Stephen F. Hayes

Defining Industry Standards for Fair Lending & Consumer Financial Protection

Stephen spearheads GreenLyne’s Special Purpose Credit Program development.  His thought leadership focuses crafting best-in-class practices concerning consumer finance protection issues, including increasing access to responsible credit for historically underserved populations.

He serves as General Counsel for GreenLyne Inc. and is a Partner at Relman Colfax. Stephen originally joined Relman Colfax in 2011 and returned in 2018 after several years at the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB). He practices in both the civil rights counseling and litigation groups, with an emphasis on fair lending and fair housing, consumer protection, regulatory compliance, and financial technology issues.

Stephen has represented individuals and organizations in numerous discrimination actions, including as part of a team that successfully advocated on behalf of students in a reverse redlining class action against a for-profit college.

Prior to rejoining Relman Colfax, Stephen served in the Legal Division of the CFPB. He contributed to various rulemakings and agency programs, including the payday lending rulemaking, Home Mortgage Disclosure Act rulemakings, and the Bureau’s No-Action Letter program.

Stephen also worked on UDAAP, ECOA, FCRA and other supervisory and enforcement actions. He received awards from both the CFPB and the Federal Financial Institutions Examination Council.

Stephen holds a B.A. from the University of Pennsylvania and earned his J.D. from Columbia University Law School.  While in law school, Stephen was awarded the John Ordronaux Prize for highest academic average in his class.