ROBERT J. COUGHLIN

Rob Coughlin’s practice is focused in finance, securities, and banking. He represents institutions involving matters in structured finance, securitization, municipal finance, and corporate finance. He has particularly in-depth experience advising financial institutions that provide corporate trust and securities-related agency, custody and administrative services to the financial markets, including those involving MBS and ABS transactions, corporate bonds, municipal bonds and other capital markets products.

Rob regularly advises corporate trust clients in matters ranging from document negotiation and deal origination to Regulation AB disclosure, regulatory compliance, and resolution of problem scenarios, including MBS and ABS servicing and asset repurchase issues, CDO portfolio liquidation, and other types of default and dispute resolution. He is often consulted by trustees to defend claims arising in complex financial structures, and to develop documentation in new or unique servicing arrangements, including those involving loan agency and servicing, warehousing, and securities portfolio administration and custody. He also advises corporate trust clients in the development of risk management and other departmental policies, as well as new product development; and he has represented and advised banking clients in the acquisition and sale of corporate trust portfolios.

Rob speaks frequently on matters of interest to corporate trustees. He appears regularly before the American Bankers Association and the National Association of Bond Lawyers, and he has appeared before the American Securitization Forum, the American Institute of Banking, the Fiduciary and Investment Risk Management Association, and the Practising Law Institute.

Speaking Engagements

• Speaker,“Update on Bankruptcy Issues and Litigation in the Structured Finance Market.” American Bankers Association Telephone Briefing, Corporate Trust Update: Municipal Bankruptcy Developments and Municipal and Structured Finance Litigation. December 13, 2012.
• Panelist, “Litigation Affecting Trustees: Cases, Trends and Business Lessons.” Corporate Trust 2011 Forum (Turmoil = Opportunities), American Bankers Association, October 16-17, 2011, Washington, DC.
• Speaker, "The Most Likely Litigation Risk in Today's Market: Action Steps Corporate Trustees Can Take to Mitigate Litigation Risk." American Bankers Association Telephone Briefing Series, November 3, 2010.
• Panel Chairperson, "Corporate Trust Concerns." 35th Annual Bond Attorney's Workshop, National Association of Bond Lawyers, October 27-29, 2010, San Antonio, Texas.
• Panelist, General Session, "Peace Talks: Workouts Outside the Box", 2010 American Bankers Association Capital Markets Forum for Corporate Trust Professional, April 18-20, 2010, St. Petersburg, Florida.
• Panelist, “Litigation, Bankruptcy and Trustees,” New Developments in Securitization 2009, Practising Law Institute, December 3-4, 2009, New York, NY.
• Panel Chairperson, “Corporate Trust Concerns,” 34th Annual Bond Attorney’s Workshop, National Association of Bond Lawyers, October 28-30, 2009, Phoenix, Arizona
• Panelist, General Session, American Bankers Association Capital Markets Forum for Corporate Trust Professionals, April 26-28, 2009, Tampa Bay, Florida.
• Moderator, “Trustee Roundtable,” American Securitization Forum, ASF 2009, February 11, 2009, Las Vegas, NV.
• Panelist, “Litigation, Bankruptcy and Trustees,” New Developments in Securitization 2008, Practising Law Institute, December 5, 2008, New York, NY.
• Panel Chairperson, “Corporate Trust Concerns,” 33rd Annual Bond Attorney’s Workshop, National Association of Bond Lawyers, September 17-19, 2008, Chicago, Illinois
• Panelist, “One-Hour Briefing: CDO Tranche Warfare,” Practising Law Institute, June 12, 2008
• Panelist, “Impact of the Subprime Mortgage Market Crisis,” American Bankers Association, Capital Markets Forum for Corporate Trust Professionals, April 13-15, 2008, Palm Beach Gardens, Florida
• Panelist, “Corporate Trust Concerns,” National Association of Bond Lawyers, 32nd Annual Bond Attorney’s Workshop, September 26-28, 2007, Chicago, IL
• “The Future of the Corporate Trust Industry,” American Bankers Association Capital Markets Seminar for Corporate Trust Professionals, April 22-24, 2007
• “Structured Finance: Highlights from 2006 and What’s Ahead in 2007 for Corporate Trustees,” Fiduciary and Investment Risk Management Association Corporate Trust Senior Managers Forum, February 26-28, 2007, Ponte Vedra, Florida
• Panelist, “Recent Trustee Developments: Challenges and Opportunities in an Expanding Role,” American Bankers Association, Capital Markets Forum, April 23–25, 2006, Miami, FL
• Panelist, “Corporate Trust Concerns,” National Association of Bond Lawyers, 31st Annual Bond Attorney’s Workshop, October 4–6, 2006, Chicago, IL
• Speaker, “Structured Finance: The Landscape for Corporate Trustees,” Fiduciary Investment Risk Management Association, Inc., Corporate Trust Senior Managers Forum, January 18–20, 2006, Ponte Vedra, FL
• Panelist, “The Role of Corporate Trustee: Perspectives of the Trustee and Investors on Trustee Duties—Role, Impact and Otherwise” American Bankers Association, Capital Markets Forum, April 10–12, 2005, St. Petersburg, FL
• Panelist, “The Role of the Corporate Trustee: Recent Developments and Their Impact on Trustee Responsibilities and Potential Liabilities,” American Bankers Association, Capital Markets Forum, April 19, 2004, Miami, FL
• Speaker, “Revised UCC Article 9: A Look Back Over The First Seven Months,” American Bankers Association, Capital Markets Forum, February 26, 2002, San Diego, CA
• Speaker, “Revised UCC Article 9: What it Means for Trustees and Secured Lenders,” American Bankers Association Telephone Briefing, January 11, 2001

Publications

• "Survival Skills Amid the Rubble: Life as a Trustee in a Market Collapse." Journal of Structured Finance, Volume 16, No. 2 (Summer 2010). Co-author.
• Caught in the Cross-Fire: Securitization Trustees and Litigation During the Sub-Prime Crisis,” appearing in the course book for New Developments in Securitization 2009 published by the Practising Law Institute (2009).
• “Rule 22 to Resolve A Catch-22: Defensive Maneuvers For Corporate Trustees Faced with Conflicting Claims,” co-authored with Stephen M. LaRose and Dennis A. Murphy, appearing in the course book for New Developments in Securitization 2008 published by the Practising Law Institute (2008).