Clients turn to Tom when understanding a complex financial regulatory scheme stands in the way of achieving their business goals.
Overview
Tom's practice focuses on helping clients comply with laws and regulations enforceable by state banking and financial regulators, state attorneys general, Federal Trade Commission, Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, Federal Reserve Board, Department of the Treasury, Office of Foreign Assets Control, and Financial Crimes Enforcement Network, as well as payment network rules enforceable by Nacha, Visa, Mastercard and other payment networks. His clients range from agricultural associations and investment advisers, state-licensed lenders and money transmitters, banks and credit unions, and software development companies and technology companies.
Tom’s knowledge in areas under state lender, commercial finance, loan broker, collection agency, mortgage lender, and usury laws make him especially proficient at financial product development around licensing, disclosures, interest rate and fee limitations, and customer-facing terms and conditions. As embedded finance, digital lending platforms, and credit and investment opportunities surge, he specifically focuses on regulated activities among the business-to-business partnerships necessary to deliver relevant financial products to commercial and agricultural borrowers.
His experience with the Nacha Operating Rules and Guidelines and card network rules, Uniform Commercial Code, Electronic Fund Transfer Act, Truth in Lending Act, Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act, Fair Credit Reporting Act and Genius Act enable him to develop solutions for client payment systems, security procedures, data sharing, customer onboarding, cost shifting, limitations of liability, and regulatory compliance.
Outside of his financial regulatory practice, Tom enjoys spending time with his family, leading the firm’s Consumer Financial Services team, mentoring young attorneys within his profession, teaching Consumer Law as an adjunct, and being active in his faith community. Prior to joining Stinson, Tom served as in-house counsel with a financial services company and fintech bank.
Experience
Tom’s recent financial regulatory experience includes:
- Advised a federally regulated company adding a commercial and agricultural lending component to its traditional investment advisory services.
- Drafted banking-as-a-service (BaaS) agreements for a client offering new card payment methods to state-regulated lenders.
- Advised software development company regarding structure of closed-loop payment system to expand scope of eligible payees.
- Drafted treasury services agreements and account terms and conditions for the U.S. operations of a foreign bank, national bank, and state-chartered banks.
- Advised payment facilitators and merchants regarding compliance with laws, regulations, and network rules regarding surcharges, convenience fees, and discounts.
- Negotiated processing agreement for acquiring bank with processor onboarding merchants and payment facilitators for ACH and card payments.
- Advised software development company regarding embedded finance offers in partnership with program manager and fintech bank.
- Advised agricultural lender regarding expansion of operations into a national footprint.
- Drafted service provider terms and conditions for expanding payment stablecoin acceptance and payments in U.S.
- Advised national bank partnering with a fintech on national credit card issuance program.
- Advised a global technology company on structuring installment payment plans and other consumer payment products.
- Negotiated a payments technology agreement for bank to support a key customer service offering.
- Negotiated processing agreement for merchant switching to a new payment processor.
- Performed due diligence regarding state regulatory licensing requirements applicable to target company in M&A transaction.
- Advised state-licensed financial company regarding change-in-control requirements applicable to M&A transaction.
News & Insights
News
Publications
"Visa's Agentic Payment Rules Expose Compliance Tensions," Law360, May 2026
"Strategies For Merchants as Payment Processing Costs Rise," Law360, October 2025
"Genius Act Sets Stablecoin Standards – Without Regulation E," Law360, August 2025
"Calif. Banking Brief: All the Notable Legal Updates in Q2," Law360, July 2025
"Va.'s Altered Surcharge Law Poses Constitutional Questions," Law360, June 2025
"Breaking Down III. Bellwater Case for Bank Preemption," Law360, May 2025
"Citibank Wire Transfer Ruling Creates New Liability for Banks," Law360, February 2025
"Where Payments Law and Regulation Are Headed In 2025," Law360, January 2025
"CFPB School Lunch Focus Could Expand E-Payment Scrutiny," Law360, October 2024
"Banking Compliance Takeaways from Joint Agency Statement," Law360, August 2024
"Md. Deal Highlights Consumer Finance Program Regulations," Law360, July 2024
"Colo. Lending Law Could Empower State-Chartered Banks," Law360, May 2024
"How Experian, Apple Aid CFPB's 'Buy Now, Pay Later' Goals," Law360, March 2024
"NY's Revamped Card Surcharge Ban Is Unique Among States," Law360, February 2024
"NJ Law Reinforces States' Stance Against Card Surcharges," Law360, October 2023
"Regulatory Scrutiny of NSF and Overdraft Fees," Stinson Alert, November 2022
"FDIC Requiring NSF Fee Refunds in Examinations," May 2022
Speaking Engagements
"Legal, Compliance & Regulatory Insights: Stablecoin and AI," Jack Henry Connect, October 2026
"Timeless Rules: What an Ancient Roman Lawyer Can Teach Us About Modern Ethics," Compliance Boot Camp, Innovative Payments Association, September 2026
"Fight For Your Rights! Why Reg. E Will Always Matter," Compliance Boot Camp, Innovative Payments Association, September 2026
FinTech and Consumer Financial Services Update, Stinson Webinar, August 2026
"Regulatory Update on Consumer Financial Services," Recent Developments in the Law CLE at KU Law, May 2026
"Blockchain & Digital Assets," Midwest Fintech Summit, April 2026
"FinXTech Session: The Advantages of Acquiring a Fintech" Panel Discussion, Bank Director's Acquire or Be Acquired Conference, February 2026
"Cryptocurrency at the Crossroads: Innovation, Regulation & the Future of Finance," ACG Next Kansas City, November 2025
Hot Topics in Electronic Payments, Stinson Webinar, August 2025
"Hot Topics in Electronic Banking," Missouri Bankers Association, October 2025
"Federal Banking Charters for Fintechs: Choosing the Right Path," Compliance Boot Camp, Innovative Payments Association, September 2025
"Future of Payment Stablecoins," Annual Convention, Missouri Independent Bankers Association, September 2025
"Hot Topics in Electronic Payments," August 2025
"Stinson & KPMG's Midwest FinTech, Digital Assets, and Payments Summit," April 2025
Payments Law Update, Hot Topics and Trend Outlook for 2025, October 2024
"Fintech and Vendor Management," Bank Legal Risk Management Conference, Missouri Bankers Association, October 2024
"Banking Litigation," Bank Legal Risk Management Conference, Missouri Bankers Association, October 2024
"Bank Litigation," Annual Convention, Missouri Independent Bankers Association, September 2024
"Bank-FinTech Programs," Lending, Credit & Finance Conference, Missouri Bankers Association, May 2024
"Check, Wire and ACH Payment Fraud," Directors and Officers Seminar, Missouri Independent Bankers Association, April 2024
"Faster Payments – FedNow – Preparing Your Bank" Bank Legal Risk Management Conference, Missouri Bankers Association, October 2023
"Bank-Fintech Partnerships," Annual Convention, Missouri Independent Bankers Association, September 2023
"Buy Now Pay Later," Compliance Boot Camp, Innovative Payments Association, September 2023
"Recent Developments in Electronic Payments Law," 2023 Faster Payments Seminar, May 2023
"Key Terms of Bank Third-Party Agreements," Kansas Bankers Association Bank Technology and Operations Conference, February 2023
"Overdraft and NSF Fees (and Other Fees); Reducing Litigation and Compliance UDAP/UDAAP Exposures," Missouri Bankers Association 2022 Bank Legal Issues Conference, November 2022
"Regulatory and Payments Update," Missouri Independent Bankers Association, September 2022
"ACH Issues," NEACH, April 2022
"UCC Series – Checks," NEACH, April 2022
"UCC Series – Wire Transfers," NEACH, March 2022
"Role of the Board," Missouri Independent Bankers Association, September 2021
"Legal and Regulatory Update," Heartland Credit Union Association, August 2021
"Compliance Day Workshop," NEACH, August 2021
"Payments Legal Update," NEACH, February 2021
Professional & Civic Activities
Professional & Civic Activities
Fellow, Napa Legal Institute Good Counselor Project Fellowship
University of Kansas School of Law, Adjunct Professor
Practices & Industries
Admissions
- Kansas, 2014
- Missouri, 2015
Education
University of Kansas School of Law, J.D., 2014
- Moot Court Council
University of Notre Dame, B.A., 2006
