Paul Hastings Expands Finance and Restructuring Practice With Addition of Internationally Recognized Bank Regulatory Team

June 04, 2007

Paul Hastings Expands Finance and Restructuring Practice With Addition of Internationally Recognized Bank Regulatory Team

Atlanta, GA (June 4, 2007) - Paul, Hastings, Janofsky & Walker LLP, a leading international law firm, is pleased to announce that John Douglas and Chris Daniel, previously at Alston & Bird LLP, have joined the firm's finance and restructuring practice, resident in the Atlanta office. Mr. Douglas, formerly the chair of the bank regulatory practice at Alston & Bird LLP and former General Counsel of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, joins as partner. He will lead Paul Hastings' global bank regulatory practice. Mr. Daniel will be joining as Of Counsel.

Douglas and Daniel's practice focuses on the regulation of financial institutions, on mergers and acquisitions and other transactions involving banks and thrifts, and on advising officers, directors and shareholders in such institutions. In addition, Douglas and Daniel head one of the leading payment systems practices in the United States, advising clients on various payment system issues which arise in the context of the increasing electronification of payments such as credit and debit cards, stored value cards, money transmissions, the ACH network and electronic bill payment.

"Adding a top bank regulatory practice is the next strategic step in the expansion of our leading finance and restructuring practice," said John Hilson, Finance and Restructuring Practice Chair. "Douglas is an internationally recognized attorney with unparalleled experience in the regulation of financial institutions. He and his team have deep expertise in bank regulatory matters and are leaders in the rapidly growing payment systems area. The unique combination of their practice capabilities allows us to broaden our service offerings and will enhance the firm's financial services client base."

"I am tremendously excited to join Paul Hastings," says Douglas. "With its premier global platform and commitment to excellence, Paul Hastings presents an incredible opportunity for our team to represent global clients in their most complex and challenging matters."

Douglas has advised financial institutions such as Wachovia Corporation in its acquisition of CoreStates Financial Corp. and First Fidelity Bancorporation and Westcorp. He also assisted Bank of America in its strategic alliance and outsourcing venture to provide electronic bill payment and presentment. He represented a consortium of 18 of the nation's largest banks and a technology company to form the largest provider of home banking services and assisted six major international banks and a card association in the formation of a major global payments processing company.

Douglas is a director of the Financial Services Volunteer Corp., a member of the Financial Markets Tribunal of the Dubai Financial Services Authority, and a member of the Executive Committee of the University of North Carolina Law School's Banking Law Symposium. He has been recognized in Best Lawyers in America, Euromoney's Guide to the World's Best Banking Lawyers, Law Business Research's An International Who's Who of Banking Lawyers and The Financial Times' Who's Who Legal International (Banking). He was recently named to the "BTI Client Service All-Star Team," a group of 113 lawyers recognized for exceptional service to Fortune 100 clients.

Daniel's practice focuses on financial institutions and other companies participating in the nation's banking and payment systems. He regularly advises clients on mergers and acquisitions, bank regulatory matters, and payment systems issues. He is a frequent lecturer on matters relating to payment systems and on issues related to the issuance of stored value cards and data breaches. He serves on the Board of Editors for the Journal of Payment Systems Law.
About Paul Hastings Corporate Practice: Teams of Paul Hastings' corporate lawyers provide clients with the sophisticated, cross-border legal and business expertise they need to finance and operate companies. The firm's Securities and Capital Markets, M&A, Bankruptcy and Restructuring, Lending, Project Finance, Private Equity, and Investment Management practices are nationally and internationally ranked. Paul Hastings' lawyers are experienced in every aspect of modern transactional practice in virtually every industry and service sector. Clients include major financial institutions, domestic, international, public and private companies.

Paul Hastings Janofsky & Walker LLP, founded in 1951, is a leading international law firm with over 1,200 attorneys in 18 offices. The firm serves a diverse client base including many of the leading global financial institutions and Fortune 500 companies and offers deep capabilities in banking and finance, capital markets, corporate/M&A, litigation and dispute resolution, intellectual property, project finance, investment management, real estate, labor and employment and tax advisory services. For additional information, please visit our website at www.paulhastings.com.