Course | Columbia Law School

This seminar will explore the legal framework within which international banks operate, with particular emphasis on U.S. laws and regulations and international accords to which the U.S. is a party. The semester will begin with a review of the "black letter law" of banking in the U.S. before moving on to more advanced topics. Throughout the semester, however, the focus will be on the application of legal principles to real-world banking transactions and business planning exercises faced by international banks. Specific topics will include corporate finance and capital markets activities of banks (including securities offerings and the use of derivative instruments), international activities of U.S. banks, foreign bank expansion into the U.S., banking in the European Union, banking activities involving emerging markets, and the use of the Internet and electronic commerce in the provision of financial services. Essential elements of the course are extensive case studies drawn from actual experiences in the business of banking. These case studies will be used both to illustrate how the general principles are applied in real-life situations and to elicit the active participation of the students.