The Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, which was signed by President Obama on July 21, 2010, is being described as the most sweeping reform of financial regulation in the U.S. since the Great Depression, with critical implications across the financial services spectrum.

To assist our clients and friends in their understanding of the contents of this wide-ranging piece of legislation, we have prepared a summary of key provisions of the Dodd-Frank Act. While not a summary of every section of the Dodd-Frank Act, we hope that you find the summary to be a helpful aid in understanding the many important components of this historic legislation. Each summary description is followed by a citation to the Dodd-Frank Act to assist you in locating the statutory provision to which the summary relates.