Attorneys

Biography

Eric L. Johnson is a Shareholder in the Business Department and a member of the Firm’s Commercial and Consumer Financial Services practice group. He advises a wide range of businesses and financial institutions on compliance with rapidly-changing commercial and consumer lending laws and regulations, including the complex layers of interaction recently created between the new Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (www.consumerfinance.gov) and the myriad federal and state agencies involved with supervision, examination and enforcement actions.

Eric—a registered lobbyist for the installment lending industry—represents a diverse base of industry-leading clients that includes auto dealers; buy here, pay here dealers; banks; savings and loan associations; credit unions; credit service organizations; student loan lenders; finance companies; consumer finance forms companies; mortgage bankers; mortgage brokers; and deferred deposit lenders.

For his achievements in this highly specialized area, Eric is named to Best Lawyers in America in Banking and Finance Law. He is also a named to the Journal Record's list of Top Forty Achievers Under 40.

Eric speaks frequently across the country on the legal and business issues shaping the financial services industry to groups that include the Oklahoma Bar Association, the National Automotive Finance Association, The Credit Law Institute and The Conference on Consumer Finance Law. He was recently elected to the Governing Committee of the Conference on Consumer Finance Law and serves as a recurring panelist and moderator for the National Automotive Finance Association's workshops and annual meeting; he also serves as Chair of its Legal Committee. Additionally, Eric makes regular updates to two chapters of the American Bar Association Section of Business Law's Truth in Lending book as well as to the Consumer Protection Laws chapter of Vernon's Oklahoma Commercial and Consumer Forms treatise.

Eric is active in the community and the profession. He continues to teach Consumer Law as an Adjunct Professor at his alma mater, Oklahoma City University School of Law, and was selected as Barrister for the Luther Bohanan American Inn of Court from 2005 - 2007.

Born in Oklahoma City, Eric lives in Oklahoma City with his wife, Debbie, and their daughter. Prior to pursing his legal career, he spent many years working in various departments for his family's car dealership. In his free time, Eric enjoys reading, traveling and attending sporting events.

Practice Areas

Representative Experience

  • Co-authored predatory lending legislation that was signed into law.
  • Successfully lobbies for changes in Oklahoma law involving predatory lending and consumer credit.
  • Develops and implements loan, sale and lease documents and forms dealing with virtually all types of extensions of credit.
  • Represents consumer finance forms companies in the development and maintenance of multi-state consumer loan and deferred deposit form contracts.
  • Spends a significant portion of his practice representing motor vehicle dealers and automotive finance companies in the navigation of complex federal and state laws and regulations.
  • Regularly conducts multi-state surveys on consumer credit program offerings and spot delivery practices.
  • Conducts compliance audits of finance company forms, operations and procedures.
  • Advises on customer information sharing among affiliates and business partners and drafted related business agreements such as joint marketing agreements.
  • Develops Identity Theft Prevention ("Red Flags") Programs and information-safeguarding programs, including risk assessment and policy development and documentation.
  • Frequently prepares comments on proposed regulations and drafts regulatory and legislative amendments.
  • Defends businesses in government investigations and in consumer litigation.
TOOLS

Eric L. Johnson