COVID-19

FDIC holds line on bank fees despite sharp deposit growth

09/15/20

The agency’s insurance fund dipped below its statutory minimum last quarter thanks to the rapid rise in deposits, but officials say it should bounce back without a hike in premiums.

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How the latest cashless movement is hurting the unbanked

09/15/20

The pandemic has changed Americans’ tolerance for germ-laden cash transactions. Aaron Klein, the Economic Studies Policy Director at the Brookings Institution is worried about how the latest stride toward a cashless society is impacting lower-income communities.

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Maintaining Thrust While Your Industry Crashes

09/07/20

The travel industry was hit extremely hard by the coronavirus pandemic. WEX, a payments processing and financial technology solutions organization with offerings for corporate travelers, felt the shockwave first hand.

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Brilliant Contracts Podcast From Hoffman & Wilkinson-Ryan

08/29/20

I suspect that slipsters already know about this podcast.  But, just in case any of you have not, I wanted to flag Promises, Promises by Dave Hoffman and Tess Wilkinson-Ryan.  This is especially wonderful if you are teaching contract law via zoom this term and need additional content to add to what you are doing already. The podcast has been my savior in that it brightens my mood so much to hear these two brilliant scholars have fun talking through the classic cases while I'm on long walks.

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Clauses and Controversies podcast

08/21/20

Mark Weidemaier & Mitu Gulati

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The global economy versus COVID-19

08/20/20

With continued economic instability as a result of the coronavirus, how will the US manage the uncertainty that appears to have no end in sight.

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Student Loan Relief Update

08/15/20

Student loan relief provisions required by the CARES Act expire on September 30. Those protections included 1) for all federal direct loans: zero interest and automatic payment forbearance, 2) credit towards IDR and PSLF forgiveness for the 6 months covered by the Act, and importantly, 3) suspension of wage garnishments and other collections on defaulted loans.

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Most of What You Read about the Bankruptcy Filing Rate Is Wrong

08/05/20

A popular narrative is that bankruptcy filing rates are increasing dramatically. That is not true. If you want to know what is happening with the bankruptcy filing rate during covid-19, the best source is Ed Flynn's analyses over at the American Bankruptcy Institute (current analysis here with a historical archive here).

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Federal Reserve Clarifies that Distributions to Tribal Governments are Permitted Under the Main Street Lending Program

07/15/20

On July 15, 2020, the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston issued new guidance expressly permitting tribal businesses that are borrowers under the Main Street Lending Program (“MSLP”) to pay dividends to their tribal government owners.  In its amended Frequently Asked Questions (the “July 15th FAQs”), available here, the Federal Reserve announced that the Treasury Secretary exercised his authorit

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Tips for Virtual Practice

07/13/20

I have not been in a courtroom since the first part of March. Courts have adapted to life under Covid-19 with a combination of telephonic and video hearings. I have attended several CLE presentations on virtual court and have some observations of my own. Here are some tips.

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