Overview

Marc Franson is a partner and the Practice Group Leader of Chapman's Compliance, Regulatory and Payments Group. He represents financial institutions, finance companies, retailers, other creditors, and brokers on an array of financial services matters including regulatory applications, consumer credit transactions, deposit products, bank mergers and acquisitions, licensing, regulatory issues and compliance, sale of non‑deposit products, technology contracting, payment processing, portfolio acquisitions/divestitures, fair lending and privacy matters, internet banking, stored value products, and marketplace (P2P) lending. He also represents clients in conjunction with legislative and trade association activities.

Marc counsels interstate and intrastate lenders on all aspects of a variety of secured and unsecured consumer lending programs including credit card, mortgage, home equity, automobile, and other installment credit. He has served as counsel in several major bank acquisitions and portfolio sale transactions, assisted clients with federal and state regulatory matters, licensing applications, and proceedings, in the development of compliance programs, compliance training, and preparation for and assistance with regulatory compliance examinations. This includes advice on FCRA, community reinvestment, and fair lending programs.

Marc was engaged in a unique credit card transaction involving the joint venture of two major banks and a credit card industry consultant involving the establishment and chartering of a credit card bank, the sale of $2 billion of credit card receivables, along with a contemporaneous securitization and other financing transactions. He also advises clients' participation in various roles in receivable securitization programs. His representation of clients includes the areas of cash management services, electronic funds transfers, merchant credit card, and payment processing, outsourcing, data processing, and servicing arrangements.

Prior to joining Chapman, Marc was Vice President and General Counsel–Credit Card Services of Household International.

Memberships

American Financial Services Association

American Fintech Council

Chicago Bar Association

  • Consumer Financial Services Committee, Past Chair
  • Financial Institutions Committee, Past Chair

Conference on Consumer Finance Law

  • Governing Committee 

Mortgage Bankers Association

Visa/MasterCard Legal Advisory Committee

Delta Sigma Pi Leadership Fund

  • National Board of Directors

Sigma Alpha Epsilon Foundation

  • National Board of Directors

Drake University Alumni Association

  • National Board of Directors

Drake University National Advisory Counsel on Leadership Development

  • Chair

Honors & Awards

  • Named 2016 Lawyer of the Year in Banking and Finance Law by Illinois Best Lawyers
  • Named by Drake University Law School to its "150 in 150" list, recognizing the school's top 150 alumni on its 150th anniversary in 2015
  • Named in the Banking and Finance Law/Financial Services Regulation Law section of Chicago's Best Lawyers since 2007
  • Rated as a leading banking lawyer by Chambers Global Guide to the World's Leading Lawyers
  • Named in the Banking section as an "Illinois Super Lawyer" every year since 2007
  • Recognized by Best Lawyers in America in Financial Services Regulation Law and in Banking and Finance Law

Admitted

Illinois

U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois

Education

Drake University Law School, J.D., 1980

  • Law Review
  • Order of the Coif

Drake University, M.B.A., with honors, 1977

Drake University, B.S.B.A., magna cum laude, 1977

National Council for Mental Wellbeing, Adult Mental Health First Aid USA Certification, 2024

Insights

Publications

Presentations

  • Panelist, "Scaling Fintech Between Israel and the US: Regulatory Strategy & Front-Line Insights," American Fintech Council (AFC) Webinar, May 6, 2026
  • Co-Presenter, "Marketplace Lending: Insights, Trends and the Road Ahead in 2025," American Fintech Council (AFC) Webinar, December 17, 2024

  • Presenter, "Consumer Banking Update – Recent Trends in Consumer Financial Services," Illinois Bankers Association (IBA) Bank Counsel Conference, December 6, 2024

  • Moderator, "Do We Have a Clear and Consistent Roadmap for Third Party Pay Risk," American Fintech Council (AFC) Policy Summit, November 19, 2024

  • Presenter, "Consumer Finance Update," Illinois Credit Union League Annual Attorneys' Conference & Compliance Symposium, November 8–9, 2024

  • Presenter, "Regulatory and Enforcement Actions Update," Chicagoland Compliance Association (CCA) Annual Conference, October 3, 2024

  • Panelist, "Contract Negotiation and Drafting Best Practices for Fintech Agreements," US Fintech Symposium, June 5, 2024

  • Presenter, Illinois Credit Union League Attorneys Conference, Consumer Finance Update, 2010–2024

  • Panelist, "Consumer Banking Update – Recent Trends in Consumer Financial Services," 2023 Illinois Bankers Association (IBA) Bank Counsel Conference, December 1, 2023

  • Panelist, "Is State Regulatory Push on Fintech Protecting Consumers?" American Fintech Council (AFC) Fintech Policy Summit, November 14, 2023

  • Presenter, "Consumer Finance Update," Illinois Credit Union League Attorney's Conference & Compliance Symposium, November 3, 2023

  • Panelist, "Will the Real True Lender Please Stand Up?" American Fintech Council Future of Finance, June 14, 2023
  • Panelist, "Bank-Fintech Partnerships Are Under Scrutiny: What Happens Next?" Fintech Nexus USA, May 10, 2023
  • Presenter, "Consumer Banking Update – Recent Trends in Consumer Financial Services," Illinois Bankers Association Bank Counsel Conference, December 3, 2022
  • Presenter, "Regulatory Update and Enforcement Actions," Chicagoland Compliance Association's Annual Conference, November 17, 2022
  • Presenter, "Consumer Finance Update," 45th Annual Illinois Credit Union League Attorneys’ Conference, October 14, 2022
  • Presenter, "Consumer Finance Update—Recent Trends in Consumer Financial Services," Illinois Bankers Association Bank Counsel Conference, 2005–2022
  • Presenter, "The Future of Fintech," Boston University School of Law, March 2021
  • Moderator, "Conversation with FDIC Deputy to the Chairman & Chief of Staff, Brandon Milhorn," Online Lending Policy Institute Event, July 2020
  • Moderator, "Conversation with OCC Senior Deputy Comptroller and Chief Counsel, Jonathan Gould," Online Lending Policy Institute Event, June 2020
  • Presenter, "Update on Recent Enforcement Actions," Chicagoland Compliance Association's Regulator Panel Breakfast Meeting, February 2020
  • Moderator, "Compliance to Litigation: Finding the Disruptive Balance," 5th Annual ABS Tech Conference, November 2019
  • Presenter, "Integrating Fintechs: The Power of Optimizing New Partnerships," 4th Annual Online Lending Policy Summit, October 2019
  • "Enforcement Actions," Chicagoland Compliance Association's Fair Lending and CRA Symposium, July 2019
  • "Federal vs. State on Regulatory, Legislative, and Monetary Policy," 18th Annual Investors' Conference on Equipment Finance, March 2019
  • "Staying Ahead of the Game in a Politically Uncertain Landscape," 4th Annual Investors' Conference on Online Lending, November 2018
  • "Fraud Prevention, Security and Privacy in a New World of Data for Online Lending," 3rd Annual Online Lending Policy Summit, October 2018
  • "Fintech and Banking: A Welcome Partnership?" Illinois Bankers Association Annual Conference, June 2018
  • "The Rapidly Changing Legal and Policy Landscape for Marketplace Lending and Fintech," Benzinga Global Fintech Awards, May 2018
  • "Deregulation: Friend or Foe: Where We Stand One Year In," LendIt Fintech USA 2018, April 2018
  • "Discussing the Unique Legal/Regulatory Position of Non-Bank Lenders," LoanTape Legal & Regulatory Conference, January 2018
  • "Compliance Regulatory Update/Enforcement Actions," Chicagoland Compliance Association's Annual Conference, October 2017
  • "Are We Really Protecting Borrowers?" 2nd Annual Online Lending Policy Summit, September 2017
  • "True Lender and Madden Case: Impact on the Industry Two Years In," LendIt USA 2017, March 2017
  • "How to Navigate State Laws and Regulators," 1st Annual Online Lending Policy Summit, September 2016
  • "Regulation and Politics," LendIt USA 2016, April 2016
  • "Realities of Regulation," 15th Annual Investors' Conference on Equipment Finance, March 2016
  • "The Future of Regulation in US Marketplace Lending," ABS Vegas 2016, February 2016
  • "Thought Leadership & the Future of Regulation in US Marketplace Lending," 1st Annual Investor's Conference on Marketplace Lending, October 2015
  • Illinois Credit Union League Conference, 2011–2015
  • "Innovation and Regulation: Can They Co-Exist in the P2P Space?" American Banker's P2P Lending & Investing Summit, October 2014
  • "Consumer Compliance in a Complex Regulatory Environment: The Convergence of Consistency, Change and the CFPB," 2013 Annual Conference of the Chicagoland Compliance Association, October 2013
  • Conference on Consumer Finance Law
  • Electronic Transaction Association Annual Meeting
  • Chicagoland Compliance Association 
  • Chicago Mortgage Attorneys Association 

Community

Drake University Law School Board of Counselors

We have always been focused on finance.

  • 1913
    TS Chapman partners with Henry Cutler to form Chapman and Cutler
  • 1st
    Chapman's first client in 1913 is still a client of the firm today
  • 22
    Diverse financial practices serving regional, national, and global clients
  • 6
    Offices across the country and in key US financial centers

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