Bock v. Pressler & Pressler, LLP
This case involves a claim under the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act against a debt-collection law firm that filed a state-court collection action against a consumer. The consumer alleged that the firm violated the FDCPA by falsely representing that an attorney was meaningfully involved in filing the collection action. The Bureau, joined by the FTC, filed an amicus brief arguing that an attorney engages in a deceptive debt-collection practice in violation of the FDCPA when he files a debt-collection lawsuit without meaningfully reviewing it first. The brief also argues that the record in this case supports the district court’s conclusion that the attorney who filed suit against the consumer had no meaningful involvement and failed to reach a professional judgment, notwithstanding the representation to the contrary.