Financial Services

Chris Allen is a partner in the firm’s financial services group, where he represents clients in a broad range of regulatory and investigative matters before federal and state government agencies. Mr. Allen’s practice focuses on counseling and representing financial institutions and their directors and officers in enforcement-related matters before the federal banking agencies. Mr. Allen also advises clients on a variety of compliance matters, such as Bank Secrecy Act/anti-money laundering compliance, state and federal money-transmitter licensing, fair-lending investigations, and consumer-protection matters, among others. He also has experience conducting internal investigations and has participated in international free-trade negotiations.

Mr. Allen has extensive experience representing clients in enforcement matters before the federal bank regulatory agencies, including the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC), the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC), the Office of Thrift Supervision (OTS), and the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network. These matters have included the negotiation of Memoranda of Understanding, Formal Agreements, Cease and Desist Orders, Removal and Prohibition Actions, and Civil Money Penalty assessments. He has assisted institutions in responding to Supervisory Directives and other regulatory mandates. Additionally, Mr. Allen advises clients on understanding the impact of enforcement actions on their operations, such as golden parachute restrictions and prior-approval requirements for changes to officers and directors. Mr. Allen also regularly assists clients with responding to Reports of Examination, including appeals of supervisory determinations to the OCC and OTS Ombudsmen and the FDIC Supervisory and Appeals Review Committee.

Mr. Allen is a member of the firm’s Pro Bono Committee.