Mark C. Svalina

Mark Svalina serves as counsel to banks, thrifts and other financial services companies, including FinTech, captive finance, and non-bank lending companies, in navigating the legal and regulatory challenges of operating and growing their businesses.

This includes providing practical advice on mergers and acquisitions, corporate finance, capital raising, corporate governance, and launching new products to ensuring compliance with consumer protection laws, privacy regulations and cybersecurity standards.

Mark manages complex regulatory matters, develops sophisticated financial products and facilitates high-stakes transactions, including bank mergers and FinTech acquisitions. In compliance with federal and state consumer finance laws, from the Equal Credit Opportunity Act to the Truth in Lending Act, he responds to and prepares for regulatory examinations and enforcement actions by agencies like the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (FRB), the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC), the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC), the National Credit Union Administration (NCUA) and state regulators.

With a blend of corporate/regulatory depth and financial services experience, Mark understands the operational and strategic pressures clients face. He provides integrated solutions that are not only technically sound but also help minimize risk without hindering momentum and innovation. Mark prioritizes collaboration by bringing together legal, compliance and business stakeholders to ensure aligned decision-making, practical solutions and a balance between legal strategy and the client’s long-term business goals in a cost-effective manner.

Prior to joining Vedder, Mark worked in the Asset Management Group at PNC Bank and as a legal fellow in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court, District of Massachusetts.

Experience

• Represented various publicly traded banks in numerous bank acquisitions that have positioned the client as a market leader in its primary banking markets.
• Assisted in the closing numerous state-level regulatory investigations and enforcement actions for both financial institutions and non-bank lending companies.
• Represented privately held nonbank financial services company in its acquisition of a bank and its resulting designation as a financial holding company engaged in both banking and nonbank financial services activities.
• Advised various captive finance companies on corporate and regulatory/licensing considerations in connection with financing and insurance programs.
• Represented publicly traded banks in strategic acquisition of target institutions, resulting in a significant expansion of the clients' presence in key markets.
• Advised numerous financial institutions on regulatory considerations related to their rollout of commercial and consumer credit card programs.
• Represented banks in Initial Public Offerings of common stock and conversion transactions.
• Assisted financial institutions in negotiating and completing complex asset sales to a nontraditional acquirers.