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Caren Enloe leads Smith Debnam’s Consumer Financial Services Litigation and Compliance group. Her practice is additionally concentrated in bankruptcy and commercial litigation with an emphasis on creditors’ rights. She practiced with Smith Debnam from 1992 until 2011 and rejoined the firm in 2015 following a three and a half year stint with an Am Law 200 law firm based in Atlanta.

Caren defends consumer financial service providers and members of the collection industry in state and federal court and in regulatory matters involving a variety of consumer protection laws. Caren also advises fintech companies, law firms, and collection agencies regarding an array of consumer finance issues, including the Fair Credit Reporting Act, Fair and Accurate Credit Transactions Act, Truth in Lending Act, Consumer Leasing Act, Gramm Leach Bliley Act, Equal Credit Opportunity Act, Electronic Funds Transfer Act, Telephone Consumer Protection Act and Fair Debt Collection Practices Act. Caren has appeared as counsel in North Carolina’s state and federal trial courts and the North Carolina Court of Appeals, North Carolina Supreme Court, South Carolina Court of Appeals, and Fourth Circuit. Caren additionally assists her collection agency clients with regulatory matters involving the North Carolina Department of Insurance.

Caren uses her more than thirty years of litigation experience in her compliance practice to help industry members assess and mitigate risk. Her compliance experience includes letter audits, assessing fintech products for compliance with federal and state consumer finance laws and regulations, assisting industry members with submitting comments regarding federal rulemaking, and developing compliance management systems, policies and procedures to mitigate the risk of violations of federal and state consumer finance laws and regulations. Most recently, Caren has been involved with consulting industry members regarding the CFPB’s Final Debt Collection Rulemaking, Regulation F.

Caren represents a number of clients who finance and lease agricultural and heavy equipment both in state court and in bankruptcy court. She represents secured creditors and lease creditors in protecting their rights in cases and adversary proceedings under Chapters 7, 11, 12, and 13. She also has extensive experience defending the collection and credit industries in adversary proceedings involving consumer protection violations and sanctions motions.

Proven Record of Excellence

Caren is an active and well-known industry thought leader. She currently serves as Chair of the Debt Collection and Bankruptcy Subcommittee for the American Bar Association’s Consumer Finance Law Committee, Co-chair of the National Creditor Bar Association’s Bankruptcy Section, and as a member of the Conference on Consumer Finance Law’s Governing Committee. In 2018, Caren was named one of the “20 Most Powerful Women in Collections” by Collection Advisor, a national trade publication. Caren is listed in North Carolina Super Lawyers, an independent rating service of outstanding lawyers from more than 70 practice areas who have attained a high degree of peer recognition and professional achievement.

Caren oversees a blog titled: Consumer Financial Services Litigation and Compliance dedicated to consumer financial services and has been published in a number of publications including the Journal of Taxation and Regulation of Financial Institutions, California State Bar Business Law News, Banking and Financial Services Policy Report and Carolina Banker.

My Credentials

Admissions

  • State Bar of North Carolina, 1990
  • U.S. District Courts for the Eastern, Middle and Western District of North Carolina
  • U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit
  • US Supreme Court

Education

  • J.D., cum laude, Campbell University School of Law, 1990
  • B.A. and B.M., Appalachian State University, 1986

Professional Affiliations

  • American Bar Association (Member, Business Law & Litigation Sections; Chair Debt Collection Practices and Bankruptcy Subcommittee)
  • Conference on Consumer Finance Law (Member, Governing Committee)
  • National Creditors Bar Association (Co-chair Bankruptcy Committee; member, Defense Bar)
  • ACA International (Member Attorney’s Program, North Carolina Chair, 2007-present; Vice-Chair, Women in Collections Resource Council)
  • North Carolina Bankers Association (Member, Bank Counsel Committee)
  • North Carolina Bar Association (former member of the Executive Council for the Young Lawyers Division and current Member of the Bankruptcy & Litigation Sections)
  • North Carolina Creditor’s Bar Association (former Secretary and former Co-Chair of Educational Committee)
  • Wake County Bar Association (Member)

Awards & Recognition

  • Listed among the 20 Most Powerful Women in Collections (2018)
  • Listed among North Carolina Super Lawyers (2016-present)
  • Listed among North Carolina Legal Elite (2017, 2020)
  • Listed among Best Lawyers in America – 2024

Published Articles

Blog

My Experience

  • Portfolio Recovery Assocs., LLC v. Campney, 441 S.C. 36, 892 S.E.2d 321 (Ct. App. 2023)
  • Inv. Foreign Shares, LLC v. McCollum, 638 F. Supp. 3d 595 (W.D.N.C. 2022)
  • Jones v. City Plaza, LLC, No. 1:19CV924, 2020 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 75140 (M.D.N.C. Apr. 29, 2020)
  • In re K & J Farms, LLC, 2020 Bankr. LEXIS 2736 (Bankr. E.D.N.C. Oct. 1, 2020)
  • Townes v. Portfolio Recovery Associates, 854 S.E.2d 146 (2020)
  • Jones v. City Plaza, LLC, 2020 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 75140 (M.D.N.C. Apr. 29, 2020)
  • Discover Bank v. Rogers, 836 S.E.2d 346 (2019)
  • Cascade Capital, LLC v. DRS Processing LLC, 2019 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 18386 (W.D.N.C. 2019)
  • Cavin v. Smith Debnam Narron Drake Saintsing & Myers, LLP 2019 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 151775 (M.D.N.C. 2019)
  • Spencer v. Portfolio Recovery Assocs., LLC, 822 S.E. 2d (2019)
  • Winans v. Franklin Collection Serv., 2018 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 138709 (M.D.N.C. 2018)
  • CNH Indust. Capital Am. V. Able Contr., 2017 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 160487 (D.S.C. 2017)
  • Ross v. J.D. Byrider Sys., 2016 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 74634 (W.D.N.C. 2016), aff’d 2016 U.S. App. LEXIS  16998 (4th Cir. 2016)
  • Viccione v. Bay Area Credit Serv., 2014 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 169982 (M.D.N.C. 2014)
  • Angell v. Meherrin Agric. & Chem Co., 2013 Bankr. LEXIS 1849 (E.D. Bankr. 2013)
  • Cox v. Credit Control Servs., 2013 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 60770 (W.D.N.C. 2013)
  • Gainey v. Alliance One Receivables Management, Inc., 2012 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 138933 (W.D.N.C. 2012)
  • Portfolio Recovery Associates v. Freeman, 216 N.C. App. 43, 717 S.E.2d 43 (2012)
  • Buck v. Franklin Collection Serv., 2011 Bankr. LEXIS 4596 (2011)
  • Jenkins v. Genesis Fin. Solutions, LLC, 456 B.R. 236 (2011)
  • Advantage Assets, Inc. II v. Howell, 190 N.C. App. 443, 663 S.E.2d 8 (2008)
  • Estate of Shelia Williams-Moore v. Alliance One Receivables Management, Inc., et al. 2004 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 19075, aff’d, 335 F. Supp. 2d 636 (M.D.N.C. 2004)
  • Stafford v. Discover Bank, 2004 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 26295 (M.D.N.C. 2004)
  • Martin Architectural Products v. Meridian Construction Co., 155 N.C. App. 176, 574 S.E.2d 189 (2002)
  • Coastal Leasing Corporation v. T Bar S Corp., 128 N.C. App. 379; 496 S.E.2d 795 (1998)
  • Barclays Bank PLC v. Johnson, 129 N.C. App. 370; 499 S.E.2d 768 (1998)
  • In Re Alexander Scott Homes, 1996 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 10121 (M.D.N.C. 1996)

Articles

Podcasts

Publications

Speaker Engagements

  • Speaker, Debt Collection Trends (Federal Bar Association, 2.27.24)
  • Panelist, How to Know When a Case is a “Bet the Company” Case (Accountsrecovery.net, 2/14/24)
  • Moderator, Impacts on Debt Collection When Federal and State Law Collide: A discussion of Federal Preemption (ABA Business Law Section Fall Meeting, September 2023)
  • Panelist, LGBTQ Issues in Debt Collection (ACA International Annual Convention and Expo, 7/26/23)
  • Panelist, The Pros and Cons Altering the Model Validation Notice (Accountsrecovery.net, 6/2/23)
  • Panelist, Appraisal Bias (Conference on Consumer Finance Law, 5/18/23)
  • Panelist, Diverging Definitions for the Least Sophisticated Consumer (Accountsrecovery.net, 4/4/23)
  • Panelist, First Quarter FDCPA Litigation Updates (Accountsrecovery.net, 3/9/23
  • Panelist, What Defines Harassment Under the FDCPA? (Accountsrecovery.net, 2/28/23)
  • Speaker, What’s Your Super Power? (ACA Networking Event, 2/9/23)
  • Panelist, What Aspects of Regulation F Do You Have to Comply With? (Accountsrecovery.net, 12/2/22)
  • Speaker, Top Issues Facing Today’s Debt Collectors (Federal Bar Association Webinar, 11/12/22)
  • Speaker, Implications of Townes Decision and What’s Next (North Carolina Creditors Bar Association, 11/8/22)
  • Panelist, Hunstein Rulings Being Pushed to State Court (Accountsrecovery.net, 11/1/22)
  • Speaker, Pink Flamingos, or Do Plaintiffs Have a Leg to Stand on Following TransUnion v. Ramirez? (National Creditors Bar Association, Tampa FL, 10/28/22)
  • Speaker, Ipso Facto Liability and the FDCPA and FCRA (Conference on Consumer Finance Law, Plano TX, 10/20/22)
  • Panelist, Regulatory Priorities and Informal Rulemaking (AccountsRecovery.net, 10/11/22)
  • Speaker, Expansion of Discrimination as a Regulatory Priority (NC Bankers Fall Fusion Conference, Raleigh NC, 9/19/22)
  • Moderator, Debt Collection Trends and Regulations (ABA Fall Business Meeting, Washington D.C., 9/17/22)
  • Speaker, Hunstein Roundtable (ABA Business Law Section Fall Meeting, 9/16/22)
  • Panelist, Legal and Compliance Trends (AccountsRecovery.net, 9/1/22)
  • Panelist, State Court vs. Federal Court – Where Do You Want to Be? (AccountsRecovery.net, 8/3/22
  • Panelist, What’s Risky and Not Risky in Today’s Legal Landscape (AccountsRecovery.net, 7/14/22)
  • Panelist, CFPB Advisory Opinion on ECOA and implications for Debt Collection Industry (6/7/22)
  • Panelist and Moderator, The 11th Commandment: Thou Shalt Arbitrate (5/6: National Creditors Bar Association Spring Meeting, 5/6/22)
  • Panelist, ID Theft Best Practices for Industry (AccountsRecovery.net, 3/16/22)
  • Panelist, Surprise! No Surprise Act and its Impact for Debt Collectors (ACA International, 3/10/22)
  • Panelist, The Debate Over Handling Paid-in-Full Credit (AccountsRecovery.net, 2/3/22)
  • Panelist, Creating a Culture of Compliance (1/21/22, AccountsRecovery.net)
  • Speaker, The Debt Collection Rule: What You Need to Know (Federal Bar Association, 12/8/21)
  • Panelist, How Many Types of Letters Do You Need? (11/4/21, AccountsRecovery.net)
  • Panelist, The Hunstein Effect (10/22/21, Virginia Creditors Bar Association)
  • Panelist, How Regulation F and State Laws Work Together ( 10/7/21, AccountsRecovery.net)
  • Panelist, How Regulation F and the FDCPA Will Work Together (AccountsRecovery.net, 9/14/21)
  • Panelist, Making the Decision to Go Legal: How to Know When to File Collection Lawsuits (AccountRecovery.net, 8/19/21)
  • Co-Presenter, Developments in Student Loan Dischargeability (ACA International Huddle, 8/18/21)
  • Panelist, All The Hidden Problems in Regulation F (AccountRecovery.net, 7.15.21)
  • Panelist, Where Should You Be in Your Reg F Compliance Process (AccountRecovery.net, 6/10/21)
  • Panelist, Can I Use My Current Company Name When Leaving an LCM? (AccountRecovery.Net, 5/19/21)
  • Panelist, Assessing Your Legal Risks, post-Hunstein (Account Recovery.net, 5/18/21)
  • Panelist, The Debt Collection Rule: What You Need to Know (Ohio Creditors Attorneys Association, 5/14/21)
  • Moderator, CFSC Roundtable: Facebook v. Duguid (ABA Business Law Spring Meeting, 4/23/21)
  • Panelist, The Debt Collection Rule: Communications, Disclosure, and the Changes You Need to Know (ABA Business Law Spring Meeting, 4/19/21)
  • Panelist, Why Regulation F is Going to Result Bona Fide Error Defense and How It’s Applied in the Debt Collection Rule (AccountRecovery.net, Mar. 23, 2021)
  • Panelist, Debt Collection Symposium, (Conference on Consumer Finance Law, Mar. 11, 2021)
  • Keynote Speaker, North Carolina Creditors Bar Association Winter Symposium (Feb. 18, 2021)
  • Panelist, Part II of the CFPB Final Rule (National Creditors Bar Association, Jan. 14, 2021)
  • Panelist, A Primer on the Panelist, An Overview of Licensing Changes and Requirements for 2021 (AccountRecovery.net, Jan. 7, 2021)
  • Panelist, Operating without Debt Collection Licenses (AccountRecovery.net, Dec. 15, 2020)
  • Panelist, Proposed Debt Collection Rules: What Banks Need to Know (North Carolina Bankers Association, Oct. 27, 2020)
  • Panelist, Meaningful Attorney Involvement (National Creditors Bar Association, Oct. 22, 2020)
  • Panelist, Trends in Debt Collection (AFSA, Oct. 6, 2020)
  • Moderator, The Battle Between the Turnover and Automatic Stay Provisions of the Bankruptcy Code (American Bar Association Fall Business Law Meeting, Sept. 21, 2020)
  • Panelist, Bankruptcy Hot Topics (National Creditors Bar Association, Aug. 19, 2020)
  • Panelist, Take Your Time, Do it Right – Credit Reporting Issues (ACA International, Jul. 16, 2020)
  • Debt Collection Rule and its Potential First Party Impacts (NC Creditors Bar Association, Feb. 28, 2020)
  • Panelist, Debt Collection Trends (AFSA, Jan. 22, 2020)
  • Panelist, The Proposed Debt Collection Rule (Conference on Consumer Finance Law, November 8, 2019)
  • Moderator, The Proposed Debt Collection Rule (North Carolina Creditors Bar Association, June 21, 2019)
  • The Proposed Debt Collection Rule (American Bar Association, September 13, 2019)
  • Financial Institutions Operating in an Increasingly Fintech World (North Carolina Bankers Association, May 30, 2019)
  • Panelist, Banking in the Face of a Natural Disaster (American Bar Association, Mar. 29, 2019)
  • Moderator, Foreclosure and the FDCPA: The Obduskey Decision (American Bar Association Spring Business Law Meeting, Mar. 20, 2019)
  • Speaker, Developments in Consumer Financial Services:  A Look Back at 2018 and Forward to 2019 (North Carolina Creditors Bar Association, Feb. 22, 2019)

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