One Main Financial, a consumer lending company with branches in 44 states, suffered a significant blow in arbitration recently. One Main sued the debtor in circuit court. The debtor retained Lawton Cates, and Attorney Briane Pagel moved to compel One Main to arbitrate its claims, rather than litigate them.
In arbitration, Attorney Pagel convinced the arbitrator that One Main had committed serious violations of the Wisconsin Consumer Act.
The arbitrator ruled that One Main’s court filing did not comply with requirements for complaints against consumer debtors and that as a result, One Main could be sued for damages for that violation.
The arbitrator also ruled that One Main’s contract contained illegal clauses that rendered it void, and barred One Main from enforcing the agreement, meaning One Main could no longer seek payment from the debtor on that contract.
The arbitration has not yet been concluded; the arbitrator still must decide what damages to award the debtor due to her being the victim of illegal lending and collection activity, and the arbitrator must determine how much One Main has to pay Lawton Cates as attorney fees.
Wisconsin’s consumer protection laws are among the strongest in the nation, and Attorney Briane Pagel and Lawton Cates have recovered hundreds of thousands of dollars for debtors who have had to deal with predatory and illegal conduct. If you are having troubles with debts, contact Lawton Cates for a free consultation today.
when Attorney Briane Pagel successfully convinced an arbitrator that One Main’s contract violated the Wisconsin Consumer Act and was thus void. The arbitrator agreed,
