A recent blog by Professor Jeff Sovern, occasioned by the recent Senate hearing on consumer arbitration clauses, recycles two of his favorite talking points: (1) consumers don’t understand arbitration clauses, and (2) consumers only benefit from post-dispute, not pre-dispute, arbitration. We’ve heard it all before, and our previous responses to his earlier iterations of those same arguments have stood the test of time.… Continue Reading
pre-dispute arbitration
CFPB Should Disregard Professor Sovern’s Advice to Try to Regulate Arbitration (Again)
By Mark J. Levin on
In a recent “open letter” to newly confirmed CFPB Director Rohit Chopra, Professor Jeff Sovern asks the agency not to forget about “arbitration” as it implements its regulatory agenda. He argues that “[p]re-dispute arbitration clauses remain a serious limit on consumer protection” and can even “blow up their lives.”… Continue Reading
Neither Professor Budnitz’s Nor Professor Sovern’s Anti-Arbitration Arguments Should Prompt the CFPB to Reconsider Delving into Arbitration Again
By Mark J. Levin on
In a recent guest post, Professor Mark Budnitz voiced support for Professor Jeff Sovern’s recent proposal that the CFPB issue a rule barring the use of pre-dispute arbitration agreements unless consumers opt in to them. He claims it is the “only fair method” for contracting with consumers because “consumers cannot know, pre-dispute, which forum is better.” … Continue Reading