Creditors' Corner LEGAL TALK

Join attorneys Melissa Tula Smith [https://www.smithdebnamlaw.com/lawyers/melissa-tulis-smith/] and Rachel Rogers [https://www.smithdebnamlaw.com/lawyers/rachel-e-rogers/] as they dive deep into the complex world of consumer collection law [https://www.smithdebnamlaw.com/practice-area/creditors-rights/consumer-collections/]. This informative podcast breaks down key federal regulations like the FDCPA, TCPA, and FCRA, exploring the legal framework that protects consumers while allowing creditors to collect legitimate debts. Learn about communication restrictions, legal pitfalls, best practices, and state-specific nuances that every debt collector and legal professional should know. Whether you're a lawyer, business owner, or simply interested in understanding debt collection regulations, this podcast offers crucial insights into maintaining ethical and compliant collection practices.

Melissa Tulis Smith and Rachel Rogers discuss the importance of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in the banking and financial sectors. They explain that DEI involves creating a workplace where diverse individuals are represented, treated fairly, and valued. DEI is crucial for banks because it helps them better understand and serve their diverse customer base, fosters innovation, and enhances decision-making. Effective DEI practices can improve regulatory compliance, attract top talent, and reduce turnover costs. They emphasize the need for inclusive hiring, training, and promotion processes, and highlight that DEI initiatives can enhance customer service, client relationships, and overall business success.

If you practice in North Carolina or are involved in our court systems, you probably know that five counties have made the transition to e-filing. Those counties include Harnett, Johnston, Lee Mecklenburg, and Wake counties. In today's episode, we discuss what you need to know as we transition to E-Filing across the state. Rachel Rogers is an associate attorney within the Consumer Collections group at Smith Debnam. Her practice experience includes Construction Law, Creditors’ Rights & Collections, Corporate & Business Law, and Business Litigation. Melissa Tulis is an associate in the firm’s Creditors’ Rights and Collections practice group, representing a broad range of businesses in North and South Carolina through all stages of the collection litigation process, including pre-suit collection efforts, lawsuits, judgments, and executions.

Today's topic is Family law, when to lawyer up, and why. We talk about why an attorney can be beneficial in a number of different family law situations, when you should consider getting an attorney involved, and why hiring a family law attorney from a firm with a multidisciplinary practice is a smart move. Landon Van Winkle [https://www.smithdebnamlaw.com/people/landon-van-winkle/] is an associate within the firm's Construction Litigation practice group where he assists clients with pre-suit negotiations and litigation in matters involving construction, equipment leasing and financing, and bankruptcy. His areas of practice are Bankruptcy, Business Litigation, Appellate Law, Construction Law, and Equipment Leasing & Finance. Michael Denning [https://www.smithdebnamlaw.com/people/michael-j-denning/] is an accomplished jurist and former District Court Judge for Judicial District 10 in Wake County, North Carolina. In his capacity as Of Counsel in Smith Debnam's Mediation and Arbitration Practice Group [https://www.smithdebnamlaw.com/practice-areas/mediation-arbitration/], he focuses his mediation practice in the areas of Business Litigation [https://www.smithdebnamlaw.com/practice-areas/business-litigation/], Corporate and Business Law [https://www.smithdebnamlaw.com/practice-areas/corporate-and-business-law/], and Family Law [https://www.smithdebnamlaw.com/practice-areas/family-law/]. Michael is a certified family financial mediator through the North Carolina Dispute Resolution Commission and a North Carolina State Bar and Wake County Bar member. He is admitted to practice in all North Carolina State Courts and U.S. District Court in all North Carolina Districts.

Attorneys Christina McAlpin Taylor [https://www.smithdebnamlaw.com/people/christina-mcaplin-taylor/], Melissa Tulis [https://www.smithdebnamlaw.com/people/melissa-a-tulis/], and Rachel Rogers [https://www.smithdebnamlaw.com/people/rachel-e-rogers/] discuss dealing with debt management companies - the risks and challenges they pose from the point of view of a collections attorney. Christina McAlpin Taylor [https://www.smithdebnamlaw.com/people/christina-mcaplin-taylor/] is a partner at the Raleigh-based law firm of Smith Debnam and a member of the firm’s Creditors’ Rights and Collections [https://www.smithdebnamlaw.com/practice-areas/creditors-rights-and-collections//] practice group. An accomplished attorney known for handling a large volume of cases with precision and grace, she represents a wide range of businesses through all stages of creditor representation, including pre-suit collection efforts, lawsuits, judgments, and executions. In her practice group, she actively leads approximately 75 employees, including two attorney associates, in addition to managing the leadership development of five direct reports. In 2016, she was named to the 25 Most Influential Women in Collections [https://www.collectionadvisor.com/cover-stories-articles/25-septemberoctober-cover-stories/1076-25-most-influential-women-in-collections] by Collection Advisor Magazine. Christina was named to the 2020 class of East Carolina University’s 40 Under Forty Leadership Awards. In 2021, she was appointed to serve a four-year term on the East Carolina University (ECU) Women’s Roundtable Board of Directors. Rachel Rogers [https://www.smithdebnamlaw.com/people/rachel-e-rogers/] is an associate attorney within the Consumer Collections group at Smith Debnam [https://www.smithdebnamlaw.com/]. Her practice experience includes Construction Law, [https://www.smithdebnamlaw.com/practice-areas/construction-law/]Creditors’ Rights & Collections, [https://www.smithdebnamlaw.com/practice-areas/creditors-rights-and-collections/]Corporate & Business Law, and [https://www.smithdebnamlaw.com/practice-areas/corporate-and-business-law/]Business Litigation [https://www.smithdebnamlaw.com/practice-areas/business-litigation/]. Melissa Tulis [https://www.smithdebnamlaw.com/people/melissa-a-tulis/] is an associate in the firm’s Creditors’ Rights and Collections [https://www.smithdebnamlaw.com/practice-areas/creditors-rights-and-collections//] practice group, representing a broad range of businesses in North and South Carolina through all stages of the collection litigation process, including pre-suit collection efforts, lawsuits, judgments, and executions.