Financial Institutions Regulation
Banks, thrifts and holding companies are currently adapting to a
dramatically different regulatory environment. Both global and
domestic financial institutions are analyzing the scope and
implications of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer
Protection Act and its impact on their businesses and on the
products and services that they offer. Various industry experts
have estimated that the new law will require U.S. banking
regulators to enact over 200 new regulations, and the rulemaking
process is now starting. This, together with further measures
enacted by the Financial Services Authority and other global
regulatory bodies, and the expected adoption of Basel III reforms,
portend a protracted period of uncertainty as legislative details
become governing law. New regulatory powers and constraints,
enhanced corporate governance provisions, increased and new capital
and liquidity requirements, and the very real potential of
structural changes to financial institutions will be in the purview
of regulators—both old and new. Traditional financial institutions,
along with many insurers, funds and others who access the capital
markets will be subject to new reporting and compliance
requirements.
SNR Denton lawyers and policy professionals
have decades of experience helping financial institutions comply
with the complex framework of federal and state regulation. Since
the early developments of the sustained financial crisis, we have
worked with our clients to help them access emergency funding,
seize market opportunities and mitigate risk. Our team has been
centrally involved in the legislative process behind financial
regulatory reform, and we have successfully advocated for industry
best practices on behalf of our clients.
Today, we are helping clients adapt to this new regulatory
environment and develop and implement strategies that both preserve
and advance their business interests.
Areas of Focus:
- Capital requirements
- Risk-based capital
- Tangible common equity
- Leverage ratio
- Basel reforms
- Permissible activities and investments
- Supervisory and enforcement actions
- Regulatory applications
- Transactions with affiliates (Regulation W)
- Licensing of bank subsidiaries by broker dealers,
insurance companies and credit unions
- Consumer compliance
- Fair lending
- Federal and state predatory lending
- Truth-in-lending
- Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act
- Community Reinvestment Act
- Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act
- USA PATRIOT Act and Bank Secrecy Act
- Bank products and services
- Trust and fiduciary activities
- Sales of securities and insurance products
- Indexed notes and deposits
- Collateral deposit obligations
- Derivatives