John T. Collins

John T. Collins is a partner with the Washington-based law firm of Steptoe & Johnson LLP, where he is a member of the Corporate, Securities and Finance practice group and Regulatory & Industry Affairs Department. Mr. Collins counsels banks, savings associations, securities firms, mutual funds, insurance companies and other types of US and foreign financial organizations on regulatory, acquisition, enforcement, interpretive and legislative matters. Specific representations have involved charters for banks, compliance with securities laws by bank mutual funds, implementation of corporate governance policies, investigations under anti-money laundering requirements, acquisitions of US financial institutions by US and non-US banking organizations, compliance programs under financial privacy standards, and organization of electronic payment networks. With the rapid development of electronic banking, Mr. Collins has been increasingly involved in this area of practice. Mr. Collins has also counseled banking organizations on the development of lending and operational policies designed to comply with federal and state regulatory requirements. He has also represented individuals and banking organizations in enforcement matters initiated by federal bank regulatory agencies. His regulatory and enforcement practice includes representations of clients before, for example, the Federal Reserve, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, the Office of Thrift Supervision and the Securities and Exchange Commission. Mr. Collins represents trade associations and individual clients before the US Congress in connection with legislative and oversight matters, such as financial reform and modernization legislation, anti-money laundering standards, the treatment of international banks in the US, Federal Home Loan Bank modernization legislation, budget and appropriations matters, Congressional investigations, personal privacy and other consumer protection requirements, and the establishment of new prudential standards for banking organizations. These representations include counseling clients regarding legislative procedures, advocacy before Senators, Members of Congress and staff, as well as drafting amendments and other legislative language. An important part of a successful legislative practice is personal contacts, and by virtue of his years of experience as a senior Senate Committee staff member and in private legislative practice, Mr. Collins has developed extensive Congressional contacts. Prior to joining Steptoe & Johnson LLP in 1985, Mr. Collins was General Counsel to the US Senate Banking Committee. He had previously been a Senior Attorney at the Federal Reserve Board here in Washington and, prior to that, a Staff Attorney with the Securities & Exchange Commission, also in Washington.