Full-Service Law Firm solving complex challenges through bold thinking, precise execution, and shared purpose.

Full Service Law Firm | Michael Best & Friedrich LLP

Specializing in the Intersection of Business &amp; Government

Meet our team of trusted advisors, strategic thinkers, and community builders dedicated to client success.

Learn about our full-service legal and business solutions, designed to address complex challenges for leading organizations across industries.

Access thought leadership, news, and resources to stay informed about the latest trends, legal developments, and industry innovations.

Discover how partnership, bold thinking, and precise execution drive results for clients nationwide.

Explore how our national reach and local expertise support clients across the United States and beyond.

Grow at a firm designed to bring out your best.

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Navigate Banking and Financial Complexity with Industry-Focused Counsel

The banking and financial services industry has never been more complex, competitive, or closely scrutinized. You need counsel that understands the law, dynamics, regulatory trends, and expectations of customers. As a full-service law firm, we provide seamless, business-forward representation across the entire lifecycle of legal and regulatory issues. We serve regional, national, and global clients, including holding companies, banks, thrifts, credit unions, trust companies, mutual funds, mezzanine lenders, private equity firms, and insurance companies. Our multidisciplinary team partners with you to help you grow and thrive while staying ahead of regulatory changes.

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Michael Best's Banking &amp; Finance Practice was ranked Band 2 in Wisconsin.

Chambers &amp; Partners

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Our approach is grounded in responsiveness, clear communication, and measurable outcomes. We offer coordinated support across disciplines, connecting you to one team for all your legal matters. Chambers has repeatedly recognized our team’s ability to handle the full spectrum of lending and transactional matters including our strengths in distressed financing, regulatory compliance, New Markets Tax Credit and tax increment financing, creditors’ rights, reorganizations and workouts, and derivatives matters. We translate that experience into actionable guidance that advances your priorities.

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End-to-End Support Across Your Full Risk and Growth Agenda

Blockchain, Digital Currencies &amp; Smart Contracts 

Get the counsel you need to help your company adopt, invest in, create technical solutions around, and navigate the regulatory landscape of blockchain and distributed ledger technology.

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Commercial Finance &amp; Lending 

We partner with you to help answer your questions regarding the full range of financing and lending transactions, including: revolving and term loans, secured transactions (including asset-based lending, equipment leasing and floor plan financing, and aircraft and vessel financing), commercial mortgage and construction loans, ESOP loans, intercreditor agreements, loan syndications, and participations, New Market Tax Credit financings, Mezzanine loans, leveraged buyouts, private equity and venture capital financings, letters of credit and reimbursement agreements, agricultural and other specialty finance, and the purchase and sale of individual loans and loan portfolios.

Commercial Litigation 

We have a proven track record representing lenders and other financial service providers in matters ranging from commercial foreclosures and collateral replevin to FDIC receiverships, complex Chapter 11 bankruptcies, and insurance company insolvencies and rehabilitations. We have also successfully defended banks and their officers against allegations of fraud and non-conforming lending practices. We know the banking and financial services landscape and use that knowledge to inform practical litigation strategies.

Creditors’ Rights, Bankruptcy, Reorganizations &amp; Workouts 

Our attorneys are experienced in helping our clients navigate tumultuous situations involving businesses in financial distress and achieve favorable outcomes.

Derivatives

We advise dealers and end users on a full range of derivative products throughout the entire derivatives lifecycle, from the structuring and documenting of transactions to enforcement.

Equipment Leasing &amp; Finance 

Although leasing and finance companies work diligently to protect themselves through their underwriting process, defaults and disputes still happen. When they do, our experienced legal team can work with you to obtain a successful resolution. We have extensive experience in successfully obtaining possession of equipment so that it can be auctioned, litigating and settling cases in a cost-effective manner, and obtaining successful decisions at trial.

Financial Institution Regulatory Law 

We assist a cross-section of banking &amp; financial services organizations in complying with the complex and changing regulations imposed by state and federal governments. Our attorneys are well versed in compliance and regulatory issues, including consultation with the Federal Reserve, Office of the Comptroller of Currency, FDIC, and Wisconsin Department of Financial Institutions.

Government Investigations 

Our team, led by former federal prosecutors, has extensive experience handling sensitive government and internal investigations and maintains a strong record of successfully resolving regulatory and criminal matters. We assist banking &amp; financial services industry clients with all facets of regulatory enforcement investigations, corporate criminal defense, civil litigation, grand jury proceedings, corporate internal investigations, risk assessment, and compliance counseling.

Insurance Coverage Litigation and Insurance Industry Rehabilitation 

We regularly represent admitted and non-admitted carriers, re-insurers, health insurers, trustees, and other insurance industry clients in a range of areas, including:

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Directors’ and Officers’ insurance coverage disputes, both as coverage counsel to the insurer and defending bank and other corporate boards and directors under such policies

Export credit insurance coverage analysis and collection claims

Subrogation claims, including “make whole” remedies under ERISA plans

Multiemployer pension and health plan liability

Jointly administered Taft-Hartley plan disputes and deadlocks between trustees

Insurance company rehabilitation proceedings, serving as litigation and tax counsel to the regulator, lead litigation counsel for the subject insurer or creditors’/policyholders’ counsel.

Privacy &amp; Cybersecurity 

Our team provides legal counseling to assist you with risk mitigation strategies across your enterprise, helping you stay ahead of emerging threats. We have real-world experience with the ways privacy and cybersecurity affect the banking &amp; financial services industry, including on issues related to the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act (GLBA), Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA), as well as privacy programs and cybersecurity guidance through state to national regulations.

Won court approval of a $5 billion debt exchange transaction to facilitate a successful exit of the Segregated Account of Ambac Assurance Corp. from an insurance rehabilitation, the largest in Wisconsin history.*

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Represented a regional financial services company on credit facilities to a large agricultural borrower for its capital needs and future operations. The transaction combined a refinance with new additional credit commitments, and included term and borrowing base revolving credit facilities. Our team provided all representation to the lender, including due diligence, drafting, negotiating, and coordinating execution of loan documents. Our work involved issues unique to production agriculture, including the impact of state agricultural liens, the federal Perishable Agricultural Commodities Act trust provisions, water rights, and hedging arrangements.

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Represented a financial services holding company on a commercial real estate construction loan for a 400-unit apartment development with 750 parking spaces in Grandville, Michigan. We provided all representation to the lender, including drafting, negotiating, and coordinating execution of the loan documents for this new customer—the largest developer of multi-family residential properties in Western Michigan.

Defended a multinational banking and financial services company in a state court residential foreclosure case in which the borrower filed counterclaims for misrepresentation and violations of federal regulations governing loan modifications. At trial, after the close of the borrowers’ case, we moved to dismiss for lack of evidence. The court granted our motion and dismissed all claims against our client.

Represented a national bank in recovering $10 million from the FDIC related to a failed correspondent bank under receivership.

Work with clients making title insurance claims for insured policy risks and defaults under closing Protection letters.

*<em>Disclaimer: OCI retained Michael Best in this case pursuant to its procurement protocols after issuance of a Request for Qualifications; selection of the firm as counsel is not an endorsement by the state of Wisconsin or any state agency.</em>

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Banking & Financial Services

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Key Contact

Trending Conversations for Banking & Financial Services

We’ve Seen Your Contracts From Both Sides. Here’s What We Know.

Wait, what? Fannie Mae changed the rules on Non-Profit owner/developer’s giving Community seconds?

Destiney Parker-Thompson Featured in the ABI Law Journal’s November 2025 Issue

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