Statement of Stephen N. Zack, President, American Bar Association Re: Today’s Oral Argument in ABA V. FTC Before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit

WASHINGTON, D.C., Nov. 15, 2010—The mission of every lawyer is to provide aid and counsel to our clients and improve access to the justice system—not to push paperwork that attempts to solve what is, for the legal profession, a non-existent problem and promises to raise legal costs.

During today’s oral argument regarding the “Red Flags Rule” based on the Fair and Accurate Credit Transactions Act, the ABA firmly refuted the Federal Trade Commission’s challenge to a resounding lower court ruling against the FTC’s interpretation of this measure.

Congress clearly did not intend for the Red Flags provision to apply to the legal profession. This hearing is an important step in our continuing efforts to protect the profession from all forms of unnecessary and unintended regulation.

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