FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS

Banking law comprises a major part of the Watkins Ludlam Winter & Stennis, P.A., business practice.  The Firm represents numerous financial institutions (including state and national commercial banks, state and federal savings institutions and small loan companies) throughout Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi and Oklahoma. The Firm also represents holding companies owning financial institutions, and helped establish many of these holding companies. Forums include the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve, Comptroller of the Currency, Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, state banking departments and Office of Thrift Supervision.

Our Firm advises clients with regard to the full range of state and federal statutes and regulations applicable to financial institutions. We provide assistance in structuring financial institution corporate transactions such as mergers and acquisitions. We have represented financial institution clients in new incorporations, establishment of new branches, opposition to competitors' applications to establish new branches, purchase and sale of financial institutions, purchase and sale of assets, development of form documents, and in dealing with the varied day to day legal issues arising in the conduct of the business of financial institutions, such as Truth-in-Lending, Usury, the Uniform Commercial Code and the structure and documentation of loan transactions.

The Firm's attorneys often assist in the representation of financial institutions in litigation in state and federal courts. Such litigation has included antitrust, securities, UCC and regulatory control issues.

The Firm's success in this area is reflected by its formation of Mississippi's first bank holding company and the creation of a state-based, student loan secondary market. Since statewide banking was approved in 1986, the attorneys in this area of practice have represented either the purchaser or seller in a majority of the largest bank acquisitions in Mississippi as well as many acquisitions throughout Alabama, Louisiana and Oklahoma. The Firm has consistently ranked in the top 15 firms in the nation based on the number of banking  mergers handled. The Firm represents more than 100 banks and savings institutions in four countries, including some of the largest banks in Louisiana and Mississippi.

The Firm serves as counsel to the Bankers Compliance Task Force, an association of compliance officers of state and national banks. The Firm assists this organization in keeping its members abreast of the numerous consumer compliance regulations affecting the financial institution industry.

Attorneys

Anson (Bob) Chunn
April D. Reeves
Craig N. Landrum
Douglas T. Miracle
H. Mitchell Cowan
J. Andrew Gipson
Katharine M. Samson
L. Keith Parsons
Laura L. Gibbes

Non-Attorney Representative

Carroll Ann Tornabene