Non-Banking Activity Approvals

We advise financial holding companies and bank holding companies in the process and procedural requirements for engaging in permissible "non-banking" financial activities. We advise and assist our clients in regulatory requirements and notification in connection with these activities.

We counsel clients on the regulatory aspects of financial activities permissible under the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act - most notably, merchant banking investment opportunities. Additionally, counsel has provided advice on affiliate transactions and anti-tying issues under the Bank Holding Company Act.

Related Practices

Representative Transactions

• We have filed elections for foreign and domestic bank and holding companies to become financial holding companies.
• The firm has prepared and submitted applications or notifications with respect to engaging in derivatives and hedging activities (including with respect to oil and gas reserves).
• We have submitted regulatory applications or notifications for engaging in credit card merchant acquisition activities as well as community development, data processing activities, tax counseling and preparation services, insurance and discount brokerage activities.
• Chapman attorneys have obtained regulatory approval for a "finder's activity" for an online auction marketplace.
• We also assisted in establishing subsidiaries of holding companies for defaulted debt, real estate and leveraged leasing, credit card processing, data processing and other permissible activities.
• The firm has obtained approvals for joint ventures between financial organizations.