Alan Kaplinsky

About Alan Kaplinsky

Until January 1, 2021, I led the firm\'s Consumer Financial Services Group at Ballard Spahr LLP which I founded in 1995. My practice was exclusively devoted to managing the Group and counseling financial institutions on consumer financial services law, and defending them when they have been sued by consumers in individual and class action lawsuits and by government enforcement agencies. I work out of our Philadelphia and Manhattan offices. The Group has been ranked year after year by Chambers USA as one of the top consumer financial services groups in the country. My accomplishments include pioneering the use of pre-dispute arbitration provisions in consumer contracts (which include class action waivers), counseling numerous consumer financial services companies on this subject, and defending in court numerous companies that have sought to enforce consumer arbitration agreements.In April 2016, I received the American College of Consumer Financial Services Lawyers Lifetime Achievement Award. I have been ranked in Band 1 under the category “Financial Services Regulation Consumer Finance” in the 20••••18 editions of Chambers USA. In 2011, I launched our firm’s award-winning blog, Consumer Finance Monitor, devoted to the consumer financial services activities of the CFPB as well as other federal and state agencies and attorneys general and other significant consumer financial services developments. In 2018, I launched our firm’s weekly podcast show, Consumer Finance Monitor, which was ranked last year as the second best law firm podcast show in the country by Good2BSocial, a law firm marketing firm. I have also founded and co-chaired the Practicing Law Institute Annual Consumer Financial Services Institute in New York, Chicago, San Francisco and via webcast for 25 years. As Senior Counsel at Ballard Spahr, I manage the Group’s digital media platforms, assist the new co-chairs in managing the Group and manage and host our weekly podcast show, Consumer Finance Monitor.

Experience

1. Senior Counsel

   Ballard Spahr LLP

   Jan 2021 — Present · Philadelphia, PA, US

   I chaired the Consumer Financial Services Group at Ballard Spahr LLP on February 1, 1995 when I joined the firm until January 1, 2021 when I turned over management of the Group to others. I now manage and host the Group’s weekly podcast show, Consumer Finance Monitor, its webcasts and blog, also called Consumer Finance Monitor.

Education

• The Wharton School

  Bachelor of Science (B.S.)

  1963 — 1967

• Boston College Law School

  Doctor of Law (J.D.), Law

  1967 — 1970