Christopher R. Rahl, Member
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
- Data center provider agreements (including storage/security requirements)
- Negotiation of lease agreements
- E-signature disclosures/compliance
- Negotiation of software licensing, SaaS, and similar agreements
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. He also authored, "A Survey of Maryland Laws Relating to Extending Credit and Consumer Financial Services, Sixth Edition."
Representative Matters
- Merger of Nava Health and 99 Acquisition Group
Honors
AV® Preeminent™ Rating in Martindale-Hubbell
Named to Maryland Super Lawyers® list for Banking since 2023
Named to Best Lawyers in America® for Banking and Finance Law and Financial Services Regulation Law since 2021
Recipient, Leadership in Law Award, The Daily Record, 2018
Recipient, Lexology Client Choice Award, 2016
News
- 28 Gordon Feinblatt Lawyers Named Best Lawyers in America® 2025
- 21 Gordon Feinblatt Attorneys Named to 2024 Super Lawyers® List and 14 as Rising Stars
- 28 Gordon Feinblatt Lawyers Named Best Lawyers in America® 2024
- 2022 Surveys of Activities Identified as Unfair, Deceptive, or Abusive Under the Dodd-Frank Act
- Four Gordon Feinblatt Attorneys Named 2023 Baltimore 'Lawyer of the Year' by Best Lawyers in America®
- 26 Gordon Feinblatt Lawyers Named Best Lawyers in America® 2023
- 2021 Survey of Activities Identified as Unfair, Deceptive, or Abusive Under the Dodd-Frank Act, Part Two
- 25 Gordon Feinblatt Lawyers Named Best Lawyers in America® 2022
- 2021 Survey of Activities Identified as Unfair, Deceptive, or Abusive Under the Dodd-Frank Act, Part One
- Maryland Legal Alert - December 2020
- Maryland Legal Alert: Credit Union Issue - November 2020
- 24 Gordon Feinblatt Lawyers Named Best Lawyers in America® 2021
- Gordon Feinblatt Forms EMERGE Team
- Christopher R. Rahl Named Chair of Gordon Feinblatt's Financial Services Group
- Christopher R. Rahl Named as a 2016 Client Choice Award Recipient
Professional and Civic Involvement
Maryland Volunteer Lawyers Service (MVLS)
- Past Board Member
- Past Board Chair
- Co-Chair Advisory Board
- Mentor of the Year
- Volunteer of the Month
University of Baltimore School of Law
- Adjunct Professor
St. Ignatius Loyola Academy
- Board Member
Maryland State Bar Association
- Member
- Co-Chair, Consumer Credit/Financial Institutions Committee
American Bar Association
- Member
Publications and Lectures
Presenter, MARC Bank Compliance Officers, Maryland legislative changes and potential impacts on the financial services industry, May 2023
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
- CFPB Faults Financial Institution for Rushed Core Conversion
- CFPB Issues Final “Open Banking” Rule
- Maryland Legal Alert - November 2024
- Issues Concerning Driver’s License/ID Copies
- FDIC Proposes Stricter Record-Keeping Rules for Fintech Partnerships
- Maryland Legal Alert - October 2024
- Fourth Circuit Holds that HELOCs are “Credit Card” Accounts for Offset Purposes
- Maryland Commissioner of Financial Regulation Issues Advisory Concerning New Laws
- Maryland Legal Alert - September 2024
- Maryland Regulation of Shared Appreciation Agreements
- CFPB Proposes Rule Regulating Paycheck Advance Products
- Maryland Legal Alert - August 2024
- Maryland Laws Update 2024
- Maryland Legal Alert - July 2024
- Maryland Court Holds Licensing Required to Take Assignment of HELOC
- CFPB Announces Proposed Rule to Ban Use of Consumer Medical Debt
- CFPB Focus on Mortgage Servicing Deficiencies
- CFPB Highlights Customer Complaints Regarding Reward Programs
- Maryland Legal Alert - June 2024
- FinCEN Proposes Changes to Customer Identification Requirements
- CFPB Releases 2024 Supervisory Highlights on Furnisher Deficiencies
- FDIC Action on FinTech Bank Partnerships
- Maryland Legal Alert - May 2024
- To Charge or Not to Surcharge, That is the Question
- CFPB Bans Excessive Late Fees by Large Credit Card Issuers
- CFPB Requests Public Comment on Mortgage Closing Costs
- Maryland Legal Alert - April 2024
- CFPB Proposes to Prohibit Fees on Instantaneously Declined Transactions
- Fourth Circuit Holds Electronic Fund Transfer Act Applies to Prepaid Debit Cards for Unemployment Benefits
- Maryland Legal Alert - March 2024
- CFPB Proposes to Classify Overdraft Fees as Credit
- Pending Legislation Targets Bank Partnership Models
- Maryland Legal Alert - February 2024
- Maryland Legal Alert - January 2024
- Maryland Legal Alert - December 2023
- Maryland Legal Alert - November 2023
- Maryland Legal Alert - October 2023
- Maryland Legal Alert - September 2023
- Maryland Legal Alert - July 2023
- Maryland Laws Update 2023
- Maryland Legal Alert - April 2023
- Maryland Legal Alert - March 2023
- Newest 2022 Survey of CFPB UDAAP Actions Released
- Maryland Legal Alert - February 2023
- Maryland Legal Alert - January 2023
- Maryland Legal Alert - December 2022
- Maryland Legal Alert - October 2022
- Maryland Legal Alert - September 2022
- GAP Refund Concerns for Indirect Lenders
- Maryland Legal Alert - August 2022
- Maryland Legal Alert - July 2022
- Maryland Legal Alert - June 2022
- Maryland Legal Alert - May 2022
- Convenience Fee Concerns Exist for Lenders
- Convenience Fee Concerns Exist for Lenders
- Justice Department Issues Guidance on Website Accessibility under the ADA
- Maryland Legal Alert - April 2022
- CFPB Expands Use of UDAAP Authority to Address Discrimination
- Gordon Feinblatt’s COVID-19 Information Hub
- Newest Survey of CFPB UDAAP Actions Released
- Maryland Legal Alert - March 2022
- Court Permits Commission Payments under EKRA
- Maryland Legal Alert - February 2022
- CFPB Seeks Comment on Hidden or Back-End Fees
- Maryland Minimum Interest Rate for Escrow and Special Purpose Accounts Increases
- Maryland Legal Alert - January 2022
- Is Your Institution Handling Driver’s License Copies Correctly?
- Maryland Legal Alert - December 2021
- Maryland Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation Issues Advisory on Property Inspection Fees
- Maryland Legal Alert - November 2021
- Maryland Laws Update 2021
- Maryland Legal Alert - July 2021
- Maryland Legal Alert - June 2021
- Protections in Place for Latest Federal Stimulus Payments
- Changes to Shuttered Venue Operators Grant Program
- Corporate Transparency Act Requires Reporting Companies to File with FinCEN
- Maryland Legal Alert - March 2021
- Creditor’s Compliance with Military Lending Act Challenged
- Maryland Legal Alert - February 2021
- Small Business Administration Set to Launch Shuttered Venue Operators Grant Program
- 2020 Survey of Activities Identified as Unfair, Deceptive, or Abusive Under the Dodd-Frank Act, Part Two
- Maryland Legal Alert - January 2021
- Federal Protections in Place for Stimulus Payments
- New Executive Order Delays Resumption of Residential Foreclosures
- Maryland Legal Alert - November 2020
- Maryland Legal Alert - September 2020
- Colorado Settlement Implicates Bank-Partnership Models
- Maryland Legal Alert - August 2020
- 2020 Survey of Activities Identified as Unfair, Deceptive, or Abusive Under the Dodd-Frank Act, Part One
- Maryland Legal Alert - July 2020
- Maryland Laws Update 2020
- Maryland Legal Alert - June 2020
- Maryland Legal Alert - May 2020
- Maryland Legal Alert - April 2020
- Q&A on the CARES Act’s Impact on Health Care Providers
- Paycheck Protection Program Loans Under the CARES Act
- COVID-19 Financial Assistance for Businesses
- Maryland Legal Alert - March 2020
- Maryland Legal Alert - February 2020
- 2019 Survey of Activities Identified as Unfair, Deceptive, or Abusive Under the Dodd-Frank Act, Part Two
- Maryland Legal Alert - January 2020
- Maryland Legal Alert - December 2019
- Consumer Financial Regulation: Maryland
- Maryland Legal Alert - November 2019
- MVLS Celebrate Pro Bono 2019
- Maryland Legal Alert - October 2019
- Loans Secured by Bitcoin
- Maryland Legal Alert - Maryland’s Licensed Mortgage Lender Regulations Are Revised
- 2019 Survey of Activities Identified as Unfair, Deceptive, or Abusive Under the Dodd-Frank Act, Part One
- Maryland Legal Alert - September 2019
- Maryland Legal Alert - August 2019
- Maryland Legal Alert - July 2019
- Maryland Laws Update 2019
- Maryland Legal Alert - June 2019
- Name Changes in Maryland
- Maryland Legislative Updates
- Compliance Hot Topics: Vendor Contracts, Transactions with Affiliates, Recent Litigation, Maryland Legislation, and More
- Maryland Legal Alert - April 2019
- Cyber Security and Information Privacy Tech Knowledgy Breakfast & Trivia
- Maryland Legal Alert - March 2019
- Maryland Legal Alert - February 2019
- Credit Card Surcharges and Merchant Fees
- 2018 Survey of Activities Identified as Unfair, Deceptive, or Abusive Under the Dodd-Frank Act, Part Two
- A Survey of Maryland Laws Relating to Extending Credit and Consumer Financial Services, Sixth Edition
- Maryland Legal Alert - January 2019
- Maryland Legal Alert - December 2018
- Maryland Legal Alert - November 2018
- Maryland Legal Alert - October 2018
- 2018 Survey of Activities Identified as Unfair, Deceptive, or Abusive Under the Dodd-Frank Act, Part One
- Maryland Legal Alert - September 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)
- Maryland Legal Alert - August 2018
- Maryland Laws Update 2018
- Maryland Legal Alert - July 2018
- Online Transactions Using Electronic Signatures Must Follow E-File Requirements
- Maryland Legal Alert - June 2018
- Maryland Legal Alert - May 2018
- Maryland Legal Alert - April 2018
- What Website Terms of Use and Privacy Policies Should Include
- Maryland Legal Alert - March 2018
- Maryland Legal Alert - February 2018
- A Brief Explanation of FinTech
- Needed Consent for Auto-Dialing or Pre-Recorded Messages
- 2017 Survey of Activities Identified as Unfair, Deceptive, or Abusive Under the Dodd-Frank Act, Part Two
- Maryland Legal Alert - January 2018
- Maryland Legal Alert - December 2017
- CFPB Action Against Debt Settlement Provider
- Maryland Legal Alert - November 2017
- Maryland Legal Alert - October 2017
- Equifax Data Breach FAQs
- A Survey of Activities Identified as Unfair, Deceptive, or Abusive Under the Dodd-Frank Act
- Maryland Legal Alert - September 2017
- Maryland Legal Alert: Credit Union Edition - September 2017
- Maryland Secured Transactions Under Article 9 of the Uniform Commercial Code: Forms and Practice Manual
- Maryland Legal Alert August 2017
- Maryland Legal Alert July 2017
- Maryland Legal Alert June 2017
- Maryland Laws Update 2017
- Debt Buyers Win in Supreme Court FDCPA "Proof of Claim" Case
- Maryland Legal Alert May 2017
- Changes to the Military Lending Act
- Maryland Legal Alert - April 2017
- Maryland Legal Alert March 2017
- CFPB Takes Action Against Debt Relief Law Firms
- Maryland Legal Alert - February 2017
- CFPB Auto-Debit Consent Order
- Watch Your Incentive Programs
- Maryland Legal Alert - January 2017
- Legal Bulletin - Credit Union Edition - January 2017
- Need for Security Interest to Offset Credit Card Debt
- Overdraft Class Actions Based on Account Agreement Language
- It's Time to Review Your Credit Collections Practices
- Are You Handling Vendor Management Correctly?
- Maryland Legal Alert - December 2016
- Maryland Legal Alert - November 2016
- Supreme Court Takes FDCPA "Proof of Claim" Case
- Maryland Legal Alert - October 2016
- CFPB Faults Lending Platform For Misleading Borrowers
- Maryland Legal Alert - September 2016
- Maryland Legal Alert August 2016
- Maryland Legal Alert July 2016
- Maryland Laws Update 2016
- Maryland Legal Alert June 2016
- Maryland Legal Alert May 2016
- Avoiding Overdraft Litigation, Rowles & Company Community Bankers Conference
- Maryland Legal Alert - April 2016
- Maryland Legal Alert - March 2016
- Maryland Legal Alert - February 2016
- Money Transmitter Licensing For Connecticut Debt Management Providers?
- Maryland Legal Alert - January 2016
- Maryland Legal Alert - December 2015
- Maryland Legal Alert - November 2015
- Smart Cards
- Maryland Legal Alert - October 2015
- CFPB Takes Action Against Debt Settlement Firm - Attacks "Legal Model"
- Maryland Legal Alert - September 2015
- Maryland Legal Alert - August 2015
- Maryland Legal Alert July 2015
- Debt Relief Legal Bulletin
- Maryland Laws Update 2015
- Maryland Legal Alert June 2015
- Maryland Legal Alert May 2015
- Maryland Legal Alert April 2015
- FDCPA Concerns for Debt Buyers and Related Impact on Debt Settlement Firms
- Maryland Legal Alert March 2015
- Maryland Legal Alert February 2015
- Maryland Legal Alert January 2015
- Maryland Legal Alert - December 2014
- Maryland Legal Alert - November 2014
- Maryland Legal Alert - October 2014
- Maryland Legal Alert - September 2014
- Maryland Legal Alert - August 2014
- Maryland Legal Alert - July 2014
- Relating to Real Estate 2014 Real Property Legislation
- Maryland Laws Update 2014
- Maryland Legal Alert June 2014
- Maryland Legal Alert May 2014
- Legal Hot Topics: Indirect Auto Fair Lending Concerns, Rowles & Company Community Bankers Conference
- Maryland Legal Alert April 2014
- Maryland Legal Alert March 2014
- Maryland Legal Alert February 2014
- Maryland Legal Alert January 2014
- Maryland Legal Alert - September 2013
- Maryland Legal Alert - August 2013
- Maryland Legal Alert - July 2013
- Maryland Legal Alert - May 2013
- Maryland Legal Alert - April 2013
- Maryland Legal Alert - March 2013
- Maryland Legal Alert - February 2013
- Maryland Legal Alert - January 2013
- Maryland Legal Alert - December 2012
- Maryland Legal Alert - September 2012
- Maryland Legal Alert - May 2012
- Maryland Legal Alert - April 2012
- Maryland Legal Alert - March 2012
- Maryland Legal Alert - February 2012
- Maryland Legal Alert - January 2012
- Maryland Legal Alert - December 2011
- Maryland Legal Alert - November 2011
- Maryland Legal Alert - October 2011
- Maryland Legal Alert - September 2011
- Maryland Legal Alert - August 2011
- Red Flags Rule: Applicability Narrows but December 31, 2010, Deadline Looms
- Maryland Legal Alert - December 2010
- Maryland Legal Alert - November 2010
- Maryland Legal Alert - October 2010
- Maryland Legal Alert - September 2010
- Maryland Legal Alert - August 2010
- Maryland Legal Alert - July 2010
- Maryland Legal Alert - June 2010
- Maryland Legal Alert - May 2010
- Maryland Legal Alert - April 2010
- Maryland Legal Alert - March 2010
- Maryland Legal Alert - February 2010
- Maryland Legal Alert January 2010
- Maryland Legal Alert - November 2009
- Maryland Legal Alert - September 2009
- Maryland Legal Alert - August 2009
- Maryland Legal Alert - July 2009
- Maryland Legal Alert - June 2009
- Maryland Legal Alert - May 2009
- Maryland Legal Alert - April 2009
- Maryland Legal Alert - March 2009
- Maryland Legal Alert - February 2009
- Maryland Legal Alert - January 2009
- Maryland Legal Alert Special Edition - Credit Unions
- Maryland Legal Alert - December 2008
- Maryland Legal Alert - November 2008
- Maryland Legal Alert - October 2008
- Maryland Legal Alert - September 2008
- Maryland Legal Alert - August 2008
- Trigger Rates for August 2008
- Maryland Legal Alert - July 2008
- Trigger Rates for July 2008
- Maryland Legal Alert - June 2008
- Maryland Legal Alert - Special Edition of April 7, 2008
- Maryland Legal Alert - April 2008
- Maryland Legal Alert - March 2008
- Trigger Rates for March 2008
- Maryland Legal Alert - February 2008
- Trigger Rates for February 2008
- Maryland Legal Alert - January 2008
- Maryland Legal Alert - December 2007
- Maryland Legal Alert - November 2007
- Maryland Legal Alert - October 2007
- Maryland Legal Alert - September 2007
- Maryland Legal Alert - August 2007
- Maryland Legal Alert - July 2007
- Maryland Legal Alert - June 2007
- Maryland Legal Alert - May 2007
- Maryland Legal Alert - April 2007
- Maryland Legal Alert - March 2007
- Maryland Legal Alert - February 2007
- Maryland Legal Alert - January 2007
- Maryland Legal Alert - December 2006
- Maryland Legal Alert - November 2006
- Maryland Legal Alert - October 2006
- Maryland Legal Alert - September 2006
- Maryland Legal Alert - August 2006
- Maryland Legal Alert - July 2006
- Maryland Legal Alert - June 2006
- Maryland Legal Alert - May 2006
- Maryland Social Security Number Law is Effective January 1, 2006 - Are You in Compliance?
- Supreme Court Gives Thumbs Up to Document Retention Policy in Arthur Andersen Case
- 2005 Maryland Laws Update
- USA Patriot Act
Videos and Podcasts
Links
Teams
Digital Assets
EMERGE
Financial Services
Health Care
Mergers & Acquisitions
Technology & Intellectual Property
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