Clients engaging in financial services mergers and acquisitions require a responsive, industry-savvy team to get the deal done. Our M&A attorneys are skilled in structuring and executing transactions within a complicated regulatory framework. Interdisciplinary teams respond to transactional demands with a creative, solution-oriented approach designed to achieve your business and legal needs.
Alston & Bird understands that decisions made today can have an effect on your business tomorrow. The financial services industry is in constant flux. The M&A attorneys in our Financial Services & Products Group understand this dynamic industry and the unique challenges presented by business combinations in a regulated environment. We have handled a vast array of transactions, including some of the most complex merger transactions in the financial services industry. Our team ranked in the top ten as bank & thrift M&A legal adviser, based on 2022 deal volume and deal value, according to S&P Global Market Intelligence. We also ranked #2 as financial services M&A legal adviser, based on deal volume in 2022 according to GlobalData. We are regarded for our perspective and approach as well as experience, with transactional lawyers who provide broad market perspective and serve as business partners while guiding your strategy and advising on new products and services. We are practical, thoughtful, and responsive.
Financial Services - Mergers & Acquisitions
We serve as day-to-day corporate counsel for a host of players in the financial services arena, including banks, thrifts, mortgage companies, insurance companies, asset management firms, securities and mortgage brokers, credit card issuers and payment system providers, and specialty finance firms . Our work for these clients includes:
- Corporate and regulatory advice
- Capital markets transactions
- Board and committee communications
- Strategic planning
- SEC reporting
- Sarbanes–Oxley and other corporate governance compliance
- Investor relations and activism
- NYSE, Nasdaq, and OTC compliance
We have extensive experience with complex mergers, acquisitions, dispositions, auctions, tender offers, spinoffs, going-private transactions, joint ventures, subchapter S elections, restructurings , and similar transactions for clients.
Our transactional lawyers have deep experience in structuring and executing transactions within a complicated regulatory framework, and we have a long-term record of developing good relationships with the government agencies that regulate the business of our clients. We bring our extensive resources and experience base to the table to advise clients on a broad range of strategic transactions, including:
- Mergers and acquisitions – both public and private
- Branch acquisitions and sales
- Purchases and sales of pools of assets
- Public and private capital raising
- Minority investments, joint ventures, and buyouts
- Regulatory counsel to Avant, a leading financial technology company that gives underserved consumers access to credit, in its acquisition of Zero Financial, Inc. and Level, the company's neobank and design-forward banking app assets.
- Represented Mississippi-based BancorpSouth Bank (NYSE: BXS) in several transactions, including its proposed $2.7 billion merger with Texas-based Cadence Bancorporation, the parent company of Cadence Bank, N.A. At the time of announcement, it was the second largest bank deal of the year. Additional recent deals include its $108.4 million merger with Alabama-based FNS Bancshares, the parent company of FNB Bank, and its $115 million acquisition of Texas-based National United Bancshares, Inc., the parent company of National United.
- Represented Bank First, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Bank First Corporation, in the sale of its Chetek, Wisconsin, branch to Charter Bank, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Charter Bankshares, Inc.
- Represented Beacon Pointe Holdings and its subsidiaries in the merging of its two Registered Investment Advisors (RIAs) into a single RIA operating as Beacon Pointe Advisors LLC, and in its recapitalization with a strategic minority investment by Abry Partners. Subsequently represented Beacon Pointe in several acquisitions, including of Florida-based Ferrell Wealth Management Inc., Louisiana-based CBD Wealth Management, Texas-based D.R. Saur Financial, North Carolina-based DMJ Wealth Advisors, South Carolina-based Capital Design Associates Group LLC, and Texas-based Wealthstreet Investment Advisors.
- Represented Bibby Financial Services in the sale of its North American operations, Bibby Financial Services (Holdings) Inc. (Bibby NAM), to Global Merchant Fund Corp. (GMF), a leading North American provider of financial solutions for middle market companies.
- Represented Brightworth LLC, an Atlanta-based registered investment advisor, in its sale to CI Financial Corp., a diversified global asset and wealth management company.
- Represented Louisiana-based Business First Bancshares, Inc., in its $211 million acquisition of Louisiana-based Pedestal Bancshares, Inc.
- Represented CAPTRUST Financial Advisors, the largest registered investment advisor in the United States, in a 25% minority growth investment in the company by GTCR, a Chicago-based private equity firm, at a $1.25 billion enterprise value.
- Represented San Diego-based registered investment advisor firm Dowling & Yahnke LLC in its acquisition by Toronto-based CI Financial Corp., a global asset management and wealth management advisory firm.
- Represented Fifth Third Bancorp in its acquisition of Hammond Hanlon Camp LLC, a premier strategic advisory and investment banking firm focused on hospitals, health systems, and related organizations.
- Represented Tennessee-based Franklin Financial Network, Inc., parent company of Franklin Synergy Bank, in its $611 million merger with Tennessee-based FB Financial Corporation, parent company of FirstBank.
- Represented Hancock Whitney Corporation, a super-regional financial services and banking company, in its $497 million sale of energy loans to certain funds and accounts managed by Oaktree Capital Management L.P., a leading global private equity investment group.
- Represented Happy State Bank in its acquisition of Muleshoe Bancshares, Inc. and its subsidiary bank, First Bank of Muleshoe, through a series of mergers.
- Represented Pathstone, an independently operated, partner-owned wealth management advisory firm, in its acquisition of Cornerstone Capital Group, an SEC registered investment advisor.
- Represented Seacoast Banking Corporation of Florida in its $63 million acquisition of Fourth Street Banking Co., the holding company for Freedom Bank of St. Petersburg.
- Represented Snyder Holding Company in its acquisition of West Texas State Bank.
- Represented Texas Hill Country Bancshares, Inc., the parent company of Texas Hill Country Bank, in its merger with Southwest Bancshares Inc., the parent company for the Bank of San Antonio, and Capitol of Texas Bancshares Inc., the parent company of The Bank of Austin.
- Represented Truist Bank in the sale of its institutional 401(k) investment advisory services business to OneDigital Investment Advisors, and in the sale of its institutional 401(k) recordkeeping businesses to Ascensus and Empower Retirement.
Highlights
Terra Property Trust and Western Asset Mortgage Capital Announce Merger
Alston & Bird represented Terra Property Trust, an externally managed real estate investment trust (REIT) that originates, invests in, and manages loans and assets secured by commercial real estate, in its definitive merger agreement with Western Asset Mortgage Capital Corporation, an externally managed REIT that invests in, finances, and manages a portfolio of real-estate-related securities, whole loans, and other financial assets.
Modern Wealth Management Launches with Equity Financing from Crestview Partners
Alston & Bird represented Modern Wealth Management, a national registered investment advisory (RIA) firm, in its launch with an investment of $200 million from funds managed by Crestview Partners.