BEGIN:VCALENDAR
VERSION:2.0
PRODID:-//NACA - ECPv6.17.4.1//NONSGML v1.0//EN
CALSCALE:GREGORIAN
METHOD:PUBLISH
X-WR-CALNAME:NACA
X-ORIGINAL-URL:https://www.consumeradvocates.org
X-WR-CALDESC:Events for NACA
REFRESH-INTERVAL;VALUE=DURATION:PT1H
X-Robots-Tag:noindex
X-PUBLISHED-TTL:PT1H
BEGIN:VTIMEZONE
TZID:America/New_York
BEGIN:DAYLIGHT
TZOFFSETFROM:-0500
TZOFFSETTO:-0400
TZNAME:EDT
DTSTART:20240310T070000
END:DAYLIGHT
BEGIN:STANDARD
TZOFFSETFROM:-0400
TZOFFSETTO:-0500
TZNAME:EST
DTSTART:20241103T060000
END:STANDARD
BEGIN:DAYLIGHT
TZOFFSETFROM:-0500
TZOFFSETTO:-0400
TZNAME:EDT
DTSTART:20250309T070000
END:DAYLIGHT
BEGIN:STANDARD
TZOFFSETFROM:-0400
TZOFFSETTO:-0500
TZNAME:EST
DTSTART:20251102T060000
END:STANDARD
BEGIN:DAYLIGHT
TZOFFSETFROM:-0500
TZOFFSETTO:-0400
TZNAME:EDT
DTSTART:20260308T070000
END:DAYLIGHT
BEGIN:STANDARD
TZOFFSETFROM:-0400
TZOFFSETTO:-0500
TZNAME:EST
DTSTART:20261101T060000
END:STANDARD
END:VTIMEZONE
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20250113T140000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20250422T140000
DTSTAMP:20250606T190956Z
CREATED:20241114T201652Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250606T190956Z
UID:20213-1736776800-1745330400@www.consumeradvocates.org
SUMMARY:NACA’s Business Development eCourse 101: Build a Successful Consumer Law Practice
DESCRIPTION:Your success as a small law firm is just as dependent on your skills as a litigator as it is on your ability to successfully manage your small business. It’s time to change your mindset from being an attorney to an entrepreneur. \nLearn how to build the business systems to set your practice up for sustainable success. This brand new eCourse helps you organize your priorities\, establishing goals and creating an achievable action plan. \nThe eCourse includes: \n\nNine webinars given by experts in the field\n Instructional materials\, including videos\, handouts and readings\n\nPlease note that this course is available at no cost to former and current federal attorneys. Email trainining@consumeradvocates.org to learn more. \n\nWhat You Will Learn\n• How to align your finances to achieve your firm goals\n• How to define your target audience for marketing efforts\n• How to create a sales system\n• How to create an intake system\n• How to optimize your office workflows and integrate AI solutions \n\nCourse Topics:  \nThe Cases: Selecting Winners  \nLearn how to identify the types of cases you want to accept and determine which cases to decline. \nInstructor: Christina Roseman \nMarketing 101: Who Are Your Clients? \nDetermine who you want your client(s) to be and create a communications and marketing plan to reach these clients that conveys how you could assist them. \nInstructor: Russell Dombrow \nSales: Turning Interest into Intake \nLearn how to develop a pitch system that will turn prospectives into clients. \nInstructor: Michael Cardoza \nOptimizing Your Intake System \nLearn how to optimize your intake system once you have your ideal client and a case you want to take. \nInstructors: Christine Anderson Ferraris and Melissa Huelsman \nWorkflow Optimization 101 \nLearn how to create systems to serve your clients with top-notch representation without burning out yourself and your team. \nInstructor: Dave Maxfield \nUsing AI to Increase Optimization \nLearn how to identify specific areas where AI can add value (e.g.\, document review\, legal research\, client communication. \nInstructors: Sarah Ritchie and Subhan Tariq \nUsing Financial Metrics to Drive Your Goals  \nDiscuss what finances you need to make your vision a reality. \nInstructors: Suzanne Iazetta and Matthew Vocci \n\nCourse Instructors \nMichael F. “Mike” Cardoza is a California Consumer Financial Protection Attorney who helps people regain control of their financial lives by getting the upper hand on creditors\, debt collectors and credit reporting agencies. Trained as a trial attorney in the U.S. Marine Corps\, Mike Cardoza has tried countless cases in federal and state courtrooms. Mike founded The Cardoza Law Corporation in order to share the truth about consumer credit and finance with clients and to be their “partner in prosperity.” \nFor over eighteen years\, founder Christine A. Ferraris has worked relentlessly in the legal arena to help those hurt by fraud. As a business owner herself for most of those eighteen years\, she understands the challenges small-business owners face. \nMelissa A. Huelsman is the principal of Law Offices of Melissa A. Huelsman\, P.S. Her practice involves plaintiffs’ civil litigation in the areas of predatory lending and mortgage loan servicing\, foreclosure defense\, fraud\, and foreclosure rescue scams. Ms. Huelsman is a founder and vice chair of the board of directors\, Northwest Consumer Law Center\, a nonprofit dedicated to the representation of consumers on financial issues and she sits on the board of CENTS\, financial literacy nonprofit. She was named King County Bar Association’s Pro Bono Lawyer of the Year in 2006 and was previously recognized by VLS as one of its Volunteers of the Year. She has been interviewed by foreign and domestic journalists regarding predatory lending\, mortgage loan servicing\, foreclosure rescue scams\, and wrongful foreclosures\, including the New York Times\, Wall Street Journal\, Business Week\, and others. Ms. Huelsman received her B.A. in English from California State University at Fullerton in 1993 and her J.D. from Southwestern University School of Law in Los Angeles in 1997. \nSuzanne Iazzetta is the Directing Attorney for the Consumer Law Unit. Suzanne is also an adjunct law professor at University of California at Irvine\, teaching a course/clinic in Consumer Law.  Suzanne has been practicing since 2005\, and is licensed to practice law in New York\, New Jersey\, North Carolina\, and California.  She previously clerked for Judge Katharine S. Hayden of the United States District Court\, District of New Jersey\, and practiced civil litigation and bankruptcy at Lowenstein Sandler PC in New Jersey for many years. While at Lowenstein Sandler\, Suzanne was granted a fellowship to work at Legal Services of New Jersey at the Newark\, NJ office\, which re-sparked her interest in working in Public Interest. While at LSNJ\, Suzanne worked in the housing unit\, assisting low-income clients obtain section 8 vouchers and defending voucher holders against HUD’s attempts to terminate the vouchers. Some of the areas of law that Suzanne has worked on in her career are consumer law\, bankruptcy (business and personal)\, housing/eviction matters\, foreclosure defense\, FDCPA\, FCRA\, TCPA\, and UDAAP claims\, and debt collection defense. Suzanne also was a staff attorney for a chapter 7 bankruptcy trustee in New Jersey\, and has had her own solo practice since 2012. \nDave Maxfield runs a boutique consumer protection practice in Columbia\, South Carolina. He has represented thousands of individual consumers in cases against banks\, credit reporting agencies\, and insurance companies\, obtaining a verdict of over $480\,000 in a furnisher credit reporting case exclusive of fees\, numerous six-figure settlements\, and in 2019 concluded a vehicle churning class action with total settlement value exceeding $21 million. A self-described “Systems Geek\,” Dave became obsessed years ago with how law firms might use Lean methods and technologies pioneered by the manufacturing world to run more profitable practices. In 2018\, with co-author Larry Port\, Dave wrote the ABA top-selling book\, The Lean Law Firm\, a manual for translating lean and agile methods into a simple\, month-by-month template that law firms can use to become more profitable. Besides co-hosing The Lean Law Firm podcast\, Dave consults with other law firms to help them transform their practices through Lean methods.  As an Adjunct Professor at the University of South Carolina School of Law\, Dave teaches both Consumer Protection Law and “The Lean Law Firm Lab” classes. \nSarah Ritchie serves as the Paralegal and Office Manager of John Steinkamp & Associates\, bringing over a decade of experience\, particularly in lawsuits under the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA). As the firm’s national footprint has expanded\, Sarah has taken on a liaison role\, coordinating with law firms and clients across the country\, bridging complex legal communication with a tech savvy approach. An innovator in legal technology\, she recently spoke at the Consumer Rights and Litigation Conference on the ethics of AI tools in litigation. Sarah combines her extensive legal expertise with cutting-edge technological solutions\, helping her team navigate the evolving landscape of legal practice. \nChristina Gill Roseman\, Esq. is the founding attorney of Roseman Law Firm\, PLLC\, where she represents consumers in the areas of dealer fraud\, lemon law and breach of warranty.  Ms. Roseman has successfully tried numerous cases against vehicle manufacturers and dealerships\, including a verdict in 2019 against Winnebago\, a 2021 verdict against Mercedes and a 2020 verdict against Kia.  She is the Chair of the Allegheny County Bar Association Civil Litigation Section Court Rules Committee and is a member of the invitation-only Academy of Trial Lawyers of Allegheny County.  Ms. Roseman was the 2010-2012 Co-President of the Women’s Bar Association of Western Pennsylvania and the Co-Chair of the CLE Committee for the WBA from 2012 to 2017.  Ms. Roseman is the West Virginia state NACA Co-chair. \nSubhan Tariq regularly handles complex commercial litigation\, with particular experience in consumer finance litigation in individual and class action cases in the areas of federal and state consumer protection laws. Mr. Tariq has successfully helped thousands of consumers exercise their consumer rights against large institutional banks\, debt collectors\, and consumer reporting agencies. Subhan also consults with other lawyers and law firms on blockchain automation\, working towards a streamlined efficient network of client files\, document automation\, and cost-effective workflows. \nMatt Vocci is a partner at Santoni\, Vocci & Ortega\, LLC. The majority of his work relates in some way to housing. He represents tenants against landlords and property managers on a variety of cases\, such as consumer protection and consumer debt collection issues\, habitability\, Fair Housing Act violations\, illegal evictions\, and personal injuries. Matt has served as class counsel on several class actions\, including a recent case that resolved favorably for tenants against a large\, out-of-state property management company. He is a member of the MSBA’s Delivery of Legal Services Committee Council and the ACLU of Maryland Committee on Litigation and Legal Priorities. Matt deeply believes in Santoni\, Vocci & Ortega’s mission to provide high-quality legal representation to low-income Marylanders. He graduated cum laude from Temple University\, Beasley School of Law in 2006. \n\nNACA would also like to thank the following members of the eCourse Development team: Ron Burdge\, Michael Cardoza\, Ian Chowdury\, Russell Dombrow\, Christine Anderson Ferraris\, Melissa Huelsman\, Suzanne Iazetta\, Sarah Ritchie and Joseph Sternberg.
URL:https://www.consumeradvocates.org/events/ecourses/nacas-business-development-ecourse-101-build-a-successful-consumer-law-practice/
CATEGORIES:eCourses,Online Training Courses,Upcoming
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20250116T140000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20250116T153000
DTSTAMP:20250117T135427Z
CREATED:20241212T202931Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250117T135427Z
UID:20689-1737036000-1737041400@www.consumeradvocates.org
SUMMARY:How to Effectively Search the CFPB’s Consumer Complaint Database
DESCRIPTION:The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB)\, a federal government agency\, collects consumer complaints about credit cards\, mortgages\, bank accounts\, student loans\, consumer loans\, credit reporting\, money transfers\, debt collection\, and other financial problems. Each week it sends about 50\,000 complaints about these financial products and services to companies for response. After companies respond\, either confirming a commercial relationship with the consumer or after 15 days\, complaints are published on CFPB’s Consumer Complaint Database. Join us for a discussion with CFPB about their public database which contains nearly five million consumer complaints. \n\nWhat You Will Learn \n\nHow to search the public database to find emerging trends among populations you care about\nHow improve your search by examining sample search threads and database features so you can find information on financial products important to you\nWhat are best practices for searching the public complaint database\n\n\nSpeakers \nChris Bernstein is a Program Manager for Complaint Policy in the Division of Consumer Response and Education. He has worked with CFPB for four years. In various roles at the bureau he has supported engagement with statutorily assigned underserved communities\, outreach on consumer savings\, and supported CFPB’s consumer complaint function. \nGreg Evans is a Regulatory Compliance Program Manager in the Consumer Response Investigations section. He has been with the Bureau since early 2012\, working primarily with Consumer Response. Through complaint reviews he plays a key role in sharing consumer challenges in the financial marketplace with Bureau stakeholders. Before joining the Bureau in 2012\, Greg worked as an attorney focused on complex civil litigation. \nKelly Byrne is a Regulatory Compliance Program Manager in the Consumer Response Investigations section. She has been with the Bureau since its founding in 2011\, working primarily with Consumer Response. Through complaint reviews she plays a key role in sharing consumer challenges in the financial marketplace with Bureau stakeholders. Before joining the Bureau in 2011\, Kelly served as an Examiner with the Office of Thrift Supervision. \n\nPlease note this webinar is free to the whole community. If you are not a member and have not previously verified your account\, you will need to verify your account to register for the webinar. All registrants will have access to the webinar recording after the webinar has aired.
URL:https://www.consumeradvocates.org/events/online-training-courses/how-to-effectively-search-the-cfpbs-consumer-complaint-database/
CATEGORIES:Online Training Courses
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20250121T140000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20250121T150000
DTSTAMP:20250122T130456Z
CREATED:20250109T175355Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250122T130456Z
UID:21160-1737468000-1737471600@www.consumeradvocates.org
SUMMARY:What to Do with Solar Panels in Bankruptcy
DESCRIPTION:More and more there are bankruptcies of solar panel installers. Also\, there are increasing numbers of individuals who want to get rid of their solar panels through the bankruptcy process. This webinar will address both sides of the issue. This webinar will be helpful for practitioners who are navigating a consumer dealing with bankruptcy filed by their solar panel installer or represent a debtor in bankruptcy with solar panel debts. \nWhat You Will Learn \n\n What to look for in installer contracts and their implications in bankruptcy\n How to navigate the bankruptcy system for your client\, including obtaining relief from the automatic stay\, appearance in out-of-state bankruptcies\, filing of a Proof of Claim and when to commence an Adversary Proceeding\nHow to assist a consumer debtor through filing their own bankruptcy to successfully deal with solar panel debts\, including:\n\nThe fundamentals of UCC-9\nTreatment of solar panels in Chapter 7 and Chapter 13\nNegotiations with solar panel lenders.\n\n\n\nSpeaker:  \nEdward Boltz is the managing partner at the Law Offices of John T. Orcutt\, P.C.\, where he has represented clients in not only Chapter 7 and 13\, but also in related consumer rights litigation\, including fighting abusive mortgage practices and developing solutions for student loans. Mr. Boltz received his B.A. from Washington University in St. Louis in 1993 and his J.D. from George Washington University in 1996. He is a member of the NC State Bar\, where he has been certified as a specialist in consumer bankruptcy law. He is admitted to practice before the Districts Courts in both the Eastern and Middle Districts of North Carolina. Mr.  Boltz served as the President of the National Association of Consumer Bankruptcy Attorneys (NACBA) from 2013 through 2016\, and remains on its Board of Directors\, co-chair the Legislative Committee.   Mr. Boltz was a commissioner on the American Bankruptcy Institute’s Consumer Bankruptcy Commission from 2017-2019.  He also served on the Bankruptcy Council for the North Carolina Bar Association\, where he co-chaired the Committee which created a Mortgage Modification Program for the North Carolina bankruptcy courts. Mr. Boltz is also the President of the Monti\, a North Carolina organization that produces live storytelling shows and recordings of his and others tales can be heard at www.themonti.org. \nAs founder of The Consumer Protection Attorney\, PA\, and with over a decade of litigation experience\, Bryant Dunivan practices across multiple federal jurisdictions\, including Florida’s Northern\, Middle\, and Southern Districts. His expertise spans consumer protection litigation nationwide\, with particular emphasis on solar panel financing disputes. A respected voice in consumer advocacy\, he regularly presents at NACA conferences and serves on the Florida Bar’s Consumer Protection Law Committee. He has secured numerous judgments against solar panel lenders and installers\, establishing significant precedent in consumer protection matters. Mr. Dunivan is admitted to practice in Florida (2013) and Michigan (2021)\, with pro hac vice admissions across multiple federal districts. He holds a J.D. with litigation concentration from Western Michigan University – Thomas M. Cooley Law School (2012). \n\nThis webinar is being co-sponsored by NACBA. The live webinar is free to NACBA members. If you are a member of NACBA\, please create an account on NACA’s website and email training@consumeradvocates.org to get your account verified and to receive the registration code. All NACA members will already be able to register for the live webinar at no cost.
URL:https://www.consumeradvocates.org/events/online-training-courses/what-to-do-with-solar-panels-in-bankruptcy/
CATEGORIES:Online Training Courses
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20250130T140000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20250130T150000
DTSTAMP:20250131T133809Z
CREATED:20250117T133422Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250131T133809Z
UID:21471-1738245600-1738249200@www.consumeradvocates.org
SUMMARY:Fighting against Fraudulent Practices in Reverse Mortgage Servicing
DESCRIPTION:Some mortgage companies exploit seniors through deceptive reverse mortgage practices\, including improper charges or payments related to tax payments\, homeowners’ insurance and occupancy certifications. This webinar will explore potential breaches of contract and violations of state and federal consumer protection laws\, offering valuable insights to address these injustices. \nBy attending\, you’ll gain knowledge of how these breaches and violations may occur and the devastating effects they have on elderly homeowners. You’ll leave equipped with tools to identify potential violations and take action\, making a difference in the fight against fraudulent practices in reverse mortgage servicing. \n\nWhat You Will Learn: \n\n\n\nHow a reverse mortgage compares to a conventional mortgage\nHow to identify potential breaches of contract\nHow to identify potential statutory violations to hold bad actors accountable and protect elderly homeowners\, such as Florida’s UDAP and the FDCPA\n\n\n\n\nSpeaker \nGeoff Stahl is a part of a select group of attorneys who have been declared Board Certified Civil Trial Lawyers by the Florida Bar\, and has just joined the Gordon & Partners team! Geoff has extensive litigation experience in both class actions as well as representation of individuals. Geoff handles complex civil and commercial litigation\, banking and finance disputes\, consumer fraud and protection issues\, insurance denials (including homeowner’s and health insurance) as well as statutory and contractual violations\, to name a few. Geoff also works very closely with appellate lawyers for cases appealed. \n\nPlease note that all live webinars are free to NACA members. If you are a non-member who purchased this webinar or a higher level member\, you will be able to access the webinar recording at no additional cost.
URL:https://www.consumeradvocates.org/events/online-training-courses/fighting-against-fraudulent-practices-in-reverse-mortgage-servicing/
CATEGORIES:Online Training Courses
END:VEVENT
END:VCALENDAR