Banking & Financial Services

Our banking knowledge reaches every corner of the institution

Our banking lawyers work inside the issues financial institutions face every day. We have a deep command of loan structures, deposit accounts, bank operations and the regulatory framework that shapes business decisions. That experience allows us to identify risk quickly, ask the right questions and focus on solutions rather than spending valuable time learning how the transaction or institution works. Crowe Dunlevy is an associate member of the Oklahoma Bankers Association and the Community Bankers Association, reinforcing our longstanding connection and commitment to the industry.

We advise banks, bank holding companies and other financial institutions on organization and operations, including new bank charters, branch banking, S corporation planning, recapitalizations, trust preferred issuances and nonbanking activities. We also counsel clients on mergers, acquisitions and sales, securities compliance, corporate and personal trust matters and fiduciary responsibilities.

We protect lenders from origination to recovery

A sound loan begins with practical documentation, but our value becomes even clearer when a credit starts to deteriorate. We structure and document commercial loans with an eye toward enforceability, collateral and the problems that can develop later. If circumstances change, our banking, bankruptcy and creditors’ rights lawyers work together on restructurings, workouts, collections and enforcement strategies designed to protect the institution and preserve every viable path to repayment.

Our lending experience includes:

• Commercial, real estate, oil and gas and agricultural loans
• Syndicated and asset-based credit facilities
• Loan documentation, negotiation and closing
• Restructurings, workouts and commercial loan collections
• Bankruptcy, creditors’ rights and collateral enforcement

Defending financial institutions when exposure escalates to litigation

Banks call us when a commercial loan dispute escalates, a borrower resists collection or a claim threatens to pull the institution into costly litigation. The dedicated litigators on our banking team understand the underlying transaction and the operational realities behind it. We defend financial institutions in lender liability claims, deposit account disputes, consumer claims and other civil litigation, and we pursue recovery when the bank must take the offensive.

We also represent institutions and individuals in enforcement matters before regulatory agencies, including memorandums of understanding, formal agreements, cease and desist orders, capital directives and related proceedings. Our transactional and litigation lawyers work closely together, meaning lessons from the courtroom inform how we document loans, assess risk and help clients avoid the next dispute.

The full force of our firm stands behind financial institutions

We understand that financial institutions can face a wide array of legal issues. A strategic transaction can raise tax, employment and regulatory questions. A troubled credit may involve bankruptcy, real estate, agriculture or energy assets. A new technology platform can create privacy, cybersecurity and compliance exposure. We draw on the firm’s broader capabilities so clients receive coordinated advice from lawyers who understand both the immediate issue and its effect on the institution.

Our multidisciplinary support includes:

• Corporate transactions, bank mergers and acquisitions and holding company matters
• Regulatory compliance, retail banking, consumer credit and enforcement response
• Financial privacy, electronic funds transfer, ACH and electronic banking
• Cybersecurity, data privacy, artificial intelligence and technology risk
• Labor and employment counseling, disputes and employee benefit plan administration
• Real estate, oil and gas, agriculture, tax and other industry-specific matters tied to bank operations and collateral