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Rebecca H. Laird
Rebecca H. Laird

Rebecca H. Laird

Senior Of Counsel
Washington, DC
+1.202.778.9038
Email Rebecca H. Laird @ rebecca.laird@klgates.com
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Rebecca Laird practices in the area of financial institutions law. Her clients are commercial banks, trust companies, savings banks, savings associations, and their holding companies. Her practice includes:

  • Representation of financial institutions before state and federal bank and securities regulatory agencies, including: the Federal Reserve Board, the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, and the Securities and Exchange Commission;
  • Counseling clients on mergers and acquisitions, interstate operations, trust operations, and de novo charters, including limited purpose charters;
  • Advising clients on the sale, offering and design of  deposit and investment products within a financial services company, including brokerage services, sweep accounts, private banking services, and mutual fund and insurance products;
  • Assisting clients in chartering federal or state-chartered trust companies, offering collective investment funds and other trust based services; and
  • Advising clients on providing new banking services which may involve bitcoin, blockchain, or cryptocurrencies.

Prior to joining the firm, Rebecca was General Counsel of the National Council of Savings Institutions, which represented over 600 savings banks and thrift institutions.  Rebecca also served in the Office of General Counsel of the Federal Home Loan Bank Board, where she had the position of Senior Associate General Counsel for Legislative and Regulatory Affairs.

Rebecca is a prior Chairman of the Savings Institutions Law Committee of the Federal Bar Association.  She has authored a publication entitled Mutual Funds:  A Handbook for Bankers.  She was formerly Vice Chairman of the Banking Law Committee of the ABA Administrative Law Section.

  • Recognized in The Best Lawyers in America®  for work in Financial Services Regulation Law, 2022-2023 and 2023-2024
  • American Bar Association (Former Vice Chairman, Administrative Law Section, Banking Law Committee)
  • District of Columbia Bar
  • Women in Housing and Finance (past president)
  • Women in Housing and Finance Foundation (General Counsel) 
Additional Thought Leadership Pages
  • “What Shifting Crypto Policy Means For Banks, Market Players,” Law360, 9 December 2021
  • “Volcker Rule 2.0 is here to stay: Congress refuses to exercise rights under CRA," AIMA Journal Edition 126, June 2021
  • "Volcker Rule Would Limit Bank Relationships with Hedge, Private Equity Funds," Money Manager’s Compliance Guide Newsletter, December 2011
  • "SEC Proposes ‘Volcker Rule'," Money Manager’s Compliance Guide Newsletter, 27 October 2011
  • "Banks Face 'Extremely Demanding' Capital Standards Under Basel III," Westlaw Journal - Bank & Lender Liability, 28 February 2011
  • "IMLA Compliance Steps for Community Banks," Maine Association of Community Banks, December 2001
  • "Banking and Financial Services," Developments in Administrative Law and Regulatory Practice, February 2001
Additional News & Event Pages
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