Predatory Lawsuits:
Collective Strategies
Against Frivolous Claims
These lawsuits impact the entire debt settlement ecosystem. Let’s talk about how we protect the industry—together.
Reserve My Spot
What This Webinar Covers
Predatory lawsuits are becoming more frequent—and more costly—for debt settlement companies of all sizes. These legal attacks often go uncoordinated and unaddressed, leaving companies isolated and vulnerable.
This 30 minute webinar will explore:
01
How predatory lawsuits are evolving02
The financial and reputational risks for DSCs and payment processors03
What protections should exist—and how we advocate for them04
Opportunities for collective action: shared data, communications, regulatory collaborationWhether you're a small DSC or an enterprise group, this conversation will offer practical takeaways—and a new approach to standing together as an industry.
Speakers
HOST
Jim Button
General Counsel & Chief Risk
and Compliance Officer | Reliant
Jim brings over 35 years of legal experience to his role at Reliant, where he leads all legal, compliance, and risk management efforts. His background spans electronic payments, financial services, and regulatory strategy, with prior leadership roles at Citibank, eFunds, and IBM. Jim will guide the conversation with deep expertise in how legal risk impacts the debt settlement space—and what coordinated industry action could look like.
Special Guest Speaker
Felix Shipkevich
Principal | Shipkevich PLLC
Felix Shipkevich is the founder and principal of Shipkevich PLLC, a New York City-based law firm specializing in regulatory and transactional services within the global financial services sector. His practice focuses on providing counsel to debt relief and debt settlement companies and law firms, FinTech and financial services firms, including areas such as financial technology, payments, and emerging digital currencies.
In addition to his legal practice, Mr. Shipkevich serves as a Special Professor of Law at the Maurice A. Deane School of Law at Hofstra University, where he teaches courses related to cryptocurrency and financial regulation.
Prior to founding Shipkevich PLLC in 2011, he was the General Counsel of a foreign exchange and commodities Futures Commission Merchant (FCM) registered with the CFTC. In this capacity, Felix oversaw the firm’s offices located in New York, Bermuda, Saint Petersburg, Tokyo, and Shanghai.
He recently published a textbook, Digital Coins & Cryptocurrencies, Law & Regulation: Cases & Problems (2024).
He holds a B.A. in Economics and Political Science from SUNY Binghamton and a J.D. from the Maurice A. Deane School of Law at Hofstra University.
Jim brings over 35 years of legal experience to his role at Reliant, where he leads all legal, compliance, and risk management efforts. His background spans electronic payments, financial services, and regulatory strategy, with prior leadership roles at Citibank, eFunds, and IBM. Jim will guide the conversation with deep expertise in how legal risk impacts the debt settlement space—and what coordinated industry action could look like.
Felix Shipkevich is the founder and principal of Shipkevich PLLC, a New York City-based law firm specializing in regulatory and transactional services within the global financial services sector. His practice focuses on providing counsel to debt relief and debt settlement companies and law firms, FinTech and financial services firms, including areas such as financial technology, payments, and emerging digital currencies.
In addition to his legal practice, Mr. Shipkevich serves as a Special Professor of Law at the Maurice A. Deane School of Law at Hofstra University, where he teaches courses related to cryptocurrency and financial regulation.
Prior to founding Shipkevich PLLC in 2011, he was the General Counsel of a foreign exchange and commodities Futures Commission Merchant (FCM) registered with the CFTC. In this capacity, Felix oversaw the firm’s offices located in New York, Bermuda, Saint Petersburg, Tokyo, and Shanghai.
He recently published a textbook, Digital Coins & Cryptocurrencies, Law & Regulation: Cases & Problems (2024).
He holds a B.A. in Economics and Political Science from SUNY Binghamton and a J.D. from the Maurice A. Deane School of Law at Hofstra University.