Attorneys in Saul Ewing’s Financial Services practice help financial institutions and other market participants navigate complex transactional, regulatory and business issues. We provide practical legal advice informed by industry experience, evolving regulatory developments and prevailing industry standards, and tailor our guidance to specific strategic, operational and compliance objectives.
Our clients include:
- Federal and state chartered banks
- Federal and state chartered credit unions
- Non-depository financial companies, fintechs and lenders
- Bank holding companies
- Credit card banks
- Mezzanine lenders
- Venture capital firms
- Finance companies
- Mortgage brokerage firms
- Leasing and special financing entities
- Insurance companies
- Securities brokers/dealers
- Creditors' committees
Whether a client needs support in a single specialized area, such as loan documentation and structuring, or requires comprehensive legal counsel across its operations, Saul Ewing attorneys are prepared to respond. Our team includes attorneys with experience in regulatory issues; securities; private equity; venture capital; insurance; real estate; corporate governance; bankruptcy; labor and employment; and general business matters.
Our areas of focus include:
Bankruptcy & Restructuring
We represent lenders and borrowers in various insolvency matters including loan workouts, turnarounds, restructurings, reorganizations, and bankruptcy. We also assist lenders with commercial collections, forbearance, and the enforcement of mortgage liens and security interests.
Capital Markets & Securities
When businesses need to raise capital, launch new products, expand platforms, or optimize their balance sheets, our attorneys assist with forming and offering interests in hedge funds; structuring and executing IPOs, PIPE transactions, and debt offerings; and developing digital asset and cryptocurrency products and platforms. We also advise on CLE/CRE securitizations to finance commercial loan and real estate portfolios, represent broker‑dealers in issuing FINRA‑qualified subordinated debt, and counsel financial organizations on securities transactions and related disclosure obligations, including analyzing whether digital assets constitute ‘securities’ under federal and state law.
Consumer Financial Services Litigation
Our team has significant experience representing banks; financial services companies; student loan servicers; mortgage bankers, brokers and servicers; title companies; pay-day lenders; auto finance companies; and tribal lenders in class and individual actions asserted under various federal and state consumer protection statutes. We defend these matters across the country and also handle state and federal investigations and enforcement actions.
Corporate & Commercial Finance
We have substantial experience with asset-based lending, trade and supply chain finance facilities, UCC Article 9 secured transactions, and EB-5 financing. Our team assists clients with various types of credit facilities, including term loans, revolving lines, letters of credit, secured and unsecured loans, conduit loans, and intercompany debt. In addition, we advise on financing structures such as leveraged and structured financings, mezzanine financings, seller and buy-out financings; syndicated financings and loan participations. We regularly represent mezzanine lenders and venture capital firms in structuring and restructuring debt and equity for new ventures and struggling companies.
Corporate Governance
Our practice includes advising boards and senior management regarding fiduciary duties, governance policies and procedures, regulatory requirements, and compliance oversight. We represent boards of banks and credit unions in contentious elections processes and related regulatory filings. We also handle audits of board of directors' policies and procedures for compliance with best practices. When disputes stemming from governance decisions arise, we defend claims involving derivative actions, challenges to mergers and acquisitions, proxy contests, and other shareholder litigation.
Mergers, Acquisitions & Other Transactions
We represent banks, fintech companies and other financial services organizations in traditional mergers and acquisitions. We also handle "conversion mergers" in which a mutual savings and loan association converts to stock form and then merges into an existing stock savings and loan association. Our practice includes assisting credit unions in charter conversions and counseling nonprofit unregulated trust companies in conversion to for-profit companies.
Public Finance
Our Public Finance attorneys regularly act as underwriter’s counsel, borrower’s counsel, bond counsel and issuer’s counsel on taxable and tax‑exempt financings, including general obligation and revenue bonds, bank direct purchases bonds, liquidity facilities such as letters of credit and standby bond purchase agreements, credit enhancement, variable‑rate and auction‑rate debt, and both public offerings and private placements or rated and unrated debt. We also structure and document financings involving tax credit programs and special tax districts.
Real Estate Finance
Our attorneys assist clients with construction and bridge lending; public-private partnerships (P3); equity and debt financing, including senior, mezzanine and securitized debt products; REIT structures and partnerships; and multifamily project financings through Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. In addition, we advise on financing renewable energy and energy‑efficiency projects, including C‑PACE transactions, often in conjunction with tax credit structures.
