Banking and Finance Law

The FPS banking and finance practice group represents numerous banks and savings and loan institutions advising them on nearly all aspects of their business activities. The focus of the practice group is on advising and supporting clients in all matters involving the lending business, from the structuring of loans to the enforcement of loan collateral in the event of insolvency.

In addition, the practice group has in-depth experience advising clients in the financial services sector. For example, our attorneys have defended clients against claims alleging malpractice liability of investment advisors in class actions, actions that were filed with greater frequency during the financial crisis (e.g., the insolvencies of Lehman Brothers, Phoenix Kapitaldienst, and a securities information service). The firm also advises clients on issues of investment and capital market law.

Other specialties of the FPS banking and finance practice group include leasing and factoring. In addition to developing and structuring lease and lease-purchase agreements for movable assets, FPS attorneys also represent leasing and financing companies before courts and the Federal Financial Services Regulatory Authority (BaFin). Our firm counsels clients on compliance issues and advises on the development and structuring of all types of agreement involving factoring or leasing.

In the regulatory arena our attorneys review whether and, if so, which licenses are required for particular business activities, and they represent institutions in licensing proceedings before the Federal Financial Services Regulatory Authority (BaFin). If licenses have already been issued, we review whether and to what extent the client's business operations are in compliance with applicable regulatory requirements.

FPS is a member of the donors' committee of the Institute for Law and Finance (ILF) at Goethe University Frankfurt am Main.