In this episode of Creditor’s Corner: Legal Talk, Smith Debnam attorneys Caren Enloe and David Belisle examine the growing challenges posed by the sovereign citizen movement and the impact these tactics are having on creditors, lenders, businesses, and the court system. Drawing from decades of litigation and compliance experience, Caren and David unpack the origins of sovereign citizen theories, the misuse of legal filings and Uniform Commercial Code (“UCC”) documents, and the rise of what ma...
May 12
19 min
In this episode of Creditors Corner Legal Talk, Smith Debnam attorneys Rachel Rogers and Emily Murphy join moderator Melissa Tulis Smith to unpack the real-world challenges of litigating against pro se (self-represented) parties. Drawing on their experiences in creditors’ rights and family law, they explore common misconceptions about pro se opponents, how judges actually treat self-represented litigants, and why these cases are often more complex—not less—than those with counsel on both side...
Apr 8
30 min
Join attorneys Melissa Tula Smith and Rachel Rogers as they dive deep into the complex world of consumer collection law. This informative podcast breaks down key federal regulations like the FDCPA, TCPA, and FCRA, exploring the legal framework that protects consumers while allowing creditors to collect legitimate debts. Learn about communication restrictions, legal pitfalls, best practices, and state-specific nuances that every debt collector and legal professional should know. Whether you're...
Jun 18, 2025
28 min
Melissa Tulis Smith and Rachel Rogers discuss the importance of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in the banking and financial sectors. They explain that DEI involves creating a workplace where diverse individuals are represented, treated fairly, and valued. DEI is crucial for banks because it helps them better understand and serve their diverse customer base, fosters innovation, and enhances decision-making. Effective DEI practices can improve regulatory compliance, attract top talent, ...
Dec 2, 2024
17 min
If you practice in North Carolina or are involved in our court systems, you probably know that five counties have made the transition to e-filing. Those counties include Harnett, Johnston, Lee Mecklenburg, and Wake counties. In today's episode, we discuss what you need to know as we transition to E-Filing across the state. Rachel Rogers is an associate attorney within the Consumer Collections group at Smith Debnam. Her practice experience includes Construction Law, Creditors’ Rights & Co...
Jan 23, 2024
23 min
Today's topic is Family law, when to lawyer up, and why. We talk about why an attorney can be beneficial in a number of different family law situations, when you should consider getting an attorney involved, and why hiring a family law attorney from a firm with a multidisciplinary practice is a smart move. Landon Van Winkle is an associate within the firm's Construction Litigation practice group where he assists clients with pre-suit negotiations and litigation in matters involving construct...
Jan 13, 2023
22 min
Attorneys Christina McAlpin Taylor, Melissa Tulis, and Rachel Rogers discuss dealing with debt management companies - the risks and challenges they pose from the point of view of a collections attorney. Christina McAlpin Taylor is a partner at the Raleigh-based law firm of Smith Debnam and a member of the firm’s Creditors’ Rights and Collections practice group. An accomplished attorney known for handling a large volume of cases with precision and grace, she represents a wide range of busines...
Oct 18, 2022
25 min
In this episode, Smith Debnam attorneys Christina McAlpin Taylor and Melissa Tulis discuss how Post Judgment Collections work in North Carolina. Christina McAlpin Taylor is a partner at the Raleigh-based law firm of Smith Debnam and a member of the firm’s Creditors’ Rights and Collections practice group. An accomplished attorney known for handling a large volume of cases with precision and grace, she represents a wide range of businesses through all stages of creditor representation, includi...
May 9, 2022
14 min
In today's episode, Smith Debnam attorneys Landon Van Winkle and Garret Kirkpatrick discuss the growing issue of student loans in the U.S., including how those loans are treated in bankruptcy, and how recent regulatory and legislative developments may provide relief to student borrowers in the future. Landon Van Winkle is an associate within the firm's Consumer Financial Services Compliance & Litigation practice group where he assists clients with pre-suit negotiations and litigation in...
May 4, 2022
42 min
A new regulation has gone into effect this year that has altered the itemization and disclosures to consumers that banks, financial service providers, and creditors have to provide. In this podcast, we'll discuss those changes. Specifically - we discuss what type of itemization credit card providers are required to disclose to the consumer periodically, how much transaction history a credit card provider is required to retain, and for how long.We’ll also get into what type of itemization debt...
Feb 16, 2022
26 min
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