Photo of Timothy A. Butler

Tim Butler helps companies thrive by developing tailored strategies to address their regulatory compliance challenges and vigorously defending them in government enforcement actions and bet-the-company lawsuits.

A former prosecuting attorney for the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and former senior official in the Georgia Attorney General’s Office, Tim has led the defense of dozens of government investigations and enforcement actions brought by the FTC, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), and the various state attorneys general. Tim also regularly defends clients in bet-the-company lawsuits, including complex business disputes and consumer class actions alleging privacy, false advertising, and unfair or deceptive business practice claims.

Tim is an experienced guide for companies struggling with regulatory complexity. He offers clear advice that helps his clients meet the demands of the ever-growing set of laws and regulations governing data privacy and cybersecurity, advertising and marketing practices, and consumer financial products and services. Clients rely on Tim’s business-minded and practical strategies to address their most difficult regulatory compliance challenges.

A graduate of the University of Chicago and Stanford Law School, Tim is a prolific author and regularly speaks to industry and trade groups about the evolving privacy landscape, about cutting-edge issues affecting payments and fintech companies, and about developments at the FTC, the CFPB, and within the state attorneys general community.

On March 30, after years of rulemaking efforts, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) issued a final rule implementing Section 1071 of the Dodd-Frank Act. Small business lenders, if they

Continue Reading Small Business Lenders: CFPB Issues Final Rule on Small Business Lending

New York is now poised to impose Truth-in-Lending-like disclosure obligations on various types of commercial financing. On Feb. 1, the New York Department of Financial Services adopted final regulations implementing 

Continue Reading New York Set to Join the Fray: NYDFS Finalizes Commercial Financing Disclosure Regulation

After years of rulemaking efforts, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) may issue a final rule later this month that would require lenders to collect and report data on small

Continue Reading Small Business Lenders: CFPB’s Anticipated Section 1071 Rule Would Impose New Data Collection, Reporting Obligations

Go-To Guide:

  • CFPB proposes rule requiring nonbanks to “register” with the CFPB if they include certain terms and conditions in their form contracts, including in their website terms of use
Continue Reading CFPB Says ‘Show Me The (Consumer Unfriendly) Fine Print’

On Nov. 9, 2022, the New York Department of Financial Services (NYDFS) issued a proposed second amendment to its 2017 cybersecurity regulation for financial service companies.[1] In July 2022

Continue Reading NYDFS Proposes Significant Changes to Its Cybersecurity Regulation