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Banks

The banking industry is adept at navigating change and driving innovation, something we have been supporting our clients in this sector with for over 90 years.

Whether it’s helping banks achieve ground-breaking, market first transactions such as advising a multinational financial institution on the first ever end-to-end blockchain bond issuance to helping banks navigate the regulatory change landscape by transitioning away from IBOR, Allen & Overy has built up a considerable track record of advising banks on a broad spectrum of complex, cross-border transactions and strategic mandates.  By applying a sector lens to our fully integrated, multi-disciplinary team of lawyers and consultants, we can provide our clients with in-depth knowledge of their industry, the local regulatory frameworks under which they operate and the impact that market developments have on their businesses, anywhere in the world.

The team comprises of experts across the full spectrum of banking, finance and capital markets work as well as specialists in regulatory, dispute resolution, antitrust, employment, IP, data privacy, cybersecurity, M&A and tax. We are also the only law firm with an integrated team of former regulators and consultants from the ‘Big 4’ who can advise the senior management teams at the banks on governance, corporate purpose and culture, conduct, compliance and operational risk, regulatory advisory and business transformation.

Our integrated capability, coupled with our ability to deliver legal services efficiently via the suite of technology and alternative resourcing models available on our Advanced Delivery & Solutions platform, means we are well placed to offer our banking clients cutting edge, end-to-end solutions which enable them to respond to complex issues.

Our experience

Asia’s first blue bond

Asia’s first blue bond

the lead managers on Bank of China’s inaugural dual-currency blue bond offering, the first blue bond issuance in Asia and the fourth such issuance globally. A&O was awarded ‘ESG Deal of the Year’ at the IFLR Asia-Pacific Awards 2021 for our role on this deal.
British American Tobacco

British American Tobacco

a syndicate of 21 lenders on a GBP6 billion revolving credit facility for British American Tobacco which represented the world’s first multicurrency loan agreement to incorporate both the Sterling Overnight Index Average ("SONIA") and the Secured Overnight Financing Rate ("SOFR") – the emerging standard reference rates intended to replace LIBOR for sterling and USD loans respectively.
IBOR

IBOR

a number of banks on the transition from IBOR using our proprietary, AI-based end-to-end solution IBORMatrixTM. 
CEO of an investment bank

CEO of an investment bank

on the effectiveness of its executive governance framework. 
ESG litigation risk

ESG litigation risk

a global financial institution on emerging litigation risk regarding the environmental and social impacts of projects to which it lends or provides advisory services.
Cyber-security planning

Cyber-security planning

a U.S bank on developing a pro-active strategy for responding to cyber-attacks, including participation in wargames and preparation of court papers for the purpose of pursuing remedies through the courts.
Sanctions

Sanctions

A global financial institution on various sanctions issues, including most recently in relation to the implication of Russian sanctions. We also advised various banks on their exit from Russia. 

Ring-fencing

Ring-fencing

a global retail and investment bank on the ring-fencing of its retail operations which included the restructuring of its global intellectual property portfolio, including legal, regulatory and tax advice on the ownership and licensing of the group’s intellectual property.
Global FX investigation

Global FX investigation

a global financial institution on the global FX investigation by enforcement and regulatory authorities from nine jurisdictions including the U.S., the UK, Australia, Singapore and Hong Kong and in follow-on damages actions in the U.S. relating to similar alleged conduct that have been consolidated in the U.S. District Court in the Southern District of New York. 

Meet the next big thing

A group of young people attending a Fuse presentation

Explore the digital asset companies joining Cohort 7 of Fuse, Allen & Overy’s tech innovation hub

News and insights

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Publications: 13 March 2024

Surge in EU and UK private antitrust damages actions continues

The EU Private Damages Directive (PDD) has made it easier for claimants to obtain damages for antitrust violations, often exceeding the regulatory fines imposed on the infringers. This has led to a…

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Stock exchange market graph on a digital screen

Publications: 13 March 2024

Cartel enforcement tops the antitrust agenda

Overall, global fines for cartel activity in 2023 (USD1.9 billion) were broadly in line with the 2022 total (USD2.1bn). However, regulators in the EU recorded significant drops in actual fine levels,…

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Publications: 05 March 2024

Private Markets Global Trends 2024

Private markets have shown remarkable resilience and innovation in the face of unprecedented challenges and opportunities in the past few years. From the pandemic to the digital transformation, from…

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Publications: 13 December 2023

Search for scale and specialist expertise point to increased dealmaking among asset managers

A combination of defensive and offensive M&A is set to reshape the asset management industry. Here we explain what’s behind the trend – and outline the nuances of these often tricky deals.

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