Blank Rome partners R. Andrew Arculin and Jonathan K. Moore will serve as panelists at the Mortgage Bankers Association’s (“MBA”) Compliance and Risk Management Conference, being held September 27 through 29, 2026, in Washington, D.C. Blank Rome is pleased to be a sponsor of the Conference.

About the Conference

MBA’s Compliance and Risk Management Conference gathers residential mortgage professionals from across the country for guidance on new government lending practices, regulatory compliance, risk management, credit risk analysis and mitigation, QA/QC, underwriting, and fraud prevention.

About the Sessions

The Fine Line—Navigating RESPA
Monday, September 28  |  1:45–2:45 p.m.

Section 8 of the Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act (“RESPA”) often requires careful judgment, particularly when evaluating marketing arrangements, referral relationships, affiliated business arrangements, and payments between settlement service providers. Through a series of realistic fact patterns, panelists will analyze common scenarios, identify potential compliance risks, and provide practical guidance for applying the rules and making informed business decisions.

Panelists:

  • Moderator: Suzanne Garwood, Executive Director, Associate General Counsel, Chase Home Lending
  • Holly Spencer Bunting, Partner, Mayer Brown LLP
  • Michael Y. Kieval, Partner, Weiner Brodsky Kider PC
  • Jonathan K. Moore, Partner, Blank Rome LLP
  • Sabrina Rose-Smith, Partner, Goodwin

The Art of Examination Management
Tuesday, September 29  |  9:15–10:15 a.m.

Successful compliance exams begin long before examiners arrive. This session will provide practical guidance for every stage of the examination process, from maintaining an effective Compliance Management System and preparing for examiner requests to managing the exam, responding to findings, and implementing corrective actions. Attendees will gain actionable strategies to strengthen exam readiness and foster more effective interactions with regulators.

Panelists:

  • Moderator: Vernon Tanner, VP, Chief Compliance Officer, AML/BSA/OFAC Officer, Primerica Mortgage LLC
  • R. Andrew Arculin, Partner, Blank Rome LLP
  • Melissa Koupal, CMCP, Chief Risk and Compliance Officer, CMG Financial
  • Bob Niemi, CMB, Director of Government Affairs, Weiner Brodsky Kider PC
  • Alfred Pitzner, Managing Partner, Conforma Compliance Group LLC

For more information and to register, please visit the conference webpage.