Clark Hill Attorney Joann Needleman Quoted in Bloomberg Law

The CARES Act was signed into law by President Donald Trump on Friday, March 27, 2020. The Act included emergency relief payments of $1,200 to individuals, $500 for each dependent child, and is subject to some qualifications. The law lacks a provision that would require the Treasury Department and IRS to provide the same protections from debt collectors that Social Security and other direct payments get.

Attorneys representing the debt collection industry say that calls to stop garnishments of CARES Act payments, and broader calls to cancel all private debt collection made by some more liberal lawmakers, miss out on the vital support the industry is providing during the crisis. Joann Needleman, the leader of Clark Hill PLC’s Consumer Financial Services Regulatory and Compliance group, was quoted on these implications recently in an article published by Bloomberg Law titled, “Pressure Mounts to Protect Virus Stimulus From Debt Collectors.”

“Consumers are reaching out for help and the debt collections industry provides them with the best opportunity to work through appropriate options whether it be payment plans or hardship programs,” Needleman said.

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