Richards, Layton & Finger is actively involved in regional, national and international business transactions. The firm's role includes providing general transactional advice to local clients and specialized advice to national and international clients with respect to various types of Delaware entities and other commercial law matters. In addition, attorneys in the firm's business department often work with the firm's litigators, providing analysis and support in connection with litigation involving certain types of Delaware entities and other commercial matters.

Banking
The firm represents banks, trust companies and other financial institutions located in Delaware and elsewhere. Clients range from among the largest banking organizations in the world to small and medium-sized privately held trust companies. The Banking Group regularly represents financial institutions before the Office of the Delaware State Bank Commissioner with respect to regulatory matters. The Banking Group's experience includes counseling on financial institution structuring and formation, federal and state regulatory issues, lending and leveraged leasing transactions, corporate and personal trust matters, and consumer lending activities. This Group also has significant experience with all pertinent Delaware consumer loan statutes and has prepared or reviewed forms for a variety of consumer loan transactions and lending programs. It has advised many mortgage, automobile and retail installment lending institutions on compliance with licensing and other regulatory provisions of Delaware law.

Commercial Transactions
The firm's Commercial Transactions Group provides advice to local, national and international clients in a variety of business transactions, including stock and asset acquisitions, joint ventures and general commercial matters. This Group is also actively involved in rendering advice and legal opinions under the Uniform Commercial Code. As a result of recent changes to Article 9 of the Uniform Commercial Code, this Group has been particularly active in connection with issues arising under Article 9.

Insurance
The firm represents insurance companies and agencies domiciled in the State of Delaware and foreign insurers and agencies doing business in the State of Delaware. Clients range from among the largest insurance organizations in the world to local insurance agencies, and the Insurance Group regularly represents such clients before the Delaware Department of Insurance with respect to regulatory matters. The Insurance Group's experience includes counseling on insurance company and agency formation, state regulatory issues, acquisitions, insurance holding company system registrations, insurance product and investment activities, and insurance securitization matters.

Limited Liability Company and Partnership Advisory Group
Delaware limited liability companies, partnerships (general and limited) and limited liability partnerships are currently used in a variety of transactions, including joint venture transactions, investment funds and structured finance transactions. The firm's Limited Liability Company and Partnership Advisory Group provides advice and legal opinions to businesses throughout the world with respect to Delaware limited liability companies and partnerships, including advice concerning the formation, merger, acquisition, dissolution or restructuring of, and other transactions involving, these entities. This Group also provides litigation support, analysis of fiduciary duties, and advice on contractual interpretation with respect to issues involving Delaware limited liability companies and partnerships. This Group has seen significant growth in recent years, as Delaware alternative entities are being used with increasing frequency in business transactions.

Real Estate
The firm's Real Estate Group represents both local and national clients in real estate transactions. The Real Estate Group's activities include assisting clients with the acquisition, zoning and development of real estate, assisting in connection with mortgages and other secured financing, examining titles, issuing title insurance, advising with respect to leases, advising with respect to loan workouts and debt restructuring, and advising with respect to environmental regulation, permitting and other land-use matters.

Trust and Agency Services
The firm's Trust and Agency Services Group advises all types of financial institutions in connection with their acting as trustee or agent in transactions such as structured finance transactions, leveraged lease financings, creditor trusts and other complex transactions. This Group also provides advice and legal opinions with respect to the use of common law and statutory trusts in a variety of financing and other transactions and in connection with the formation of investment funds and real estate investment trusts.