The Cooperative Banking Practice at KKG Legal provides comprehensive legal services to cooperative banks, taking into account both the regulatory nature of banking activities and the specific principles arising from cooperative law.
We support cooperative banks in their day-to-day operations, in serving their governing bodies, and in their relationships with members, affiliating banks, and institutional protection schemes. We provide advice on banking and cooperative law, corporate governance, banking products and services, outsourcing, data protection, new technologies, and securing and enforcing claims. We draft and review articles of association, bylaws, internal procedures, resolutions, contracts, and product documentation.
We also provide legal support in dealings with the Polish Financial Supervision Authority (KNF), the Office of Competition and Consumer Protection (UOKiK), and other relevant institutions, including during inspections and the implementation of post-inspection recommendations.
In collaboration with Compliance | Risk Management | Data Protection | AML, we support banks in the areas of compliance, anti-money laundering and countering the financing of terrorism (AML/CFT), data protection, and legal risk management. We develop and update internal procedures, conduct compliance audits, and provide training for members of governing bodies and employees of cooperative banks.
WHAT WE HELP WITH
- Comprehensive legal services for banks: Ongoing advisory services regarding banking, operational, and organizational matters, as well as the preparation of legal opinions and documentation.
- Loans, financing, and collateral: Advice on syndicated loans, real estate financing, acquisitions, and investment projects, as well as the preparation and review of financing and collateral documentation.
- Cooperative law, internal governance, and support for the bank’s governing bodies: Advice for management boards and supervisory boards; drafting articles of association, bylaws, resolutions, and documentation related to general meetings, representative meetings, and member-related matters; support regarding the division of responsibilities and the internal control system.
- Affiliations and institutional protection schemes: Advice on relations with affiliating banks and the obligations arising from participation in the institutional protection scheme.
- Banking products: Developing and launching credit cards, deposit products, and financial instruments; drafting contract templates and terms and conditions.
- Bank secrecy: Advice and support regarding compliance with bank secrecy requirements.
- Consumer law: Review of the bank's documentation and practices with regard to consumer protection, disclosure requirements, and the handling of complaints.
- Outsourcing: Legal support in entering into outsourcing agreements and managing relationships with suppliers.
- Digital resilience and cybersecurity: Advice on ICT risk management, cybersecurity, and DORA requirements.
- FinTech and payment services: Advice on the implementation of regulations governing payment services and on FinTech matters.
- Receivables trading: Reviewing, advising on, and drafting contract templates related to receivables trading.
- Compliance, AML/CFT, and data protection: Advice on regulatory compliance, anti-money laundering and countering the financing of terrorism, KYC, and personal data protection; developing and updating internal policies and procedures.
- Regulatory permits and approvals: Assistance in obtaining the licenses and permits required for the bank's operations.
- Inspections and regulatory proceedings: Support during inspections and audits, as well as in the implementation of post-inspection recommendations; representing the bank before regulatory authorities.
- Dispute resolution: Representing banks in court proceedings, including disputes initiated by consumers, and in pre-litigation proceedings related to banking activities; conducting out-of-court negotiations.
- Mergers and organizational changes: Legal services related to mergers of cooperative banks, amendments to articles of association, reorganizations, and restructuring measures.
- Training: Training sessions for management boards, supervisory boards, and employees on legal changes and the practical application of regulations.
WHY CHOOSE US?
- Comprehensive services: We offer comprehensive legal support, ranging from advisory services to representation before courts and public authorities.
- Interdisciplinary teams: We work in interdisciplinary teams, which allows us to combine expertise from various fields of law and business, ensuring comprehensive advice at every stage of our collaboration. This enables us to tackle even the most complex challenges.
- Experience and knowledge: Our strength lies in our practical knowledge of regulations and our understanding of market realities, which allows us to provide solutions tailored to our clients’ needs.
- Partner engagement: Our partners are directly involved in every project, which ensures the highest level of expertise in the services we provide.
