Gentry Locke’s experience in banking and finance allows us to help our clients effectively navigate today’s financial and regulatory landscape.

As the way business is conducted continues to change, so do the nature of legal arrangements. Our team stays abreast of these developments and serves as trusted advisors to our clients.

We play a key role in advising management and the boards of directors of bank holding companies and community banks on compliance issues such as fiduciary duties, stock issuance, conflicts disclosures, voting, and employment matters.

Our banking clients look to us to structure, document and negotiate a wide variety of lending transactions, including:

• Asset-based loans
• Participations
• Syndications
• Tax-exempt financings
• Secured or unsecured lending facilities

Banks and bank holding companies have confidence in our ability to guide them through the maze of regulatory compliance issues and filing requirements associated with creating a new bank.

This is a process that is susceptible to errors, which can delay openings and increase cost. Our team is here to make sure that things go smoothly, efficiently, and cost-effectively.

To conduct this work for our clients, we are in constant contact with federal and state regulatory agencies, including the Virginia Bureau of Financial Institutions, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC), the Federal Reserve Bank, and the Comptroller of the Currency.Best Lawyers “Best Law Firms”

Based on our experience and outcomes, for several years our Banking & Finance practice has received top Roanoke area rankings from “Best Lawyers Best Law Firms,” which is awarded each year by U.S. News & World Report and Best Lawyers.

We encourage you to review our Banking & Finance attorneys’ personal pages for additional information and then contact us to discuss your company’s legal needs.

Bank Formation & Regulation

The banking practice group at Gentry Locke Attorneys ensures that new and existing financial institutions have a sound foundation and are compliant with the federal and state authorities who oversee this highly regulated industry.

We have experience in providing the following services to our clients:

• Chartering new national and state banks and savings associations
• Formation of bank holding companies
• Merging and acquiring banks and their holding companies
• Engaging in stock repurchases, tender offers, proxy contests, reverse stock splits, strategic planning, and other shareholder ownership issues
• Represent sellers, purchasers and investors in connection with stock acquisitions, mergers and purchase and assumption transactions
• Assist clients in structuring their entry into nontraditional activities as they seek to enhance profitability and customer relationships
• Advise existing and newly formed institutions and holding companies in raising capital through private and public offerings of equity and debt securities
• Routinely make filings to comply with various securities rules and regulations of the SEC, OCC and the FDIC, as well as state blue sky laws

Banking & Lender Liability

Gentry Locke attorneys have extensive experience in representing banks and financial institutions in litigation and creditors’ rights matters. We have developed extensive expertise in bank operations and lending practices issues, which include:

• Evaluation and innovative resolution of claims
• Identification of sources of insurance coverage to protect financial institutions
• Collection of amounts owed
• Enforcement of security documents
• Defense of borrower claims
• Resolution of disputes involving check handling, letters of credit, loan syndication, intercreditor agreements, joint accounts, and other matters
• Assistance in developing and implementing risk management practices and procedures to enhance effective creditors’ rights efforts

Commercial Lending

Attorneys at Gentry Locke have the depth, experience and resources to ensure that our lending clients succeed in understanding, documenting and executing complex transactions. Our diligence extends to alerting clients to and balancing regulatory requirements and implementing sound credit policies.

We assist clients in the following:

• Pre-transaction diligence and structuring
• Transaction diligence and documentation from term sheet through transaction consummation and administration
• Problem loan resolution — restructurings, work-outs and insolvency matters
• Advice and representation regarding lender liability matters