This past Wednesday afternoon I participated as a panel member in a symposium sponsored by the University of Maryland Law School entitled “Great Conversations: The Role of Consumer Arbitration in Consumer Lending.”   Also on the panel were Will Wade-Gery, who is heading up the CFPB’s empirical study on consumer arbitration that was announced last April, and Professor Christopher R. Drahozal of the University of Kansas School of Law. 

During Will’s remarks, he mentioned that the CFPB has engaged Professor Drahozal as a research consultant for the study.  Professor Drahozal has published more than 50 books and articles on consumer and commercial arbitration and has lectured extensively on arbitration issues.  His most recent publications include empirical analyses of dispute resolution practices in the credit card industry and consumer arbitrations administered by the American Arbitration Association.  He also submitted comments to the CFPB in response to the CFPB’s request for comments on the scope and methodology of the arbitration study.