Licensing

The Licensing Section is led by David Israel (metro-New Orleans) and Lilian Wise (metro-New Orleans). 

Lawyers and professional staff include: 

• Lilian Wise (Metro-New Orleans), who leads the licensing process, with a team of 3 other attorneys and 12 paralegals.
• Michelle Lyon (Metro-New Orleans), licensing attorney.
• Kirsten Smith (Metro-New Orleans), works on a regular basis with regulators and acts as our licensing “architect” for client inquires as to where clients should be licensed, client mapping during due diligence on deals and technical client licensing requirements.
• Mayas Erickson (Metro-New Orleans), answers day-to-day regulatory consumer complaints and supervises client audits by licensing regulators.
• Jeremy Baraff (metro-New Orleans, living in Phoenix), former Arizona regulator and auditor, assists with client audits by licensing regulators. 

The Firm represents debt collectors, student loan servicers, and debt buyers to ensure compliance with state statutes and regulations for licensing and bonding. We have a special expertise with the initial licensing and renewals of debt collectors, student loan servicers, and debt buyers while providing a “concierge service” for such filings with NMLS and the “paper jurisdictions.” 

What We Provide: 

• Completion of initial and renewal licensing and bonding, including filing of annual reports, business licenses, and the registrations of debt collectors in various jurisdictions.
• Ensure that clients satisfy all state and municipal licensing requirements to perform debt collection, student loan servicing, or debt buyer activities.
• Assist clients in the qualification of their businesses where required and file Annual Reports with the appropriate Secretary of State offices.
• Analyze and complete due diligence for buyers and sellers of debt collectors, debt buyers, and student loan servicers to ensure proper licensing.
• Research and advise clients for the types of licensing needed for the various financial products offered by financial institutions.
• Issue no-action letters where needed to regulatory agencies to secure formal positions as to when licensing may or may not be required.

Practice Area Leaders

• ► David Israel
  Metairie: (504) 669-0234

• ► E. Lilian Wise
  Metairie: (504) 450-9768

Related Attorneys

• ► Mayas D. Erickson, Metairie
• ► Michelle H. Lyon, Metairie
• ► Bryan C. Shartle, Metairie
• ► Kirsten H. Smith, Metairie

Recent Highlights

• ► Telephone Number Not Matching Your Locale? Court Finds Local Caller ID Strategy Could Violate FDCPA, If Collector’s Address Doesn’t Match Number
  September 27, 2022