Sherry-Maria Safchuk
Partner
Biography
Sherry-Maria Safchuk represents clients in regulatory and compliance matters and provides support for government examinations and investigations involving the mortgage, consumer and commercial lending industries. She also assists clients on privacy and cybersecurity issues, including those related to the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act (GLBA), Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) and state privacy laws such as the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA).
In The News
Buckley promotes six to partner
WASHINGTON, DC (Feb. 8, 2022) – Buckley LLP announced that it promoted Ali Abugheida, Bradley Marcus, Ryan Pollard, Sherry-Maria Safchuk, Scott Sakiyama, and Jay Williams to partner from counsel. “These six lawyers, from four of our offices, have consistently provided outstanding service and...
Press ReleasesSherry-Maria Safchuk quoted in Bloomberg Law article, “Additional bills introduced in Illinois, Massachusetts, Minnesota; Virginia law’s approval may up the ante in other states, federally”
Sherry-Maria Safchuk discussed in the Bloomberg Law article “Additional bills introduced in Illinois, Massachusetts, Minnesota; Virginia law’s approval may up the ante in other states, federally” how the recent Massachusetts privacy bill is different than Virginia’s Consumer Data Protection Act...
In The NewsBuckley announces three counsel promotions for 2020
WASHINGTON, D.C. (Jan. 2, 2020) – Buckley LLP today announced the promotion of three associates to counsel, effective Jan. 1, 2020. “These three attorneys have demonstrated outstanding commitment to the firm and have regularly delivered exemplary support for our clients,” said Benjamin B. Klubes,...
Press Releases
Publications
"Scrutiny over dark patterns presents further challenges in online contracting" by Sherry-Maria Safchuk, Edward W. Somers, and Melina W. Montellanos (CSLR)
The Electronic Signatures in Global and National Commerce (ESIGN) Act and its state analogue, the Uniform Electronic Transactions Act (UETA), have played a transformative role advancing e-com- merce in the United States for more than two decades. Provisions of the ESIGN Act contain safe- guards...
Articles"How Cos. can ease risk amid 'dark pattern' regulatory focus" by Elizabeth E. McGinn, Sherry-Maria Safchuk, and Melina W. Montellanos (Law360)
Federal and state regulators, legislators, and courts have increased their focus on dark patterns — web and mobile design elements that shepherd users to make decisions, often not in their best interest. To avoid consumer dissatisfaction, as well as legal and regulatory risk, companies should...
Articles"FTC updates data security expectations for nonbanks" by Elizabeth E. McGinn, Amanda R. Lawrence, Sherry-Maria Safchuk, Lauren Bomberger (Bloomberg Law)
Persistent cyberbreaches are compelling government responses to protect consumer data, particularly consumer financial information. Laws passed in California, Colorado, and Virginia are among the most influential at the state level, but federal regulators are also moving to implement additional...
Articles"Differences between the California Consumer Privacy Act and the California Privacy Rights Act" by Sherry-Maria Safchuk (Conference on Consumer Finance Law Quarterly Report)
The transformation of privacy laws in California has been swift. The rapid adoption of the California Consumer Privacy Act of 2018 (“CCPA”), its regulations, and the California Privacy Rights Act of 2020 (“CPRA”) has required businesses to diligently track new consumer protections across privacy...
Articles"Shedding light on dark patterns: What financial institutions need to know" by Elizabeth E. McGinn, Amanda R. Lawrence, and Sherry-Maria Safchuk (Cybersecurity Law Report)
Regulators, legislators and private litigants are increasingly looking at how companies attract and conduct business with consumers in online settings, and particularly whether these companies are designing user experiences to manipulate behavior in a way that can prove harmful to the consumer. The...
Articles"6 key ways the California Privacy Rights Act of 2020 would revise the CCPA" by Amanda R. Lawrence and Sherry-Maria Safchuk (Corporate Compliance Insights)
The California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA), the state’s landmark privacy regulation, became effective only eight months ago – and yet, the California Privacy Rights Act of 2020 (CPRA), a modified version of the CCPA, has garnered enough support to appear on the November 2020 ballot in California...
Articles"Implementing the CCPA regulations: Are you ready?" by Amanda R. Lawrence, Elizabeth E. McGinn, and Sherry-Maria Safchuk (Cybersecurity Law Report)
The final regulations under the California Consumer Privacy Act, introduced by the California Attorney General last October, became effective on August 14, 2020. The AG has already implemented many of the changes suggested in the public comments, but there are still several open questions that...
Articles"Data security best practices for licensed lenders' telework" by Sherry-Maria Safchuk and James C. Chou (Law360)
State-licensed/registered brokers, lenders and servicers have increased their focus on data security as the spread of COVID-19 has extended work-from-home orders, and what now seems to be a lasting acceptance of remote work means that the tools used to secure data will remain relevant when the...
Articles"The truth about the California Consumer Privacy Act: Debunking three common misconceptions" by Amanda R. Lawrence, Sherry-Maria Safchuk, and Doris Yuen (Equipment Leasing & Finance Magazine)
The highly-anticipated California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) took effect on Jan. 1, 2020, and many businesses are scrambling to understand the applicability of the CCPA’s expansive obligations. The CCPA provides California consumers with the following rights: The right to know and access the...
Articles"The Home Mortgage Disclosure Act: Common compliance challenges" by Sherry-Maria Safchuk (The Review of Banking & Financial Services)
Since 2015, financial institutions have been inundated with reviewing and implementing numerous changes to the Home Mortgage Disclosure Act (“HMDA”) as required by the Dodd-Frank Act. The act transferred HMDA rulemaking authority to the Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection (“Bureau”), added new...
ArticlesSpecial Alert: D.C. Circuit Panel Rejects CFPB's RESPA Interpretation and Alters its Structure in PHH Corp. v. CFPB
On October 11, a three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit issued an opinion vacating a $109 million penalty imposed on PHH Corporation under the anti-kickback provisions of the Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act (RESPA), concluding that the CFPB...
Articles5 Tips to Prepare for New HMDA Reporting
Last October, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau published a final rule amending Regulation C, which implements the Home Mortgage Disclosure Act. The CFPB drafted the amendments in response to specific congressional directives in the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act,...
ArticlesNew California Laws for 2016: SB 386 - Consumer Legal Remedies Act Update
California recently enacted Senate Bill 386. Under existing law, the Consumer Legal Remedies Act, prohibits unfair methods of competition, acts, or practices by any person that either is intended to result of results in the sale or lease of goods or services. The purpose of the CLRA is "to protect...
ArticlesThe CFPB Doesn't Like Your MSA
It is no secret that marketing service agreements (“MSAs”) are under increased scrutiny. In addition to initiating numerous enforcement actions, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (“CFPB”) recently issued Compliance Bulletin 2015-05, titled “RESPA Compliance and Marketing Service Agreements...
ArticlesSpecial Alert: USDA-RHS Proposes Its Own QM Rule
On March 5, 2015, the USDA-RHS released a proposed rule to amend the regulations for the Single Family Housing Guaranteed Loan Program (SFHGLP) to provide that a loan guaranteed by USDA-RHS is a QM if it meets certain requirements set forth by the CFPB. In addition, USDA-RHS proposed to add the...
ArticlesThe Future of Social Media Use by Financial Institutions
Social media is revolutionizing financial institutions’ relations with consumers, but the laws governing these interactions are not keeping up. Regulations created before the social media era have not been updated to address newly arising issues and concerns. As a first step, the Federal Financial...
Articles
Practice Areas
- Alternative Finance
- Bank Counseling & Compliance
- Consumer Finance
- Consumer Financial Protection Bureau
- Debt Collection & Buying
- Fair Lending and Fair Servicing
- False Claims Act & FIRREA
- Fintech
- Formation, Charter & Structure
- Licensing
- Mortgages
- Privacy, Cyber Risk & Data Security
- Unfair, Deceptive, or Abusive Acts or Practices
- Vendor Management
Education
- J.D., George Washington University, 2008
- B.A., University of Southern California, 2005
Admissions
- California
- U.S. District Court, Central District of California
- U.S. District Court, Eastern District of California
- U.S. District Court, Northern District of California
- U.S. District Court, Southern District of California
Government Service
- Law Clerk, Hon. Jeanette J. Clark, District of Columbia Superior Court
Memberships & Involvements
- CIPP/US-certified professional, International Association of Privacy Professionals
- Member, Los Angeles County Bar Association