Financial Services/Banking Law

Gallagher, Callahan & Gartrell is a recognized leader in serving the general and special needs of banks, trust companies, non-bank lenders/brokers, insurance companies, and securities brokerage firms in local, state and federal matters. For more than 30 years, we have represented financial services clients through times of dramatic market and regulatory change and intensive competition on leading-edge issues.

The firm was awarded metropolitan first-tier rankings in the 2011-2012 publication of U.S. News – Best Lawyers “Best Law Firms” Rankings, including a first-tier ranking in banking and finance law, and financial services regulation law.

As counsel to the New Hampshire Bankers Association (NHBA), and working with the firm's regulatory specialists and Government Relations/Lobbying team, our attorneys helped to draft and pass many of the laws and regulations affecting recent industry changes. Our in-depth understanding of this dynamic arena enables us to strategically partner with clients for purposes of identifying business opportunities to expand service offerings, develop new products, and reorganize companies for competitive advantage and success.

We stay in front of the increasing and evolving issues impacting financial institutions, such as:

• Corporate governance
• Risk management
• Regulatory compliance
• Outsourcing and vendor management
• Increased scope of regulatory examinations
• Electronic and emerging delivery channels.

We participate in a wide variety of regional, state and local industry collaborative meetings and events, including Federal Reserve Bank of Boston New England Consumer Advisory Group, NHBA committees, Community Bankers Association of NH, NH Estate Planning Council, Vermont Bankers Association, Maine Association of Community Banks, various bank compliance associations, and safe deposit box association meetings, to stay abreast of real-world issues affecting our clients.

Comprehensive Services

• Corporate governance
• Regulatory compliance
• Stock and mutual bank holding companies
• Formations, conversions and reorganizations
• Commercial lending
• Tax advantaged investing
• Loan asset acquisition and sales
• Workouts and loan modifications
• Insurance and non-depository products
• Insurance agency acquisitions
• Securities offerings and repurchase agreements
• Chartering financial service firms
• Joint ventures
• Trust/fiduciary services
• Data security
• Intellectual property
  

Representative Engagements

Recent engagements include advising and representing:

• More than 80 financial institutions in negotiations to secure sub-license agreements for ATM operations resulting from Automated Transactions LLC patent infringement claims
• State-chartered bank involving its response to an adverse safety and soundness exam
• State and federally chartered banks in conforming their repurchase agreements to comply with new sweep account provisions
• Target and acquiring state-chartered and national banks in merger transactions
• Banks on the requirements of the new Obama Home Affordable loan modification program
• Bank in a loan workout involving a 55+ retirement condominium community
• New Hampshire Bankers Association with respect to state counterpart legislation to the federal S.A.F.E. Act
• State and federally chartered mutual banks to modernize and conform bylaws to industry best practices.