Articles

Avoiding Surprises in Mortgage Servicing

In the September/October issue of ABA Bank Compliance, the authors address the importance of establishing internal monitoring systems for servicing. The article includes a comparison of quality assurance and quality control as well as considerations for reporting results and exceptions, the regulatory change control process for servicing, servicing transfers and loan boarding, and managing consumer complaints. Eliminating the surprise element related to regulatory, legal, financial, and reputational risks benefits the servicer and demonstrates a strong commitment for maintaining an effective internal control system.


Speaking Engagements

Northern California Compliance Association (NICA) – 2020 Common Compliance Findings: TRID & Beyond Webinar

On July 17, 2020 Tracey Levandoski and Jim Treacy presented a webinar for the Northern California Compliance Association (NICA) about TRID, including TRID challenges, common regulatory findings and recent TRID updates.


Articles

Choosing Your Fintech Mortgage Partner Wisely – Vendor Management: Best Practices in a World of Numerous Options

In this article, published in the Summer 2020 issue of ACUMA Pipeline, Patti Katzban and Liza Warner discuss the best practices for credit unions in vetting financial technology partners (fintechs) to optimize the overall mortgage experience. There are many risks to consider and decisions to be made. Learn more about the key considerations from these knowledgeable experts.


Speaking Engagements

American Bankers Association (ABA) – 2020 Risk and Compliance Virtual Conference

A part of the ABA’s Risk and Compliance Virtual Conference, July 28-30, 2020 Karen Cullen participated in an on-demand webinar regarding how servicers can manage the risk of fair lending and UDAAP concerns as they navigate through the COVID-19 national emergency and its aftermath – Fair Servicing During the COVID-19 Emergency and Beyond. Karen was joined by Greg Schwager, Senior Counsel, PNC Bank. The panel was moderated by Kitty Ryan, Vice President, Senior Counsel, Fair and Responsible Banking, Regulatory Compliance and Policy, American Bankers Association.  You can also read about fair servicing in an article Karen co-authored for ABA Bank Compliance.


Speaking Engagements

Davis+Gilbert LLP – 2020 Subprime Auto Market Webinar

On July 15, 2020 Todd Krell was a Special Guest in a subprime auto market webinar offered by the Davis & Gilbert Insolvency, Creditors’ Rights & Financial Products practice group. The focus of this webinar was on how subprime RMBS serves as a roadmap for future subprime auto ABS litigation. Davis & Gilbert speakers included Joseph Cioffi, Chair of the practice, and Seiji Newman, Partner.


Articles

Monitoring in the Time of COVID-19 – Keeping Pace with Change

In the July/August issue of ABA Bank Compliance, Mollie Newsome Sudhoff discusses compliance monitoring in the time of COVID-19. Learn more about the best practices in keeping pace with change, especially in some of the key impact areas.


Articles

How to Audit Compliance Effectively

In the July/August issue of ABA Bank Compliance, Heidi Wier discusses how auditors can partner with compliance, while still maintaining independence, ease the impact of ongoing regulatory changes and emerging issues such as COVID-19, increase audit effectiveness and add additional value to the organization.


Speaking Engagements

California Mortgage Bankers Association (California MBA) – 2020 Mortgage Podcast

Check out the latest episode of the California MBA’s Connect podcast program. Monika McCarthy spoke with Dustin Hobbs, about her journey in the mortgage industry, how the new forbearance requirements have impacted lenders and servicers, what to look out for in the legal/regulatory space, and much more!


Speaking Engagements

Central Florida Compliance Association (CFCA) – 2020 Common Compliance Findings: TRID and Beyond Webinar

On June 18th, 2020 Tracey Levandoski, CRCM, and Jim Treacy, CPA and Certified BSA Officer, presented a webinar for the Central Florida Compliance Association (CFCA). Both Tracey and Jim have deep compliance backgrounds in the financial services industry.  


Speaking Engagements

Financial Service Centers of America (FISCA) – 2020 Unmasking Key Considerations for Small Dollar Lenders Webinar

On June 3rd, 2020 Debbi Roberts participated on a panel discussing initial considerations for the small dollar lending businesses as consumers re-enter the world. The issues discussed include qualifying consumers who were recently unemployed or underemployed, addressing forthcoming consumer bankruptcies and having policies and procedures in place for the future. The other panelists included Jeremy Pope of Pope/Partners LLC, Blake Sims of Hudson Cook, LLP and Justin Hoise, also of Hudson Cook, LLP. This webinar was presented in conjunction with the Financial Service Centers of America (FISCA).


Articles

How to Help Your Fintech Partners Develop a Compliance Roadmap

In this article published in the May/June 2020 issue of ABA Bank Compliance, Tracey Levandoski, CRCM, describes how banks can help their fintech partners develop an effective path to building a compliance infrastructure. She addresses the various points of the “journey” to the destination of a fully functional compliance management system (CMS) that meets the regulators’s requirements as well as the bank’s expectations under its third-party risk management program.


Articles

Fair Lending Audit – Seeing the Forest for the Trees

In this new ABA Bank Compliance article, Fair Lending Audit – Seeing the Forest for the Trees, Liza Warner discusses how a fair lending internal audit helps an institution gain a clear and objective understanding of fair lending compliance risk. As a key area of regulatory scrutiny, and one that garners a lot of public attention, financial institutions must proactively manage fair lending risk exposure. This can be challenging because the requirements and principles touch all aspects of the lending process and require attention, not just to the trees – the technical regulatory details, processes, systems, and data, but to the forest – the attitudes, behaviors, and actions of its employees.


Speaking Engagements

2020 Fair Lending Webinar – CFPB’s Focus on Redlining and Marketing Discrimination

On February 19, 2020 Karen Cullen of CrossCheck Compliance LLC and Richard Horn of Garris Horn PLLC led a  one-hour webinar regarding the CFPB’s fair lending focus on redlining and marketing discrimination claims. The CFPB has noted in recent public reports that its fair lending efforts in the mortgage industry are focused on redlining and marketing discrimination. This webinar covered what a redlining or marketing discrimination claim looks like under the Equal Credit Opportunity Act and Fair Housing Act, past cases by the CFPB and DOJ, and potential steps you can take to evaluate and mitigate your risk.


Announcements

CrossCheck Compliance Added to Kroll Bond Rating Agency List

CHICAGO, IL – January 13, 2020 – CrossCheck Compliance LLC (CrossCheck), a leading provider of regulatory compliance and due diligence services, announced today that the firm has been reviewed and added to the Kroll Bond Rating Agency’s (KBRA) published list of accepted third-party review firms whose review diligence grading, results, and reports conform to KBRA’s […]


Announcements

Sovereign – CrossCheck Compliance Agreement

Chicago, IL – January 7, 2020 – CrossCheck Compliance LLC (“CrossCheck”) announced today that it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire certain assets of Sovereign Mortgage Services, Inc. (“Sovereign”). The acquisition strengthens CrossCheck’s position in the financial services industry as a high-quality provider of mortgage quality control services and expands its client base […]


Speaking Engagements

Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA) – 2020 Effective Internal Audit Function: The Fundamentals Webinar

On January 30, 2020 MBA Education and CrossCheck Compliance held part one of the Internal Audit webinar series. MBA webinars are complimentary to MBA members. The continuing regulatory focus by the CFPB, the GSEs, and other investors has driven the need for mortgage companies to enhance their corporate governance structures by implementing effective internal audit functions. This function should not be confused with pre-funding and post-closing quality control reviews. It is a separate function and substantially more expansive, including all aspects of your organization. Meeting regulatory expectations is not the only reason to implement an internal audit function; there are other benefits of making this investment including a better understanding of your operational and compliance risks, improvement of the control environment, opportunities for operational enhancements, and the potential for increased efficiencies and/or reduction of risks which could result in cost savings. This webinar explored the best practices for structuring an internal audit function as well as how to develop and implement an internal audit plan.


Speaking Engagements

Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA) – 2020 Effective Internal Audit Function: Beyond the Basics Webinar

On February 13, 2020, MBA Education and CrossCheck Compliance held part two of the Internal Audit webinar series. Building on themes in part one, we discussed how effective internal audit programs evolve over time. What does it mean to have an effective internal audit function? What is the best structure for your internal audit function? Where does the function report in the organization? How should the risk assessment process work and how does it impact the audit plan? These are just some of the common questions facing mortgage bankers. Participants learned about practical, sustainable internal audit programs from experts who possess industry recognized internal audit credentials and a lender faced with these same questions.


Articles

Health Check of Your Fair Lending Program – Connecting Risk Assessment and Performance Analysis

Published in Western Banker, this article addresses how strong compliance programs effectively navigate the challenging environment of fair lending compliance. This informative article describes how the key ingredient to success is establishing a connection between risk assessment and performance analysis.


Speaking Engagements

Chicagoland Compliance Association (CCA) – 2019 Legislative and HMDA Updates

On December 6th, 2019 the Chicagoland Compliance Association (CCA) held an event at Northern Trust. The event included Legislative and HMDA Updates and a discussion of Complaint Management How-To’s. Karen Cullen presented How to Prepare Your HMDA Submission. Liza Warner, along with Donald Piattoni, Business Analytics Lead, PNC Bank, spoke about classifying complaints and key metrics of a Complaint Management System. Ms. Warner had previously authored an article for ABA Bank Compliance on the same topic.


Speaking Engagements

Financial Service Centers of America (FISCA) – 2019 Money Trends Conference

On Monday, October 21, 2019 Heidi Wier was a co-presenter with Allen Denson, Partner of Hudson Cook, LLP, at the FISCA Money Trends Conference in Miami, FL. Their topic was entitled: The CFPB Examination Process and Critical Compliance Issues. This workshop provided attendees with the fundamentals of compliance management systems, examination preparations, and post-examination processes.