Profile

H. Blake Sims
H. Blake Sims
Partner
423.490.7563    
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Tennessee
9431 Bradmore Lane
Suite 201
Ooltewah, TN 37363
423.490.7560
Fax: 423.490.7558
Practices
Professional Experience

Blake is a partner in the firm's Tennessee office. He focuses his practice in the consumer finance industry, including regulatory compliance and licensing, new product development, alternative credit products, fintech and bank partnerships, government examination/investigation preparation and assistance, electronic payments, lead generation, privacy, and debt collection.

Before joining Hudson Cook, Blake was a shareholder at Chambliss, Bahner & Stophel P.C. Prior to that, he served for more than four years as in-house counsel for a large, multi-state consumer financial services company. Blake also served as a law clerk for The Honorable Houston M. Goddard with the Tennessee Court of Appeals.

Blake frequently presents on consumer finance topics to national audiences and industry groups and has written numerous articles for various industry publications including the American Bar Association's The Business Lawyer. He is a member of the American and Tennessee Bar Associations and the State Bar of Georgia.

Blake received a J.D. and M.B.A. from the University of Tennessee in 1998. He also holds a Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy and Political Science from North Carolina State University.

Member, American Bar Association

Member, Tennessee Bar Association

Member, Georgia Bar Association

  • "TILA & Regulation Z: Common Material Violations," ACUIA 32nd Annual Conference & One Day Seminar, June 2022
  • "Harnessing Risk Assessment to Meet Compliance Goals," OLA Compliance University, July 2022
  • "Keeping Your Leads Compliant," OLA Compliance University, July 2022
  • "Compliance Considerations," Alternative Finance Bar Association Annual Conference, June 2022
  • "The 2022 State of the Industry Panel with DC's Top Lending Experts," Leaders in Lending, June 2022
  • "Things You Need to Know to Lend in Multiple States in 2022," Leaders in Lending, June 2022
  • "A Fresh Look at Lead Generation - Risk Mitigation and Best Practices," OLA Legal Issues Conference, February 2022
  • "CFPB Rulemaking: It's (Maybe) Time to Comply with the Payment Provisions," INFiN MoneyTrends, November 2021
  • "Expanding Your Business: New Products and Innovative Practices," INFiN MoneyTrends, November 2021
  • "Loan Life Cycle-Strategic Optimization to Impact Your Bottom Line," Lend360, October 2021
  • "Enforcement Trends under the Biden Administration," 2021 OLA Legal Issues Conference, July 2021
  • "Nuts and Bolts Compliance: Federal and State Exam Prep for Lenders and MSBs," INFiN Webinar, May 2021
  • "Navigating the Legal Labyrinth," OLA Virtual Event: How to Take Your Business Online, March 2021
  • "Industry Attorneys Weigh In: Alternative Credit - Where Do We Go from Here?", The Consumer Lending Summit, March 2021
  • "Bank Fintech Partnerships and the Courts: How the Legal Landscape is Shifting," Lend360 Virtual Conference, November 2020
  • "Chasing Volume: Advertising, Discrimination, and Other Risks," OLA Compliance University Virtual Conference, July 2020
  • "Strategies for Successful Compliance," OLA Compliance University Virtual Conference, July 2020
  • "What Does the Future Hold For CFPB's Small Dollar Rule And How That Could Impact Your Business," OLA Executive Policy Summit Virtual Conference, July 2020
  • "COVID Era Loans: First Data and Insights," LeadsMarket Webinar, May 2020
  • "Emerging from Quarantine: Unmasking Key Considerations for Small Dollar Lenders," Hudson Cook Webinar, May 2020
  • "How to Fund Loans under COVID-19," LeadsMarket Webinar, April 2020
  • "Consumer Protection Considerations for Small Dollar Lenders During Covid-19," Hudson Cook Webinar, April 2020
  • "The 2020 State of the Industry Panel with DC's Top Lending Experts," Leaders in Lending 2020, March 2020
  • "Things You Need to Know to Lend in Multiple States in 2020," Leaders in Lending 2020, March 2020
  • "From Storefront to Online - The S.A.A.L.T Method (Panel of Experts)," Leaders in Lending 2020, March 2020
  • "Year in Review and 2020 in Focus - New Regs, New Laws, New Bureau and New Products," Inside Credit Conference, February 2020
  • "Essential Ingredients for Going and Growing Online," Inside Credit Conference, February 2020
  • "Installment Lending: 2019 in a Nutshell," Short-Term Loan Bar Association, November 2019
  • "Regulatory Favor or Fervor - Decoding mixed messages about Wage Advance," Short-Term Loan Bar Association, November 2019
  • "Challenges to Bank-Fintech Partnerships: A Legal Landscape and Potential Solutions," Lend360, September 2019
  • "Navigating Consumer Privacy and Strategies for Safeguarding Data," Online Lenders Alliance Compliance University, July 2019
  • "Compliant Third Party Oversight: Keys to Successful Vendor Management," Online Lenders Alliance Compliance University, July 2019
  • "Update on Small Dollar Lending and Alternative Financial Services," Consumer Financial Services Conference, Hudson Cook/CounselorLibrary, April 2019
  • "Compliance: 2019 and Beyond" and "How Can Storefronts Move Online?," CFSA, March 2019
  • "Innovative Fintech Payments Trends and Solutions," Lend360, October 2018
  • "Alternatives to Payday Loans: Developments in Lending and Other Products" and "Current Issues in Payment Processing (Part 2)," FiSCA Annual Conference & Expo, October 2018
  • "Best Practices in Payment Processing: Rules of the Road for Receiving Payments" and "Teaching to the Test: The Importance of OLA Accreditation," Online Lenders Alliance 2018 Compliance University, July/August 2018
  • "An Update on Small Dollar Lending and Alternative Financial Services," Consumer Financial Services Conference, Hudson Cook/CounselorLibrary, April 2018
  • "The Laboratory of the States: Challenges and Opportunities for Financial Service Center Operators," FiSCA Conference & Expo, October 2017
  • "The CFPB's Small-Dollar Loan Rule: What Just Happened?" FiSCA Conference & Expo, October 2017
  • "First Takes on the Final Rule," FiSCA Conference & Expo, October 2017
  • "Compliance Director: Roles and Responsibilities," OLA Compliance University, July 2017
  • "Getting Ready for CFPB Supervision," OLA Compliance University, July 2017
  • "Alternative Finance Panel," Consumer Financial Services Conference, Hudson Cook/CounselorLibrary, April 2017
  • "Transforming Your Business: New Products and Customer Acquisition Tools," 2017 CFSA Annual Meeting & Conference, March 2017
  • "CFSA Compliance School," 2017 CFSA Annual Meeting & Conference, February 2017
  • "Financial Services Law I," The EDGE, AFSA Education Foundation, June 2017
  • "CFPB Small-Dollar Loan Rules: A Deep, Deep Dive," 2016 Annual FiSCA Conference & Exposition, October 2016
  • "Federal Rulemaking - Small Dollar Lending," Consumer Financial Services Conference, Hudson Cook/CounselorLibrary, April 2016
  • "2015 Payment Processing Developments," Consumer Financial Services Conference, Hudson Cook/CounselorLibrary, April 2016
  • "Federal Rulemaking in 2016 - What to Expect and Alternative Products to Consider," 2016 CFSA Annual Meeting & Conference, March 2016
  • "Federal Regulatory Encroachment - Small Dollar Lending and Military Lending 2015," Consumer Financial Services Conference, Hudson Cook/CounselorLibrary, June 2015
  • "Regulatory Recap: Discussion of Regulatory Impact on the Industry," Online Lenders Alliance Spring Summit, April 2015
  • "New Horizons: Latest Developments in Products and Compliance Issues," 15Th Annual CFSA Annual Meeting & Conference, March 2015
  • "Vendor Management," Lend360 Conference, October 2014
  • "Payment Processors, Remotely Credited Checks, Bitcoins" Consumer Financial Services Conference, Hudson Cook/CounselorLibrary, May 2014
  • "Federal Regulatory Landscape: A Look Back at 2013 and What to Expect in 2014," 14th Annual CFSA Annual Meeting & Conference, February 2014
  • "Converting to the State Licensed Lending Model," Payday Loan Bar Association, November 2013
  • "TILA Disclosures Lost at Sea? Auto-Renewals Under TILA and State Laws," Payday Loan Bar Association, November 2013
  • "Payment Alternatives," OLA Fall Conference, October 2013
  • "Advertising & Marketing (including Google Rules & New Mobile BP's); Applications & Origination," OLA Compliance University, July 2013
  • "What to Expect When You're Expecting (An Examination), OLA Compliance University, July 2013
  • "Online Lenders Alliance Compliance Seminar," OLA Fall Conference, September 2012
  • "Originating Loans: UDAAP, Advertising & Marketing, Applications & Originations," OLA Compliance University, June 2012
  • "A New Era in Examination: Preparing for the CFPB and the States in 2012 and Beyond," CFSA Annual Meeting and Conference, March 2012
  • "Online Lending: Regulatory Deep Dive," CFSA Annual Meeting and Conference, March 2012
  • "Internet Lending: State-by-State Licensing Model," OLA Fall Conference, October 2011
  • "2011 Product Update: What to Expect from New and Upcoming Regulation," FiSCA, March 2011
  • "2011 Product Update: What to Expect from New and Upcoming Regulation," CFSA Annual Meeting and Conference, March 2011
  • "Three More Nightmares that Keep Us Awake at Night," OLA Fall Conference, September 2010
  • "2010 Federal Regulatory Update: From A to Z (advertising, privacy, risk-based pricing, open-end credit and more)," CFSA Spring Conference, March 2010
  • "Financial Innovation: Legal Challenges with New Products and Technology," CFSA Spring Conference, March 2010
  • "Common Compliance Issues Involving Payday Lending," FiSCA, October 2009
  • "Incorporating New Products in a Monoline Operation," CFSA Spring Conference, March 2009
  • "Defining the Boundaries: Impact of Data Compromises and Other Legal Issues on Risk Management," MAC Conference, March 2009
  • "Record Retention and Destruction Policies: The In-House Counsel Perspective," Lorman Education Services, 2008
  • "How Artful Drafting and Good Compliance Practices Can Save Contracts from an Untimely Death," Hudson Cook Insights, January 2019, co-authored with Dailey Wilson
  • "CFPB Zeroing in on Creditor/Vendor Relationship," Spot Delivery, October 2017, co-authored with Erica A.N. Kramer
  • "The CFPB's 'Data-Driven Analysis' of Payday Lending," E-Finance & Payments Law & Policy, May 2016
  • "A Royal Flush - Five Lessons Learned from the ACE Cash Express Consent Order," Spot Delivery, Vol. 17, Issue 3, September 2014
  • "Update on Tribal Loans to State Residents," The Business Lawyer, Vol. 68, No. 2, February 2013
  • "Forgiveness Isn't Easy . . . and May Have Tax Consequences," Spot Delivery, Vol. 15, Issue 7, January/February 2013
  • "Compliance Strategies: Preparing for CFPB and State Examinations in 2012 and into the Future," Checklist: Official Program Guide to the 2012 CFSA Annual Meeting & Conference, March 2012
  • "Tribal Loans to State Residents - The Next Test of Sovereign Immunity," ABA Consumer Financial Services Newsletter, Winter 2011
  • Quoted in TRANEWS - "Line of Credit Product Provides Diversification Opportunities," April 2010
  • "Marketing with Text Messaging," FiSCA's Currents magazine
  • "Constitutional Law: The Sixth Amendment Right to Counsel Admissibility of Testimony from a Voluntary Active Informant," Tennessee Law Review, 63 Tenn. L. Rev. 453

University of Tennessee, J.D., 1998

University of Tennessee, M.B.A., 1998

North Carolina State University, B.A. Philosophy, 1994

North Carolina State University, B.A. Political Science, 1994

Law clerk for the Honorable Houston M. Goddard with the Tennessee Court of Appeals, 1997-1998

Georgia, 2000

Tennessee, 1998