Amicus Brief, on Eric M. Berman, P.C. v. The City of New York

In 2009, the New York City Council passed Local Law 15, requiring, among other things, that debt collection attorneys be licensed by the City’s Department of Consumer Affairs (DCA) and that they comply with DCA’s debt collection rules. Two debt collection law firms then sued the City and DCA in federal court, arguing that the City did not have the authority to regulate debt collection attorneys. The court agreed with the law firms, and the City appealed.

New Economy Project, along with 18 other advocacy organizations, filed an amicus brief in support of the City, detailing the harm that unscrupulous debt collectors cause New Yorkers, and arguing that debt collection attorneys are properly subject to the City’s regulatory authority.