In today's rapidly changing financial market, providers of financial services and their investors need a law firm that has a strong history and reputation in the industry, understands its operations and regulatory environment, and helps evaluate the opportunities for operators and investors to respond quickly to the new and complex financial landscape. Jones Walker's Banking & Financial Services attorneys have that history, experience, and capacity. "Chambers USA – America’s Leading Lawyers for Business" has ranked Jones Walker in the first band for Banking & Finance among firms in Louisiana since 2004. Furthermore, with the addition of Miller, Hamilton, Snider & Odom to Jones Walker in 2008 came a fifth-place ranking by SNL Financial, making the firm among the top law firms in the Southeast in banking merger and acquisition transactions in 2007.

Jones Walker's Banking & Financial Services attorneys represent major U.S. domestic and multinational banks and financial services companies. In particular, we represent domestic and foreign commercial banks and bank holding companies; savings associations; private equity, venture, debt and hedge funds; investment banks and other financial institutions and their investors in connection with corporate and securities law; boards of directors and special/independent committees on general corporate governance, conflicts of interest, and various regulatory investigations issues before federal and state supervisory agencies, including the SEC, the DOJ, the FDIC, the Federal Reserve, the Comptroller of the Currency, and the Office of Thrift Supervision.

The group also handles matters relating to debt and equity financing, including securitization; mergers and acquisitions; mutual-to-stock thrift conversions; bank and thrift charter conversions; industry-specific regulatory compliance; fund formation; bankruptcy; distressed debt and workouts; litigation; employee benefits; and taxation.

Jones Walker's Banking & Financial Services attorneys belong to numerous trade and professional organizations. They are often featured as speakers for professional, trade, and business seminars, and are published on a regular basis. In addition, a number of attorneys in the group have held senior positions in various regulatory and supervisory agencies, and therefore have intimate knowledge of the banking and financial services industry and of the regulatory regimes to which the industry and its participants and investors are subject.

• John C. Blackman, IV has served as a bank director with The Ouachita National Bank in Monroe and its successor, Premier Bancorp, Inc. He served as member of the board of directors (member of the executive committee, chairman of the special projects committee and chairman of the compensation committee) and remained in those positions until Premier was sold to Banc One in 1996. 
• Edward B. Crosland served as a staff attorney in the Division of Corporation Finance at the Securities and Exchange Commission. For two years he was assigned to the Senate Banking Committee in connection with its review of the U.S. securities markets at the Securities and Exchange Commission.
• Palmer C. Hamilton served as the Deputy Assistant Comptroller of the Currency, and as Chief of New Bank Chartering in the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, from 1974–1976.
• Regina N. Hamilton served as a corporate trust attorney for Bank One, Louisiana, N.A., where she coordinated legal services for the statewide corporate trust office and managed the central administrative office. Ms. Hamilton served as Branch Chief, Office of Chief Counsel, where she administered the International Affairs Program for the Division of Investment Management, U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, in Washington, D.C. She was an SEC Senior Staff Attorney on the Special Investment Management Task Force, where she developed regulatory programs for international investment companies and advisers.
• Arnold I Havens served as General Counsel for the U.S. Department of the Treasury from 2004–2006.
• H. Gary Pannell served from 1973–1983 as Regional Counsel for the Sixth National Bank Region of the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, and as District Counsel for the Southeastern District of the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, from 1983–2000. He has been a member since 2004 of the Board of Advisors of the North Carolina Banking Institute, and since January 1, 2008, a member of the Board of Directors of the Federal Home Loan Bank of Atlanta.
• Ronald A. Snider served in the regulatory division of the General Counsel's office of the Federal Home Loan Bank Board (predecessor to the U.S. Office of Thrift Supervision), from 1973–1975, and as Assistant Secretary of the Board from 1975–1979.

In addition, we represent a wide variety of other highly regulated financial service businesses, including onshore and offshore insurance and reinsurance companies and producers, including insurance agents, third-party administrators, managing general agents, and brokers; investment companies and investment advisers; pension funds and administrators; and related regulatory bodies.

News

• Musso to Present at "Overdraft Opt-Ins: Protecting Your Bank Under Regulation E"
• Michael D. Waters, Katharine F. Musso, and Holly M. Hicks Join Jones Walker's Banking Practice
• Feldman Admitted to District of Columbia Bar
• Jones Walker Presents Banking Webinar Series: "Weathering the Storm: A Guide to Banking in Uncertain Times"

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Events

• "Overdraft Opt-Ins: Protecting Your Bank Under Regulation E"
• North Carolina Banking Institute