Shearman & Sterling announced that Donald N. Lamson has joined the firm in Washington, DC, as a counsel in the firm’s Financial Institutions Advisory & Financial Regulatory Practice. Mr. Lamson joins from the US Government, where he most recently served as Assistant Director – Securities and Corporate Practices Division in the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency.

The addition of Mr. Lamson will bolster Shearman & Sterling’s regulatory practice, which provides a full, global service to banks, investment banks, fund managers, custodians, depositories, exchanges, ECNs/MTFs, clearing houses, settlement systems, insurers, reinsurers and corporations on the laws and regulations of the world’s key financial and commercial centers. Lawyers in the practice provide innovative, practical advice while assisting clients in maintaining their relationships with regulators.

“We are delighted that Don has chosen to join Shearman & Sterling,” said Barney Reynolds, the London-based global regulatory practice leader. “He has played a significant role in the US Government’s efforts to reform its national banking laws, especially in the areas of derivatives and securities activities. This is an important area of focus for our clients, and we know that Don will work with our existing team to provide the highest quality counsel in these areas.”

Mr. Lamson, who received a bachelor’s degree from Harvard University and his JD from Georgetown University School of Law, has more than two decades of experience at the OCC. Most recently, he has worked closely with the Treasury Department in helping to draft major financial reform legislation and to contribute on bailout issues. In particular, Mr. Lamson participated in the drafting of virtually every major legal opinion involving the derivative, investment and trust activities of national banks over the past 15 years.

“Don brings to the firm both exceptional legal abilities and strong governmental experience, particularly given his involvement in much of the recent US legislative effort,” said New York-based partner Brad Sabel, one of the leaders of the firm’s regulatory practice.

Mr. Lamson will join a global practice that includes, in addition to Mr. Reynolds in London and Mr. Sabel in New York, nearly 50 partners in Shearman & Sterling offices around the world.

In recent months, Shearman & Sterling’s regulatory practice has advised ICE on the creation of its US and EU clearing houses for the credit default swaps market (for which the practice was awarded the “Most Innovative Work by a Law Firm” award in the field of exchange-traded or centrally cleared derivatives by FOW and for which Mr. Sabel was named one of the "Dealmakers of the Year" by The American Lawyer). The practice’s lawyers have also advised Allianz in the sale of Dresdner Bank to Commerzbank, Merrill Lynch on its sale to Bank of America, Société Générale on its joint venture with Calyon in relation to their clearing businesses (NewEdge), Banco Itaú Holding Financeira in its joint venture with Unibanco-Uniao de Bancos Brasileiros to form Itaú Unibanco Holding, numerous financial institutions on issues arising from the Lehman insolvency and on investments with Bernard Madoff, IPIC on the acquisition and subsequent disposal of debt and equity interests in Barclays, RBS in its acquisition of ABN AMRO Bank with Fortis Bank and Banco Santander Central Hispano, and Hypo Real Estate on its restructuring. During this time of considerable change in global financial regulation the firm’s lawyers are assisting financial clients across the globe on the implications to their business of recent US and EU regulatory proposals.