Our knowledge of bank regulatory issues, financial institutions and financing techniques makes us the first call for covered bond issuances by market participants.
Covered bonds are debt instruments that have recourse either to the issuing entity or to an affiliated group to which the issuing entity belongs, or both, and, upon an issuer default also have recourse to a pool of collateral, called the cover pool, separate from the issuer's other assets. The cover pool consists of high quality assets, including residential-mortgage backed securities, public debt or ship mortgages. Typically, covered bondholders have a privileged or preferential claim (embodied in statute, in Europe) against the cover pool in the event of the issuer's insolvency. By contrast, in a securitization, an investor only has recourse to the special purpose entity that issues the securities and to that issuer's assets, which include the asset pool and its cash flows. From the issuer's perspective, covered bonds remain on the issuer's balance sheet, whereas securitized assets are off balance sheet. Covered bonds are issued by depositary institutions that are regulated entities subject to supervision by domestic banking authorities, which ensures that regulators would step in if a safety and soundness issue were to arise.
We have been involved in nearly $100 billion of covered bond offerings. We draw on our covered bond experience in New York and London and the unique experience of our Washington, D.C. office in dealing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, the Department of Labor, OCC, Federal Reserve and FDIC on regulatory matters critical to covered bonds. We have been actively involved in advising European issuers on U.S. dollar issuances. We have also been an active participant in the development of U.S. covered bond legislation, including discussions with the U.S. Treasury, FDIC, legislators and Capitol Hill staff.
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Download Considerations for Foreign Banks Financing in the US (2014).
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Chambers Asia-Pacific 2018 Asia-Pacific: Capital Markets: Equity China: Capital Markets: Equity: International Firms Japan: Banking & Finance: International Firms Japan: Capital Markets: Domestic Japan: Capital Markets: International: US Law
Chambers Global 2018 Asia-Pacific: Capital Markets: Equity China: Capital Markets: Equity: International firms Japan: Capital Markets: Domestic Japan: Banking & Finance: International Firms Japan: Capital Markets: International: US Law United States: Capital Markets: Debt & Equity United States: Capital Markets: Derivatives
Chambers UK 2018 Debt Capital Markets
Chambers USA 2017 National: Capital Markets: Debt & Equity National: Capital Markets: Derivatives National: Capital Markets: REITS National: Capital Markets: Securitization (Individual Partners Ranked)
Derivatives Week 2013 European Law Firm of the Year
EQDerivatives Awards 2016 Equity Derivatives Law Firm of the Year
Euromoney: The Cover Awards 2012 Editor’s choice for most innovative deal – First SEC-registered Covered Bond (Royal Bank of Canada)
Financial Times: US Innovative Lawyers Overall winner of the Innovation in Social Responsibility category, 2016 One of four firms ranked “Standout” in the category of New Products and Techniques, 2016 One of four firms ranked “Standout” in the category of Enabling Clients Business, 2015 One of five firms ranked “Standout” in the category of Finance, 2012
GlobalCapital Americas Derivatives Awards 2015, 2016, 2017 Americas Law Firm of the Year
GlobalCapital Syndicated Loan, Leveraged Finance and Private Placement Awards 2016 Private Placements Law Firm of the Year
IFLR1000 2018 China: Private Equity – Foreign Firms Hong Kong: Capital Markets: Equity Hong Kong: Capital Markets: Debt Japan: Capital Markets: Equity Japan: Capital Markets: Equity Foreign Firms Japan: Capital Markets: Debt Japan: Capital Markets: Debt Foreign Firms United States: Capital Markets: Debt United States: Capital Markets: Equity United States: Capital Markets: Derivatives United States: Capital Markets: Structured Finance and Securitisation United Kingdom: Capital Markets: Debt United Kingdom: Capital Markets: Derivatives
IFLR Americas Awards Structured Finance and Securitisation Deal of the Year, 2013 Structured Finance and Securitisation Team of the Year, 2015
Legal 500 Asia-Pacific 2018 Japan: Capital markets: International firms and joint venturesHong Kong: Capital markets (equity)
Legal 500 UK 2017 Debt Capital Markets Derivatives and Structured Products
Legal 500 US 2017National: Capital Markets: Debt Offerings: Advice to IssuersNational: Capital Markets: Debt Offerings: Advice to UnderwritersNational: Capital Markets: Equity Offerings: Advice to IssuersNational: Capital Markets: Equity Offerings: Advice to UnderwritersNational: Capital Markets: Global Offerings: Advice to IssuersNational: Capital Markets: Global Offerings: Advice to UnderwritersNational: Structured Finance
M&A Advisors Awards 2012 Debt Financing Deal of the Year – First-ever U.S. Registered Covered Bond (Royal Bank of Canada)
mtn-i Americas Awards 2013 Legal Leader
Operational Risk & Regulation Awards 2013 Law Firm of the Year
StructuredRetailProducts.com 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2017 Best Law Firm in the Americas
Structured Products magazine 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2012, 2014, 2016 Law Firm of the Year, Americas
Thomson Reuters Accelus Compliance Awards 2012, 2014 One of Five Firms Shortlisted for Best Regulatory Law Firm of the Year
U.S. News – Best Lawyers® Best Law Firms 2018 National: Derivatives and Futures Law (Tier 1) National: Securities/Capital Markets Law (Tier 1) National: Securitization and Structured Finance Law (Tier 1) National: Securities Regulation (Tier 1) National: Banking and Finance Law (Tier 1)
US Covered Bonds Blog
Covered Bonds
Covered Bonds Brochure
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