WASHINGTON, D.C. — The American Financial Services Association announced that several of its staff members will attend the first Federal Trade Commission roundtable on the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act in Detroit.

The meeting will be held on April 12 to explore consumer protection issues about vehicle sales and leasing.

"The roundtables will provide an opportunity for regulators, consumer advocates, industry participants and other interested parties to discuss consumer protection issues in connection with vehicle sales and leasing," officials pointed out.

Tom Hudson, partner of Hudson Cook, will be on the panel "Understanding the Motor Vehicle Sales and Credit Transaction from Both Prime and Subprime Perspectives."

Meanwhile, Peter Sheptak, vice president, general counsel and secretary, World Omni Financial Corp., will tackle "Interest Rates, Dealer Reserves and Markups" panel.

Furthermore, Charlie Pearce, chief legal officer of Credit Acceptance Corp., and Michael Benoit, partner of Hudson Cook, will participate in the panel called "Payment and Locator Devices and Consumer Privacy."

The FTC requested written comments on the topics to be discussed at the first roundtable. As such, AFSA said it submitted a comment letter on March 28 that covered vehicle retail financing alternatives, finance charge rate spreads, the inclusion of debt attributable to negative equity in the amount financed under a vehicle retail installment sale contract and vehicle auction houses.