Maria “Candy” Burnette focuses her national practice on federal and state compliance for consumer financial services clients, advising companies on debt collection and servicing, direct lending, bank partnership programs, and indirect automobile financing. She handles licensing, compliance with the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA) and other federal and state lending and collection laws, and servicing and examination matters. Her clients include banks, FinTech companies, lead generators, national lenders and servicers, collection agencies, and automobile finance companies.
Candy helps clients translate complex laws and regulations into practical policies and procedures that guide day-to-day operations. She works closely with clients to design compliance programs, draft scripts and forms, and develop policies that meet federal and state requirements, including protections for military service members. She also regularly reviews credit agreements, loan documentation, and policies to ensure legal alignment and minimize risk.
Drawing on her background in commercial litigation, Candy brings a practical perspective to compliance. Her experience defending financial services clients in state and federal courts, bankruptcy proceedings, and arbitration gives her insight into litigation risk, regulatory expectations, and the realities of enforcement. This experience allows her to provide strategic, actionable guidance and effectively advocate for clients in regulatory interactions.
Representative Experience
Any result the lawyer or law firm may have achieved on behalf of clients in other matters does not necessarily indicate similar results can be obtained for other clients.
- Analyzing licensing requirements for consumer financial service providers, including lenders, FinTech companies, lead generators, sales finance companies, collection agencies, and servicers.
- Identifying federal and state substantive conduct requirements for debt collectors and servicers.
- Reviewing servicing and collection policies and forms to ensure compliance with federal and state laws.
- Communicating with state regulators on licensing and examination matters.
- Drafting and implementing forms and policies to comply with federal and state requirements for buy-here, pay-here automobile dealers and finance companies.
- Advising banks on state lending laws.
- Conducting due diligence for portfolio acquisitions.
- Drafting consumer credit agreements, including notes, security agreements, and retail installment contracts.
- Reviewing credit agreements and applications for compliance with federal and state laws.
Professional & Civic Engagement
- American Bar Association, Section of Business Law, Committee on Consumer Financial Services
