diligence, risk mitigation, and obtaining any necessary regulatory approvals.
Mr. Bell’s recent representative matters include:
- Working with financial institutions to develop new products and services, including small business financing products, vehicle subscription and ridesharing services, point-of-sale financing options, and bill payment products
- Advising auto, solar, and other personal property lessors regarding the application of Regulation M, the Consumer Leasing Act, and other consumer protection laws
- Representing multiple indirect auto creditors in connection with fair lending enforcement actions by the CFPB and/or the Department of Justice
- Assisting multiple banks in connection with potential enforcement actions with the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation
- Advising private equity firms in transactions with financial services companies engaged in auto finance, installment lending, specialty finance, debt collection, and money transmission
Mr. Bell has been recognized by Legal 500 as a leading lawyer in Financial Services: Regulation. Prior to joining Buckley, Mr. Bell was in-house counsel for Ally Financial, providing advice regarding regulatory issues in connection with Ally’s auto finance operations and fair lending matters. Before going in-house, he was an Associate at Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP and Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale and Dorr LLP, where his practice focused on financial services litigation, regulatory, and transactional matters.
Mr. Bell received his J.D. from the University of Michigan and his B.S.C. from the University of Alabama.
In The News
The Legal 500 2019 recognizes 17 Buckley attorneys in five practice areas
The Legal 500 once again ranked Buckley as a top law firm and recognized it in five categories:
- Corporate Investigations and White Collar Criminal Defense: Corporate – Tier 4
- Corporate Investigations and White Collar Criminal Defense: Individuals – Tier 2 ...
The Legal 500 2018 recognizes five practice areas and 17 attorneys at Buckley Sandler
Buckley Sandler LLP again has been noted as one of the nation’s top law firms by The Legal 500 in its 2018 rankings, with recognition in five practice areas:
- Financial Services: Litigation
- Financial Services: Regulation
- Corporate ...
Marshall Bell Promoted to Partner at Buckley Sandler
WASHINGTON, DC (June 16, 2017 ) - Buckley Sandler , a premier financial services, government enforcement and litigation law firm, announced today that Marshall T. Bell , resident in the firm’s Washington, DC , office, has been promoted to partner, effective May 1, 2017. “We’re pleased to recognize...
Press ReleasesBuckley Sandler Hosts Eighth Annual Fair Lending Today Conference
Buckley Sandler LLP hosted its eighth annual Fair Lending Today conference in Washington, DC on March 13-14, 2016. The two-day event featured an evening of interactive roundtable discussions on fair lending issues, followed by a full day of seminars. The sessions were led by Buckley Sandler...
In The News
Publications
"Accurate FCRA reporting during Covid-19" by Marshall T. Bell and Jessica L. Pollet (Bloomberg Law)
As financial institutions respond to a flurry of regulatory recommendations and mandates in response to the Covid-19 crisis, those relating to consumer reporting may be among the most difficult to decipher and operationalize. Federal and state authorities have made it clear that they expect...
Articles"Email notice lessons from 7th Circ. debt collection ruling" (Lavallee v. Med-1 Solutions LLC) by Marshall T. Bell (Law360)
Consumers increasingly expect to have access to information and the ability to conduct business at the time and place of their choosing, whether shopping for goods and services or managing their finances. Often, that means they expect service providers to communicate with them by email, text or...
Articles"CFPB Issues Rule Regarding Payday, Title, Deposit Advance, and Certain Other Installment Loans" By Marshall T. Bell (Thomson Reuters)
On October 5, 2017, the CFPB published its final rule (the “Rule”) addressing payday loans, vehicle title loans, and certain other extensions of credit (collectively, “covered loans”). Among the Rule’s key provisions, it requires lenders to determine a borrower’s ability to repay for “covered short...
ArticlesMarshall T. Bell and Megan E. Whitehill Authored a Law360 Article, "Ability-To-Repay Enforcement Comes To Auto Finance"
In recent years, regulators and enforcement agencies have eagerly exercised their authority to prosecute what they perceive as unfair or deceptive acts and practices (UDAPs). Unfortunately for the auto finance industry, these regulators and agencies show no sign of tapping the brakes on such...
ArticlesSpecial Alert: CFPB Releases Outline of Proposed Rule for Third Party Debt Collectors
On July 28, the CFPB announced that it is considering proposing a rule to “overhaul the debt collection market by capping collector contact attempts and by helping to ensure that companies collect the correct debt.” The CFPB released several related documents, including a report on third-party debt...
ArticlesSpecial Alert: CFPB's Proposed Rule Regarding Payday, Title, and Certain Other Installment Loans
On June 2, 2016, the CFPB published its proposed rule (the “ Proposed Rule ”) addressing payday loans, vehicle title loans, and certain other installment loans (collectively “covered loans”). This alert summarizes the Proposed Rule and compares the Proposed Rule to the CFPB’s March 26, 2015 outline...
Articles"Key Points in the CFPB’s Outline of Proposed Rule for Third Party Debt Collectors" By Marshall T. Bell and Walter E. Zalenski (Consumer Finance Law Quarterly Report)
On July 28, 2016 the Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection (CFPB) announced that it is considering proposing a rule to “overhaul the debt collection market by capping collector contact attempts and by helping to ensure that companies collect the correct debt.” The CFPB released several related...
Articles
Awards and Recognitions
Awards & Recognitions
- Legal 500 2019: Recognized in Financial Services: Regulation
- Legal 500 2018: Recognized in Financial Services: Regulation
Practice Areas
- Alternative Finance
- Auto Finance
- Bank Counseling & Compliance
- Consumer Finance
- Consumer Financial Protection Bureau
- Credit, Debit & Prepaid Cards
- Debt Collection & Buying
- Enforcement Actions & Investigations
- Examinations
- Fair Lending
- Federal Trade Commission
- Fintech
- Privacy, Cyber Risk & Data Security
- Private Banking
- Private Equity & Venture Capital
- State Attorneys General
- Vendor Management
Education
- J.D., University of Michigan, 2003 (magna cum laude, Order of the Coif)
- B.S.C., University of Alabama, 2000 (summa cum laude)
Admissions
- District of Columbia
- New York