This content was published prior to the combination of Dentons Sirote. Learn more about Dentons Sirote. 

In today’s blog, I want to note an anniversary milestone, and I want to reflect on the history of Sirote & Permutt, P.C. as a creditor’s rights law firm.

Three years ago, this week, I published our first blog in this Back to Basics blog series. The goal then was to review the various federal consumer financial services laws regulating the industry and offering one or more practice pointers for compliance. I have covered most of the consumer credit protection laws—from the earliest Truth-In-Lending Act to the more recent Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act—and most every federal law and regulation in between. It is interesting, at least to me, that in three years, I have not run out of basic issues and problems to address.

As for our history, Morris Sirote, Jimmy Permutt, and Ed Friend came together following World War II. We were basically a merchant’s and creditor’s rights law firm. While our practice has diversified dramatically since those early days, some of us—me, for example—have not strayed far from our roots.

From day-one when I joined Sirote, my senior partner Karl Friedman, handed me the Consumer Credit Guide published by Commerce Clearing House, and told me that I was to be a creditor’s rights lawyer. He left the four-volume set of books on my desk. I never looked back. And, I have enjoyed an engaging and challenging career, making many friends along the way.

Today, we have more resources than just the Consumer Credit Guide to assist in the representation of our financial services clients. We are able to offer guidance and assistance regardless of the venue or jurisdiction in which our clients operate.

Our financial services clients certainly remain the bread & butter of my practice, and I expect this will continue. After all, just in my career the financial services industry has survived double digit inflation, the S&L crisis, the Great Recession and now the Covid-19 Pandemic. I am convinced that the c>onsumer finance industry is going to be around for the indefinite future.

Thanks to all for allowing me and my partners to help you serve the financial services industry.</p