How can a federal regulatory agency effectively restore balance and fairness to consumer financial markets following a systemic economic collapse? Richard Cordray, the first director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, details the agency's operational history and its mandate to protect individuals from predatory financial practices. Drawing on his tenure and specific case studies of consumer advocacy, Cordray argues that proactive government oversight is necessary to maintain market integrity and prevent the recurrence of the 2008 financial crisis.

Experts and policy analysts view this work as a primary account of the early institutional development of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. Readers frequently note the accessible prose style, which translates complex regulatory actions into clear, human-centered narratives.