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Michael D.
Waters

Position
Partner
Office
Birmingham

Michael Waters is a partner in the Corporate Practice Group. He focuses on issues facing banks, financial institutions, and other financial-services entities.


Mike has practiced corporate and securities law, primarily in the financial institutions area, for more than 30 years. He routinely represents banks, bank holding companies, and other financial entities in acquisitions, capital raising transactions, SEC and shareholder issues, new bank formations, and board fiduciary duty issues. He has advised buyers and sellers in approximately 110 bank mergers and acquisitions, ranging from small community banks to the acquisition of a $34 billion holding company. Mike also advises banks regarding regulatory issues, examinations, compliance, and enforcement proceedings.

Since 1994, Mike has served as an adjunct professor of law at The University of Alabama School of Law, where he taught banking law for 20 years and currently teaches corporate mergers and acquisitions. He speaks frequently at seminars and has written numerous law review articles on banking and securities. He is the author of Proxy Regulation, published in 1992 by the Practising Law Institute.

Mike served as legal advisor to Governor Fob James of Alabama from January 1979 to July 1980.

Noteworthy

  • Mid-South Super Lawyers, Banking (listed 2008–2015 and 2017–2018) 
  • Chambers USA, Banking & Finance: Mainly Regulatory (listed annually since 2013)
  • Birmingham Magazine, "Top Attorneys," Banking Law, Birmingham (2012)
  • Alabama Super Lawyers, Banking and Securities & Corporate Finance (listed annually since 2008)
  • The Best Lawyers in America®, Banking and Finance Law, Corporate Law, and Financial Services Regulation Law (listed annually since 1995)
  • AV Preeminent® Peer Review Rating in Martindale-Hubbell

Publications

  • "To Be or Not to Be Public — that Is the Question!" Jones Walker LLP Banking & Financial Services Newsletter, July 29, 2021
  • "The Inchoate Meaning of 'Covered Security' under the Securities Act of 1933—A Look at a Bank 'in Organization'," American University Business Law Review, June 2021
  • "SEC Modernizes and Codifies Disclosure Requirements for Banking Registrants," Jones Walker LLP Corporate Client Alert, September 29, 2020
  • "Use Caution In Making A Market For Company Stock," Jones Walker LLP Banking & Financial Services Newsletter, July 26, 2018
  • "Cryptocurrency: A New (and Quickly Developing) Method of Finance," Jones Walker LLP Banking & Financial Services Newsletter, April 19, 2018
  • "Use Caution with Loans Secured by Holding Company Stock," Jones Walker LLP Banking & Financial Services Newsletter, September 7, 2017
  • "Bank Fiduciary Duties in a Commercial Transaction," Jones Walker LLP Banking & Financial Services Newsletter, February 16, 2017
  • "Subordinated Debt - An Effective Alternative for Capital," Jones Walker LLP Banking & Financial Services Newsletter, August 18, 2016
  • "Use Caution with Loans Secured by Holding Company Stock," Jones Walker LLP Banking & Financial Services Newsletter, March 3, 2016
  • "Dodd-Frank and Basel III: How Do They Impact Capital At Your Bank?" Banking Traditions, December 1, 2010
  • "Fair Lending Revisited," Banking Traditions, September 1, 2010

Presentations

  • Alabama Bankers Association CEO, Bank Exec and Directors' Conference, Point Clear, Alabama, August 4–7, 2021
  • "Avoiding Potential Pitfalls of Raising Capital," Lorman Education Services, January 26, 2021
  • "Mergers & Acquisitions: After the Deal," Lorman Education Services, July 28, 2020
  • "Reporting Impacts and Updated SEC Guidance Due to COVID-19," Lorman Education Services, April 16, 2020
  • "Trending Board Room Issues," Auburn University’s Bank Directors’ College, February 27, 2020
  • "Subordinated Debt - An Acquisition Funding Alternative," Alabama Bankers Association CEO, Executive Management, and Directors' Conference, August 12, 2016
  • "Common Issues Facing Boards of Directors in Today’s Banking Environment," Auburn University Bank Directors' College, Auburn, Alabama, February 18, 2016
  • "Bank M&A Update" Seminar, New Orleans, Louisiana, October 15, 2015
  • "Bank M&A Update" Seminar, Birmingham, Alabama, October 13, 2015
  • "Merger of Equals" Seminar, Birmingham, Alabama, October 15, 2014
  • "Avoiding Vendor Management Issues" Seminar, New Orleans, Louisiana, Jackson, Mississippi, and Birmingham, Alabama, 2013
  • "Board Duties in the Acquisition Context," The Deal Landscape for Banks, New Orleans, Louisiana, July 29, 2013
  • Jones Walker’s Banking & Financial Services Practice Hosts Birmingham Seminar, Birmingham, Alabama, November 1, 2012
  • Jones Walker Bank Merger Seminar, New Orleans, Louisiana, April 12, 2011
  • "Raising Capital in a Challenging Environment," Weathering the Storm Webinar Series, February 9, 2010

Memberships

  • Alabama Law Foundation, Board of Governors (2018)
  • Alabama Citizens Constitutional Commission, Governor Bob Riley, Member (2003)
  • Alabama Law Institute, Member; Task Force on the Revised Alabama Uniform Securities Act, Chairman (2004–2005)
  • Alabama State Bar, Task Force on Admissions, Chairman (2003–2006); Task Force on Bar Examinations (1997)
  • Alabama State Board of Bar Examiners, Chairman (1991–1994); Member (1987–1994)
  • Birmingham Bar Association
  • District of Columbia Bar
black and white headshot of Michael D. Waters
Birmingham
Suite 1100
420 20th St N
Birmingham, AL 35203
D: 205.244.5210
F: 205.244.5410
Emailmwaters@joneswalker.com

Education

  • The University of Alabama School of Law
    JD, 1977
    Omicron Delta Kappa; Editor, The Journal of the Legal Profession
  • Oxford University, England
    MA, Philosophy, Politics and Economics, 1975
    Rhodes Scholar
  • Duke University
    BA, cum laude, 1972

Bar Admissions

  • Alabama
  • District of Columbia

Related Practices

  • Bank and Bank Holding Company Regulatory, Compliance & Operations
  • Banking & Financial Services Practice
  • Banking & Financial Services Regulatory & Securities
  • Community Banking
  • Corporate
  • Corporate Governance
  • de Novo Banking
  • Equity & Debt Financing
  • Investment Management
  • Securities

Related Industries

  • Banking & Financial Services
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