Advising Financial Institutions in FDIC and OCC Investigations and Enforcement Matters
HMBR offers a team of attorneys with substantial experience counseling and defending banks and other financial institutions in actions brought by government authorities such as the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC), the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) and the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ). Our lawyers harness an in-depth understanding of the financial services industry and the complex regulatory scheme institutions must operate within to help clients respond to high-stakes government investigations and enforcement actions.
When a financial institution is contacted by a government agency in connection with a civil or criminal investigation or other inquiry, HMBR attorneys take immediate action to help the institution resolve the matter as quickly as possible. We routinely assist clients in drafting responses and producing documents and records requested by the FDIC, OCC and other regulatory authorities. Our attorneys also interview and meet with witnesses to ensure our clients are fully prepared for every stage of the agency’s investigation. Our objective is to protect our clients from any negative consequences while bringing the matter to a rapid conclusion.
Once an agency has completed its investigation, our attorneys review the findings and provide detailed recommendations as to what the institution must do to meet the agency’s compliance requirements. Our work often involves helping the client develop and implement new policies and procedures aimed at ensuring compliance with government regulations. We also assist the client in responding to any follow-up investigations initiated by the agency or audits required to monitor compliance.
Conducting Proactive Audits of Banks and Financial Institutions
In addition to representing financial institutions facing government inquiries and enforcement actions, the attorneys in our practice also conduct audits and work with clients to review institutional policies well before any agency involvement takes place. In many situations, when a new law is enacted, our attorneys are called upon help identify the specific steps the financial institution may need to take to ensure that their operations are in compliance with changing regulatory requirements.