William Stern is a partner in the firm’s Business Law Department, where he is a member of the Financial Services Group. Mr. Stern works on a variety of transactional and regulatory matters for Goodwin Procter’s financial services clients, with particular emphasis on transactions involving the creation of new bank charters and charter conversions and assisting clients in choosing and structuring the most appropriate bank charter for their business needs.

Mr. Stern advises clients on bank regulatory matters relating to domestic and foreign investments and activities, including merchant banking and other types of passive investments, personal and real property leasing, lending, captive reinsurance, trust department and other asset management operations, and other types of financial activities. He also counsels clients on regulatory issues related to transactions between banks and affiliates, risk-based capital, structuring and operating pooled investment vehicles, bank mergers and acquisitions and other bank-related corporate transactions.

Work for Clients

Mr. Stern has worked extensively with insurance companies, securities firms and other nonbank financial services providers to establish limited purpose trust banks and other nontraditional vehicles for providing fiduciary and asset management services. He has also worked with Goodwin Procter’s bank holding company and financial holding company clients and with foreign banks to structure their banking and nonbanking operations in the United States and abroad in conformity with U.S. banking law and to complete bank merger and acquisition transactions. Mr. Stern has regular contact with officials at federal and state bank regulatory agencies, including the Federal Reserve System, the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, the Office of Thrift Supervision, and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation.

Professional Activities

Mr. Stern has been selected for inclusion in Chambers USA: America’s Leading Lawyers for Business and The Best Lawyers in America.

Publications/Presentations

Mr. Stern contributes regularly to Goodwin Procter’s weekly financial services newsletter, the Financial Services Alert.

Bar and Court Admissions

Mr. Stern is admitted to practice in New York and Massachusetts.

Education

J.D., George Washington University, 1996 (with high honors)
B.A., Hamilton College, 1993 (summa cum laude)