Agenda

Wednesday, March 26

Registered attendees for The ABCs of Banking Law and the Banking Institute will receive an invitation with more details from Kane Russell.

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Thursday, March 27

Fintechs need banks and many banks need fintechs. While regulators have historically exercised caution and addressed BaaS innovation through formal guidance and informal guidance through enforcement orders, the collapse of Synapse Financial Technologies in 2024 exemplifies the significant challenges faced by banks, fintechs and consumers under the BaaS model. This panel will address the changing regulatory landscape faced by banks and fintechs to ensure that BaaS can be provided to consumers in a safe and sound manner.

In a series of recent decisions, the Supreme Court has changed the regulatory landscape for financial institutions. The extent of federal preemption of state laws, the deference accorded regulators for statutory interpretation, the length of time in which to challenge regulations, the scope of arbitrary and capricious, and even the validity of administrative enforcement have all been fundamentally affected by the recent rulings. The rebalancing of the administrative state created by the confluence of these decisions has spawned litigation, regulatory and legislative action that may continue for years to come. The panel will also discuss the potential impact of the Department of Government Efficiency as well as the Trump Administration’s efforts to change the civil service system, including the concept of a Schedule F, exempting certain positions from employment protection.

A panel of nationally recognized regulatory counsel, from preeminent law firms, in-house leaders and academia, will provide insights into the opinions and advice on how to manage a changed world.

2025 is ushering in a new administration, and with Republicans in control, changes focused on deregulation and growth are expected in banking regulation and supervision. What types of changes? Attend our panel to find out.

Our panelists include current and former staff of the House Financial Services Committee, Senate Banking Committee, Treasury, and the federal banking agencies.

The opportunity to mix and mingle with the participants, including the program speakers and the law students who produced the North Carolina Banking Institute journal is always a highlight of the Banking Institute.

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Friday, March 28

This panel will discuss the rise of private credit, the competitive impact on banks, and the emerging funding and sourcing partnerships between the sectors.

The Clifford Distinguished Lecture on Consumer Law was established by the UNC School of Law and friends following Professor Clifford’s death. Donald Clifford was the Aubrey L. Brooks Professor and served as a faculty member of Carolina Law from 1964 to 2004, specializing in commercial and consumer law.  He founded the law school’s very successful Festival of Legal Learning and served as a member of the Board of Advisors for the Center for Banking and Finance.

Bank mergers are a hot topic among policy makers, C-suite executives, and stakeholder groups. Moderated by the CLO of First Citizens Bank, this panel will comment on existing and expected merger policy with the new administration, share tips gleaned from past M&A activity, and offer perspective from a former regulator, a Washington-based bank policy attorney, and a bank CLO/CRO.

In the Beischer Challenge, George and Susan Beischer agreed to match up to $1 million of gifts and pledges to the Center for Banking and Finance. The gift was completed in 2011. In honor of this transformative gift to the Center, its board of advisors voted to name the after-dinner address at the annual Banking Institute in honor of the Beischers. We are pleased that the Beischer Address is an annual opportunity to honor the memory of George and Susan and remember their generosity.