ILMA Compoundings - November/December 2020 - 34
COUNSEL COMPOUND
Will Agency
Enforcement Reform
Usher in the New Year?
By Jeff Leiter
S
o many of us cannot wait for
2020 to be in the rearview mirror. The COVID-19 pandemic,
natural disasters and this year's elections have left us anxious for a fresh
start in 2021. Despite the constant
political drama in Washington, D.C.,
the government continues to operate,
and I would like to highlight a recent
memorandum that directs executive
branch agencies to reform how they
enforce their regulations. While the
best practices and recommendations
set out in the memorandum will
need to be formally incorporated by
agencies through notice-and-comment
rulemaking, consider it a " start. "
The memorandum, identified as
" Memorandum M-20-31, " was issued
on Aug. 31, by the White House
Office of Management and Budget's
(OMB) Office of Information and
Regulatory Affairs (OIRA). This
memo implements directives from a
presidential executive order for federal
agencies to adopt certain best practices
and procedures to promote fairness
in administrative enforcement actions
and adjudications. The memo directs
federal agencies to implement measures to provide greater due process to
targets of investigations and subsequent
enforcement actions, and to promote
greater transparency and accountability
when pursuing these actions and civil
penalties. If followed through on by
34
NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2020
the federal agencies, the memo's directives would result in substantive and
procedural revisions to administrative
rules of practice. Having represented
many companies over the years in civil
enforcement cases, particularly before
the Environmental Protection Agency
(EPA), such changes are long overdue.
President Donald Trump initiated
the process last May when he signed
Executive Order 13924, " Executive
Order on Regulatory Relief to Support
Economic Recovery, " to help mitigate the economic impacts from the
COVID-19 pandemic. Executive
Order 13924, in part, orders federal
agencies to " address [the pandemic] by
rescinding, modifying, and waiving or
providing exemptions from regula-
| COMPOUNDINGS | ILMA.ORG
tions and other requirements that may
inhibit economic recovery... " and
sets forth 10 principles to guide the
agencies. OIRA's memo identifies best
practices for each of these 10 principles and sets a Nov. 26 deadline for
agencies to commence any necessary
rulemaking. Importantly, Executive
Order 13924 and the memo apply
to all executive branch departments
and agencies, including independent
agencies, such as the Federal Trade
Commission, the U.S. Securities and
Exchange Commission and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.
Let me first address the portion of
the memo dedicated to reforming
procedural safeguards. For years, I
have complained that federal agencies,
http://www.ILMA.ORG
ILMA Compoundings - November/December 2020
Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of ILMA Compoundings - November/December 2020
ILMA Compoundings - November/December 2020 - Cover1
ILMA Compoundings - November/December 2020 - Cover2
ILMA Compoundings - November/December 2020 - 1
ILMA Compoundings - November/December 2020 - 2
ILMA Compoundings - November/December 2020 - 3
ILMA Compoundings - November/December 2020 - 4
ILMA Compoundings - November/December 2020 - 5
ILMA Compoundings - November/December 2020 - 6
ILMA Compoundings - November/December 2020 - 7
ILMA Compoundings - November/December 2020 - 8
ILMA Compoundings - November/December 2020 - 9
ILMA Compoundings - November/December 2020 - 10
ILMA Compoundings - November/December 2020 - 11
ILMA Compoundings - November/December 2020 - 12
ILMA Compoundings - November/December 2020 - 13
ILMA Compoundings - November/December 2020 - 14
ILMA Compoundings - November/December 2020 - 15
ILMA Compoundings - November/December 2020 - 16
ILMA Compoundings - November/December 2020 - 17
ILMA Compoundings - November/December 2020 - 18
ILMA Compoundings - November/December 2020 - 19
ILMA Compoundings - November/December 2020 - 20
ILMA Compoundings - November/December 2020 - 21
ILMA Compoundings - November/December 2020 - 22
ILMA Compoundings - November/December 2020 - 23
ILMA Compoundings - November/December 2020 - 24
ILMA Compoundings - November/December 2020 - 25
ILMA Compoundings - November/December 2020 - 26
ILMA Compoundings - November/December 2020 - 27
ILMA Compoundings - November/December 2020 - 28
ILMA Compoundings - November/December 2020 - 29
ILMA Compoundings - November/December 2020 - 30
ILMA Compoundings - November/December 2020 - 31
ILMA Compoundings - November/December 2020 - 32
ILMA Compoundings - November/December 2020 - 33
ILMA Compoundings - November/December 2020 - 34
ILMA Compoundings - November/December 2020 - 35
ILMA Compoundings - November/December 2020 - 36
ILMA Compoundings - November/December 2020 - 37
ILMA Compoundings - November/December 2020 - 38
ILMA Compoundings - November/December 2020 - 39
ILMA Compoundings - November/December 2020 - 40
ILMA Compoundings - November/December 2020 - 41
ILMA Compoundings - November/December 2020 - 42
ILMA Compoundings - November/December 2020 - 43
ILMA Compoundings - November/December 2020 - 44
ILMA Compoundings - November/December 2020 - Cover3
ILMA Compoundings - November/December 2020 - Cover4
https://www.nxtbook.com/ygsreprints/ILMA/G127535ILMA_vol71_no7
https://www.nxtbook.com/ygsreprints/ILMA/G126213ILMA_vol71_no6
https://www.nxtbook.com/ygsreprints/ILMA/G125546_ILMA_vol71_no5
https://www.nxtbook.com/ygsreprints/ILMA/G124996_ILMA_vol71_no4
https://www.nxtbook.com/ygsreprints/ILMA/G123886_ILMA_vol71_no3
https://www.nxtbook.com/ygsreprints/ILMA/G123315_ILMA_vol71_no2
https://www.nxtbook.com/ygsreprints/ILMA/G122980_ILMA_vol71_no1
https://www.nxtbook.com/ygsreprints/ILMA/G121540_ILMA_vol70_no11
https://www.nxtbook.com/ygsreprints/ILMA/G120882_ILMA_vol70_no10
https://www.nxtbook.com/ygsreprints/ILMA/G120035_ILMA_vol70_no9
https://www.nxtbook.com/ygsreprints/ILMA/G121XXX_ILMA_vol70_no8
https://www.nxtbook.com/ygsreprints/ILMA/G120XXX_ILMA_vol70_no7
https://www.nxtbook.com/ygsreprints/ILMA/G119XXX_ILMA_vol70_no6
https://www.nxtbook.com/ygsreprints/ILMA/G118112_ILMA_vol70_no5
https://www.nxtbook.com/ygsreprints/ILMA/G117382_ILMA_vol70_no4
https://www.nxtbook.com/ygsreprints/ILMA/G116888_ILMA_vol70_no3
https://www.nxtbook.com/ygsreprints/ILMA/G115555_ILMA_vol70_no2
https://www.nxtbook.com/ygsreprints/ILMA/G114774_ILMA_vol70_no1
https://www.nxtbook.com/ygsreprints/ILMA/g110500_ILMA_vol69_no12
https://www.nxtbook.com/ygsreprints/ILMA/g110500_ILMA_vol69_no11
https://www.nxtbook.com/ygsreprints/ILMA/g110500_ILMA_vol69_no10
https://www.nxtbook.com/ygsreprints/ILMA/g109884_ILMA_vol69_no9
https://www.nxtbook.com/ygsreprints/ILMA/g109284_ILMA_vol69_no8
https://www.nxtbook.com/ygsreprints/ILMA/g108494_ILMA_vol69_no7
https://www.nxtbook.com/ygsreprints/ILMA/g107507_ILMA_vol69_no6
https://www.nxtbook.com/ygsreprints/ILMA/g106483_ILMA_vol69_no5
https://www.nxtbook.com/ygsreprints/ILMA/g105803_ILMA_vol69_no4
https://www.nxtbook.com/ygsreprints/ILMA/g104743_ILMA_vol69_no3
https://www.nxtbook.com/ygsreprints/ILMA/g103647_ILMA_vol69_no2
https://www.nxtbook.com/ygsreprints/ILMA/g102869_ILMA_vol69_no1
https://www.nxtbook.com/ygsreprints/ILMA/g101930_ILMA_vol68_no12
https://www.nxtbook.com/ygsreprints/ILMA/g100836_ILMA_vol68_no11
https://www.nxtbook.com/ygsreprints/ILMA/g99200_ILMA_vol68_no10
https://www.nxtbook.com/ygsreprints/ILMA/g98468_ILMA_vol68_no9
https://www.nxtbook.com/ygsreprints/ILMA/g97711_ILMA_vol68_no8
https://www.nxtbook.com/ygsreprints/ILMA/G96767ILMA_vol68_no7
https://www.nxtbook.com/ygsreprints/ILMA/G95397ILMA_vol65_no6
https://www.nxtbook.com/ygsreprints/ILMA/G94323ILMA_vol68_no5
https://www.nxtbook.com/ygsreprints/ILMA/G93127_ILMA_vol69_no4
https://www.nxtbook.com/ygsreprints/ILMA/G91785_ILMA_vol68_no3
https://www.nxtbook.com/ygsreprints/ILMA/G90956_ILMA_vol68_no2
https://www.nxtbook.com/ygsreprints/ILMA/G89146_ILMA_vol68_no1
https://www.nxtbook.com/ygsreprints/ILMA/G87981_ILMA_vol67_no12
https://www.nxtbook.com/ygsreprints/ILMA/G85409_ILMA_vol67_no11
https://www.nxtbook.com/ygsreprints/ILMA/G83595_ILMA_vol67_no10
https://www.nxtbook.com/ygsreprints/ILMA/G81672_ILMA_vol67_no9
https://www.nxtbook.com/ygsreprints/ILMA/G80238_ILMA_vol7_no8
https://www.nxtbook.com/ygsreprints/ILMA/G79388_ILMA_vol7_no7
https://www.nxtbook.com/ygsreprints/ILMA/G78361_ILMA_vol7_no6
https://www.nxtbook.com/ygsreprints/ILMA/G77448_ILMA_vol7_no5
https://www.nxtbook.com/ygsreprints/ILMA/G75899_ILMA_vol67_no4
https://www.nxtbook.com/ygsreprints/ILMA/G75036_ILMA_vol67_no3
https://www.nxtbook.com/ygsreprints/ILMA/G72720_ILMA_vol67_no2
https://www.nxtbook.com/ygsreprints/ILMA/G72220_ILMA_vol67_no1
https://www.nxtbook.com/ygsreprints/ILMA/G70970_ILMA_vol66_no12
https://www.nxtbook.com/ygsreprints/ILMA/G69813_ILMA_vol66_no11
https://www.nxtbook.com/ygsreprints/ILMA/G67522_ILMA_vol66_no10
https://www.nxtbook.com/ygsreprints/ILMA/G66343_ILMA_vol66_no9
https://www.nxtbook.com/ygsreprints/ILMA/G64859_ILMA_vol66_no8
https://www.nxtbookmedia.com