Mick Mulvaney, Office of Management and Budget director and interim leader of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.

Updated Dec. 4

Companies in the crosshairs of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, hoping to seize on the tumultuous transition of power that unfolded following Richard Cordray's resignation, are weighing overtures to the new leadership to cut short costly investigations or even escape litigation altogether, according to several corporate defense lawyers who have matters pending at the agency.

On Monday, hours after taking over the Obama-era consumer bureau as acting director, White House budget director Mick Mulvaney announced a 30-day freeze on hiring and new regulations. Mulvaney offered less clarity on how he would address the agency's investigations or pending lawsuits—the “100 or so” cases he was set to be briefed on the next day.