Courtney Bradford Pike
Associate – Debevoise & Plimpton LLP
Description of field of expertise
Courtney Bradford Pike is a corporate associate and a member of the Financial Institutions Group at Debevoise & Plimpton. Her practice focuses on banking regulatory, transactional and compliance matters. Specifically, her practice involves counseling domestic and foreign clients on the statutes, regulations and guidance of federal and state banking agencies, including issues involving the Banking Holding Company Act, permissible activities, structure and control issues, charter conversions, Volcker Rule compliance, affiliate transactions, third-party relationships and crypto, fintech and cybersecurity issues. In addition, she advises on, manages, and prepares regulatory applications for de novo institutions and activities, bank holding companies, business combinations, charter conversions, equity investments, fiduciary powers, as well as licensing and compliance considerations for fintechs, bank and non-bank financial services providers.
In the deal context, she advises on regulatory and supervisory expectations in deal documents for equity investments, bank mergers, and other acquisitions of financial services providers, including with respect to Bank Holding Company Act and control issues, OCC and FDIC regulations, third-party risk management and Volcker Rule compliance. Her corporate experience includes drafting deal documents for business combinations and equity investments in funds, including private equity and venture capital fund and the establishment of funds by banking organizations; advising on governance issues, including relating to business combinations, new initiatives and responses to regulatory inquiries; and drafting board materials.
Courtney is passionate about assisting her clients on all aspects of bank regulatory and corporate matters and providing her clients a range of solutions and options when evaluating a potential transaction. She works to deliver the most optimal outcome for her clients, including by being a dedicated advocate on behalf of her clients to federal and state regulators.
What advice would you offer to new attorneys interested in your field?
I always recommend learning as much as you can and (almost) always saying yes to new opportunities. Be engaged and curious. Read bank regulatory blogs, law firm client updates and news articles, listen to podcasts, get involved with the local bar associations, attend legal conferences early and often and follow journalists and key representatives on Twitter. Also, making friends with clients is a really great way to learn more about how many of the rules and guidance impact them on a day-to-day and can help you learn more about the pressure points for them so you can become an invaluable ally and adviser. I also recommend reading and understanding business generally as well as your clients’ business / areas of focus. Don’t be afraid to ask more seasoned lawyers for help (and always ask for feedback)!
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