Chris finds legal solutions for financial, health care and emerging businesses.
Chris is courteous, professional, timely & meticulous...I can think of no other attorney I'd want in my corner.
-Keith R.
Chris is Chair of the firm's Financial Services practice group and a member of the following teams: Financial Services, Health Care and EMERGE.
He is a trusted advisor who serves as outside general counsel to several highly regulated enterprises. To that end, Chris helps clients manage risk and identify and implement proactive solutions to complex problems.
Chris has extensive in-house counsel experience that includes having served as general counsel for an enterprise holding company and its subsidiaries and as corporate counsel in the financial services industry. His familiarity with the challenges and demands of the in-house counsel role uniquely positions him to help companies develop and implement creative strategies to reach their business goals efficiently and effectively.
Chris helps clients with:
- Federal and state deposit and lending regulatory compliance
- Licensing requirements and applications
- Negotiation of vendor agreements
- Marketing compliance
- New product structure and documentation
- Development of online policies (terms of use and privacy policies) and online application portals
- Business entity choice, entity formation and preparation of corporate documents
- Physician employment/independent contractor arrangements
- Federal and state health care self-referral and anti-kickback compliance
- Development of health care management structures
- HIPAA compliance
- Data breach responses
- Negotiation of lease agreements
- E-signature disclosures/compliance
After graduating from the University of Baltimore School of Law in 1996, Chris served as a Clerk for the Hon. Joseph F. Murphy, Jr., then-Chief Judge of the Court of Special Appeals of Maryland.
Chris is the co-author of an ongoing series covering activities identified as unfair, deceptive or abusive acts or practices (UDAAPs) by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, state attorneys general and consumer financial services regulators using federal UDAAP powers created by the Dodd-Frank Act.
Honors
AV® Preeminent™ Rating in Martindale-Hubbell
Named to The Best Lawyers in America® for Banking and Finance Law and Financial Services Regulation Law, 2021 and 2022
Recipient, Leadership in Law Award, The Daily Record, 2018
Recipient, Lexology Client Choice Award, 2016
Professional and Civic Involvement
Volunteer of the Month, Maryland Volunteer Lawyers Service (MVLS), November 2021
Adjunct Professor, University of Baltimore School of Law
Board Member, St. Ignatius Loyola Academy
Member, Maryland State Bar Association; Co-Chair, Consumer Credit/Financial Institutions Committee
Member, American Bar Association
Past Chair, Board Member, MVLS; Past President; Co-Chair, Advisory Board
Publications and Lectures
Presenter, Mid Atlantic Regulatory Committee Quarterly Meeting, May 20, 2022
Co-author, "Reading the Tea Leaves: UDAAP Data, Trends, and Predictions," American Bar Association (ABA), Consumer Financial Services Committee Newsletter, September 2021
Webinar co-presenter, “Spotting UDAAP Trends: Reading the Tea Leaves of Recent CFPB Enforcement Activity,” ABA, August 2021
Presenter, Mid Atlantic Regulatory Committee Lunch Meeting, May 15, 2020
Practical Law Finance Thomson Reuters - Consumer Financial Regulation: Maryland
- Maryland Legal Alert - June 2022, June 1, 2022
- Maryland Legal Alert - May 2022, May 2, 2022
- Convenience Fee Concerns Exist for Lenders , April 28, 2022
- Convenience Fee Concerns Exist for Lenders, April 14, 2022
- Justice Department Issues Guidance on Website Accessibility under the ADA, April 5, 2022
- Maryland Legal Alert - April 2022, April 5, 2022
- CFPB Expands Use of UDAAP Authority to Address Discrimination, March 31, 2022
- Gordon Feinblatt’s COVID-19 Information Hub, March 24, 2022
- Newest Survey of CFPB UDAAP Actions Released, March 9, 2022
- Maryland Legal Alert - March 2022, March 9, 2022
- Court Permits Commission Payments under EKRA, March 8, 2022
- 2021 Survey of Activities Identified as Unfair, Deceptive, or Abusive Under the Dodd-Frank Act, Part Two, February 18, 2022
- Maryland Legal Alert - February 2022, February 7, 2022
- CFPB Seeks Comment on Hidden or Back-End Fees, February 4, 2022
- Maryland Minimum Interest Rate for Escrow and Special Purpose Accounts Increases, January 7, 2022
- Maryland Legal Alert - January 2022, January 7, 2022
- Is Your Institution Handling Driver’s License Copies Correctly?, December 9, 2021
- Maryland Legal Alert - December 2021, December 9, 2021
- Maryland Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation Issues Advisory on Property Inspection Fees, November 2, 2021
- Maryland Legal Alert - November 2021, November 2, 2021
- 25 Gordon Feinblatt Lawyers Named Best Lawyers in America® 2022, August 19, 2021
- Maryland Laws Update 2021, July 2, 2021
- 2021 Survey of Activities Identified as Unfair, Deceptive, or Abusive Under the Dodd-Frank Act, Part One, July 1, 2021
- Maryland Legal Alert - July 2021, June 30, 2021
- Maryland Legal Alert - June 2021, June 1, 2021
- Protections in Place for Latest Federal Stimulus Payments, March 16, 2021
- Changes to Shuttered Venue Operators Grant Program, March 15, 2021
- Corporate Transparency Act Requires Reporting Companies to File with FinCEN, March 11, 2021
- Maryland Legal Alert - March 2021, March 2, 2021
- Creditor’s Compliance with Military Lending Act Challenged, February 16, 2021
- Maryland Legal Alert - February 2021, February 1, 2021
- Small Business Administration Set to Launch Shuttered Venue Operators Grant Program, February 1, 2021
- 2020 Survey of Activities Identified as Unfair, Deceptive, or Abusive Under the Dodd-Frank Act, Part Two, January 5, 2021
- Maryland Legal Alert - January 2021, January 5, 2021
- Federal Protections in Place for Stimulus Payments, December 30, 2020
- New Executive Order Delays Resumption of Residential Foreclosures, December 22, 2020
- Maryland Legal Alert - December 2020, December 2, 2020
- Maryland Legal Alert: Credit Union Issue - November 2020, November 30, 2020
- Maryland Legal Alert - November 2020, November 2, 2020
- Maryland Legal Alert - September 2020, September 1, 2020
- Colorado Settlement Implicates Bank-Partnership Models, September 1, 2020
- 24 Gordon Feinblatt Lawyers Named Best Lawyers in America® 2021, August 20, 2020
- Maryland Legal Alert - August 2020, August 4, 2020
- 2020 Survey of Activities Identified as Unfair, Deceptive, or Abusive Under the Dodd-Frank Act, Part One, August 3, 2020
- Maryland Legal Alert - July 2020, July 6, 2020
- Maryland Laws Update 2020, July 6, 2020
- Maryland Legal Alert - June 2020, June 11, 2020
- Maryland Legal Alert - May 2020, May 11, 2020
- Maryland Legal Alert - April 2020, April 20, 2020
- Q&A on the CARES Act’s Impact on Health Care Providers, April 1, 2020
- Paycheck Protection Program Loans Under the CARES Act, March 30, 2020
- COVID-19 Financial Assistance for Businesses, March 30, 2020
- Maryland Legal Alert - March 2020, March 3, 2020
- Maryland Legal Alert - February 2020, February 3, 2020
- 2019 Survey of Activities Identified as Unfair, Deceptive, or Abusive Under the Dodd-Frank Act, Part Two, January 15, 2020
- Maryland Legal Alert - January 2020, January 6, 2020
- Maryland Legal Alert - December 2019, December 9, 2019
- Consumer Financial Regulation: Maryland, November 13, 2019
- Maryland Legal Alert - November 2019, November 7, 2019
- MVLS Celebrate Pro Bono 2019, October 15, 2019
- Maryland Legal Alert - October 2019, October 3, 2019
- Loans Secured by Bitcoin, October 3, 2019
- Maryland Legal Alert - Maryland’s Licensed Mortgage Lender Regulations Are Revised, September 24, 2019
- 2019 Survey of Activities Identified as Unfair, Deceptive, or Abusive Under the Dodd-Frank Act, Part One, September 5, 2019
- Maryland Legal Alert - September 2019, September 4, 2019
- Maryland Legal Alert - August 2019, August 8, 2019
- Maryland Legal Alert - July 2019, July 10, 2019
- Maryland Laws Update 2019, July 3, 2019
- Maryland Legal Alert - June 2019, June 7, 2019
- Name Changes in Maryland, May 16, 2019
- Maryland Legislative Updates, May 10, 2019
- Compliance Hot Topics: Vendor Contracts, Transactions with Affiliates, Recent Litigation, Maryland Legislation, and More, April 25, 2019
- Maryland Legal Alert - April 2019, April 8, 2019
- Cyber Security and Information Privacy Tech Knowledgy Breakfast & Trivia, March 7, 2019
- Maryland Legal Alert - March 2019, March 5, 2019
- Maryland Legal Alert - February 2019, February 8, 2019
- Credit Card Surcharges and Merchant Fees, February 6, 2019
- 2018 Survey of Activities Identified as Unfair, Deceptive, or Abusive Under the Dodd-Frank Act, Part Two, January 11, 2019
- A Survey of Maryland Laws Relating to Extending Credit and Consumer Financial Services, Sixth Edition, January 10, 2019
- Maryland Legal Alert - January 2019, January 9, 2019
- Maryland Legal Alert - December 2018, December 7, 2018
- Maryland Legal Alert - November 2018, November 9, 2018
- Maryland Legal Alert - October 2018, October 9, 2018
- Gordon Feinblatt Forms EMERGE Team , October 1, 2018
- 2018 Survey of Activities Identified as Unfair, Deceptive, or Abusive Under the Dodd-Frank Act, Part One, September 10, 2018
- Maryland Legal Alert - September 2018, September 10, 2018
- Consumer Finance Law Quarterly Report 2018, Volume 72, Number 1 (2017 Survey of Activities Identified as Unfair, Deceptive, or Abusive Under the Dodd-Frank Act, Parts One & Two), August 27, 2018
- Maryland Legal Alert - August 2018, August 3, 2018
- Maryland Laws Update 2018, July 16, 2018
- Maryland Legal Alert - July 2018, July 9, 2018
- Online Transactions Using Electronic Signatures Must Follow E-File Requirements, July 5, 2018
- Maryland Legal Alert - June 2018, June 11, 2018
- Maryland Legal Alert - May 2018, May 7, 2018
- Maryland Legal Alert - April 2018, April 5, 2018
- What Website Terms of Use and Privacy Policies Should Include, March 15, 2018
- Tips on Maryland Credit Laws, March 12, 2018
- Maryland Legal Alert - March 2018, March 8, 2018
- Maryland Legal Alert - February 2018, February 9, 2018
- A Brief Explanation of FinTech, February 8, 2018
- Needed Consent for Auto-Dialing or Pre-Recorded Messages, January 11, 2018
- 2017 Survey of Activities Identified as Unfair, Deceptive, or Abusive Under the Dodd-Frank Act, Part Two, January 7, 2018
- Maryland Legal Alert - January 2018, January 5, 2018
- Maryland Legal Alert - December 2017, December 7, 2017
- CFPB Action Against Debt Settlement Provider, November 9, 2017
- Maryland Legal Alert - November 2017, November 8, 2017
- Maryland Legal Alert - October 2017, October 10, 2017
- Equifax Data Breach FAQs, September 25, 2017
- A Survey of Activities Identified as Unfair, Deceptive, or Abusive Under the Dodd-Frank Act, September 13, 2017
- Maryland Legal Alert - September 2017, September 8, 2017
- Maryland Legal Alert: Credit Union Edition - September 2017, September 6, 2017
- Maryland Secured Transactions Under Article 9 of the Uniform Commercial Code: Forms and Practice Manual, August 29, 2017
- Maryland Legal Alert August 2017, August 7, 2017
- Maryland Legal Alert July 2017, July 6, 2017
- Maryland Legal Alert June 2017, June 19, 2017
- Maryland Laws Update 2017, June 12, 2017
- Debt Buyers Win in Supreme Court FDCPA "Proof of Claim" Case, May 23, 2017
- Maryland Legal Alert May 2017, May 4, 2017
- Changes to the Military Lending Act, May 2, 2017
- Maryland Legal Alert - April 2017, April 4, 2017
- Maryland Legal Alert March 2017, March 9, 2017
- CFPB Takes Action Against Debt Relief Law Firms, February 8, 2017
- Maryland Legal Alert - February 2017, February 6, 2017
- CFPB Auto-Debit Consent Order, January 9, 2017
- Watch Your Incentive Programs, January 9, 2017
- Maryland Legal Alert - January 2017, January 6, 2017
- Legal Bulletin - Credit Union Edition - January 2017, January 5, 2017
- Need for Security Interest to Offset Credit Card Debt, January 5, 2017
- Overdraft Class Actions Based on Account Agreement Language, January 5, 2017
- It's Time to Review Your Credit Collections Practices, January 5, 2017
- Are You Handling Vendor Management Correctly?, January 5, 2017
- Maryland Legal Alert December 2016, December 27, 2016
- Maryland Legal Alert - December 2016, December 9, 2016
- Maryland Legal Alert - November 2016, November 22, 2016
- Supreme Court Takes FDCPA "Proof of Claim" Case, November 15, 2016
- Maryland Legal Alert - October 2016, November 15, 2016
- CFPB Faults Lending Platform For Misleading Borrowers, September 14, 2016
- Maryland Legal Alert - September 2016 , September 14, 2016
- Christopher R. Rahl Named Chair of Gordon Feinblatt's Financial Services Group, September 8, 2016
- Maryland Legal Alert August 2016, August 7, 2016
- Maryland Legal Alert July 2016, July 7, 2016
- Maryland Laws Update 2016, June 9, 2016
- Maryland Legal Alert June 2016, June 7, 2016
- Maryland Legal Alert May 2016, May 5, 2016
- Avoiding Overdraft Litigation, Rowles & Company Community Bankers Conference, April 28, 2016
- Maryland Legal Alert - April 2016, April 6, 2016
- Maryland Legal Alert - March 2016, March 7, 2016
- Christopher R. Rahl Named as a 2016 Client Choice Award Recipient , February 23, 2016
- Maryland Legal Alert - February 2016, February 4, 2016
- Money Transmitter Licensing For Connecticut Debt Management Providers?, January 19, 2016
- Maryland Legal Alert - January 2016, January 5, 2016
- Maryland Legal Alert - December 2015, December 7, 2015
- Maryland Legal Alert - November 2015, November 5, 2015
- Smart Cards, October 5, 2015
- Maryland Legal Alert - October 2015, October 5, 2015
- CFPB Takes Action Against Debt Settlement Firm - Attacks "Legal Model", September 23, 2015
- Maryland Legal Alert - September 2015, September 10, 2015
- Maryland Legal Alert - August 2015, August 3, 2015
- Maryland Legal Alert July 2015, June 30, 2015
- Debt Relief Legal Bulletin, June 28, 2015
- Maryland Laws Update 2015, June 17, 2015
- Maryland Legal Alert June 2015, June 8, 2015
- Maryland Legal Alert May 2015, May 6, 2015
- Maryland Legal Alert April 2015, April 14, 2015
- FDCPA Concerns for Debt Buyers and Related Impact on Debt Settlement Firms, March 10, 2015
- Maryland Legal Alert March 2015, March 10, 2015
- Maryland Legal Alert February 2015, February 3, 2015
- Maryland Legal Alert January 2015, January 6, 2015
- Maryland Legal Alert - December 2014, December 2, 2014
- Maryland Legal Alert - November 2014, November 3, 2014
- Maryland Legal Alert - October 2014, October 6, 2014
- Maryland Legal Alert - September 2014, September 16, 2014
- Maryland Legal Alert - August 2014, August 5, 2014
- Maryland Legal Alert - July 2014, July 1, 2014
- Relating to Real Estate 2014 Real Property Legislation, June 25, 2014
- Maryland Laws Update 2014, June 24, 2014
- Maryland Legal Alert June 2014, June 4, 2014
- Maryland Legal Alert May 2014, May 13, 2014
- Legal Hot Topics: Indirect Auto Fair Lending Concerns, Rowles & Company Community Bankers Conference, April 24, 2014
- Maryland Legal Alert April 2014, April 8, 2014
- Maryland Legal Alert March 2014, March 5, 2014
- Maryland Legal Alert February 2014, February 4, 2014
- Maryland Legal Alert January 2014, January 7, 2014
- Maryland Legal Alert - September 2013, September 9, 2013
- Maryland Legal Alert - August 2013, July 31, 2013
- Maryland Legal Alert - July 2013, July 8, 2013
- Maryland Legal Alert - May 2013, May 6, 2013
- Maryland Legal Alert - April 2013, April 9, 2013
- Maryland Legal Alert - March 2013, March 5, 2013
- Maryland Legal Alert - February 2013, February 5, 2013
- Maryland Legal Alert - January 2013, January 1, 2013
- Maryland Legal Alert - December 2012, December 4, 2012
- Maryland Legal Alert - September 2012, September 4, 2012
- Maryland Legal Alert - May 2012, May 2, 2012
- Maryland Legal Alert - April 2012, April 2, 2012
- Maryland Legal Alert - March 2012, March 4, 2012
- Maryland Legal Alert - February 2012, February 1, 2012
- Maryland Legal Alert - January 2012, January 3, 2012
- Maryland Legal Alert - December 2011, November 30, 2011
- Maryland Legal Alert - November 2011, October 31, 2011
- Maryland Legal Alert - October 2011, October 4, 2011
- Maryland Legal Alert - September 2011, September 6, 2011
- Maryland Legal Alert - August 2011, August 2, 2011
- Red Flags Rule: Applicability Narrows but December 31, 2010, Deadline Looms, December 8, 2010
- Maryland Legal Alert - December 2010, December 1, 2010
- Maryland Legal Alert - November 2010, November 2, 2010
- Maryland Legal Alert - October 2010, October 4, 2010
- Maryland Legal Alert - September 2010, September 1, 2010
- Maryland Legal Alert - August 2010, July 30, 2010
- Maryland Legal Alert - July 2010, June 28, 2010
- Maryland Legal Alert - June 2010, June 1, 2010
- Maryland Legal Alert - May 2010, May 3, 2010
- Maryland Legal Alert - April 2010, March 31, 2010
- Maryland Legal Alert - March 2010, March 7, 2010
- Maryland Legal Alert - February 2010, February 2, 2010
- Maryland Legal Alert January 2010, January 4, 2010
- Maryland Legal Alert - November 2009, November 29, 2009
- Maryland Legal Alert - September 2009, August 31, 2009
- Maryland Legal Alert - August 2009, July 31, 2009
- Maryland Legal Alert - July 2009, June 30, 2009
- Maryland Legal Alert - June 2009, June 1, 2009
- Maryland Legal Alert - May 2009, April 30, 2009
- Maryland Legal Alert - April 2009, March 31, 2009
- Maryland Legal Alert - March 2009, March 1, 2009
- Maryland Legal Alert - February 2009, February 1, 2009
- Maryland Legal Alert - January 2009, January 6, 2009
- Maryland Legal Alert Special Edition - Credit Unions, December 10, 2008
- Maryland Legal Alert - December 2008, November 30, 2008
- Maryland Legal Alert - November 2008, November 2, 2008
- Maryland Legal Alert - October 2008, September 30, 2008
- Maryland Legal Alert - September 2008, September 3, 2008
- Maryland Legal Alert - August 2008, July 31, 2008
- Trigger Rates for August 2008, July 16, 2008
- Maryland Legal Alert - July 2008, June 30, 2008
- Trigger Rates for July 2008, June 16, 2008
- Maryland Legal Alert - June 2008, June 1, 2008
- Maryland Legal Alert - Special Edition of April 7, 2008, April 6, 2008
- Maryland Legal Alert - April 2008, March 31, 2008
- Maryland Legal Alert - March 2008, March 2, 2008
- Trigger Rates for March 2008, February 19, 2008
- Maryland Legal Alert - February 2008, February 3, 2008
- Trigger Rates for February 2008, January 23, 2008
- Maryland Legal Alert - January 2008, January 1, 2008
- Maryland Legal Alert - December 2007, November 30, 2007
- Maryland Legal Alert - November 2007, October 31, 2007
- Maryland Legal Alert - October 2007, September 30, 2007
- Maryland Legal Alert - September 2007, September 3, 2007
- Maryland Legal Alert - August 2007, July 31, 2007
- Maryland Legal Alert - July 2007, July 1, 2007
- Maryland Legal Alert - June 2007, May 31, 2007
- Maryland Legal Alert - May 2007, April 30, 2007
- Maryland Legal Alert - April 2007, April 1, 2007
- Maryland Legal Alert - March 2007, February 28, 2007
- Maryland Legal Alert - February 2007, January 31, 2007
- Maryland Legal Alert - January 2007, January 1, 2007
- Maryland Legal Alert - December 2006, November 30, 2006
- Maryland Legal Alert - November 2006, October 31, 2006
- Maryland Legal Alert - October 2006, October 1, 2006
- Maryland Legal Alert - September 2006, September 4, 2006
- Maryland Legal Alert - August 2006, July 31, 2006
- Maryland Legal Alert - July 2006, July 2, 2006
- Maryland Legal Alert - June 2006, May 31, 2006
- Maryland Legal Alert - May 2006, April 30, 2006
- Maryland Social Security Number Law is Effective January 1, 2006 - Are You in Compliance?, December 8, 2005
- Supreme Court Gives Thumbs Up to Document Retention Policy in <em>Arthur Andersen</em> Case, May 31, 2005
- 2005 Maryland Laws Update, April 30, 2005
- USA Patriot Act, August 24, 2003
Links
Maryland Legal Alert
FinTech
Education
J.D., University of Baltimore School of Law, 1996
B.A., University of Maryland, Baltimore County, 1991
Court Admissions
U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland
Court of Appeals of Maryland
Bar Admissions
Maryland, 1996