Bill Donovan has extensive experience in serving as an effective advocate before all three branches of government. He has assisted clients in forming coalitions to successfully influence public policy both on Capitol Hill and within government agencies. Mr. Donovan has been a leading proponent for the legislative interests of financial institutions and a variety of other clients on Capitol Hill since 1976. He has played a key role in shaping federal laws and regulations impacting a broad spectrum of interests. Mr. Donovan has also managed federal litigation involving the proper interpretation and application of various federal laws and regulations. He has worked extensively with the Senate Banking Committee, the Senate Finance Committee, the House Financial Services Committee (and its predecessor House Banking Committee) and the House Ways & Means Committee, as well as with individual Members of Congress, to help guide the formulation of public policy. Mr. Donovan has experience in dealing with a variety of banking issues, and has worked with Congress in crafting provisions contained in virtually every major piece of legislation impacting the delivery of consumer financial services enacted into law over the course of the past 35 years. The American Banker newspaper has described Mr. Donovan as "sharp and ... well-connected" with "tremendous access" on Capitol Hill. Another publication ranked him as one of the "top guns in Washington," noting that he "is quick to share credit for ... victories as long as the goal is achieved. " The Hill newspaper has reported that "even his legislative opponents respect Donovan as a formidable force." Representative Clients Mr. Donovan represents a broad range of clients with interests in matters pending before Congress and federal financial regulatory agencies such as: · Treasury Department; · Federal Reserve Board; · Comptroller of the Currency; · Office of Thrift Supervision; · Federal Housing Finance Administration; · Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation; · National Credit Union Administration Board; and · National Credit Union Share Insurance Fund. Significant Matters Mr. Donovan has worked with Congress in crafting key provisions contained in the: · Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008; · Housing and Economic Recovery Act of 2008; · Bankruptcy Abuse Prevention & Consumer Protection Act of 2005; · Fair and Accurate Credit Transaction ("FACT") Act of 2003; · USA PATRIOT Act of 2001; · Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation Act of 1991; · Financial Institutions Reform, Recovery, and Enhancement Act of 1989; and · Competitive Equality Banking Act of 1987. Industries Financial Services Credit Counseling and Debt Services Consumer Financial Protection Bureau Task Force Memberships American Bar Association District of Columbia Bar Association Exchequer Club of Washington, D.C. Women in Housing & Finance News June 3, 2011, 29 Venable attorneys featured in Legal 500 's 2011 rankings January 28, 2011, Bill Donovan quoted on the SEC budget and Dodd-Frank January 6, 2011, Bill Donovan quoted regarding Republican efforts to defund health care reform and repeal Dodd-Frank November 30, 2010, Bill Donovan quoted on banking issues in a GOP-led House November 17, 2010, Bill Donovan quoted on how the transfer of power in the House will affect the Financial Services Committee November 10, 2010, Bill Donovan quoted on addressing FHA issues in a GOP House November 10, 2010, Bill Donovan quoted on how GOP House may shape rulewriting under Dodd-Frank Act November 3, 2010, Bill Donovan quoted on how the midterm election results could impact the economy November 2, 2010, BNA publishes article by Bill Donovan on banking issues and the impact of upcoming elections in Congress November 2, 2010, Venable's "Election Watch" Team of Capitol Hill, Regulatory and Executive Branch Veterans Comment on Impact of Mid-Term Results November 11, 2008, William Donovan mentioned in Credit Union Times article about impact of new Congress on credit unions November 7, 2008, Venable's "Election Watch Group" featured in Financial Week November 5, 2008, Venable's "Election Watch Group" featured in Washington Business Journal November 5, 2008, William Donovan quoted in Forbes.com story on Obama's Economic Agenda November 4, 2008, Venable's "Election Watch Group" Assesses Presidential Election's Impact on Multiple Industries November 7, 2006, Not Business As Usual: Venable's "Election Watch Group" Assesses Impact Democratic House Will Have On Multiple Industries October 11, 2005, Leading Financial Industry Attorneys William Donovan and Gwendolyn Baker to Join Venable in D.C., Honors Honors Recognized in the 2011 edition of Legal 500, Financial Services: Regulatory Publications January 2012, President Uses Recess Appointment Authority to Install Cordray as CFPB Director
William J. Donovan
CFPB Watch July 2011, Patent Reform Bill Nearing Passage; Financial Services Sector to Be Impacted
Clifton E. McCann, Nathaniel S. Berry, The Honorable Bart Stupak, Robert L. Smith, II, William J. Donovan
IP Buzz January 2011, Capitol View - January 2011
William J. Donovan, Gregory M. Gill, William R. Nordwind, Robert L. Smith, II
Capitol View January 2011, The Dodd-Frank Act and Implications for Nonprofit Organizations
Jonathan L. Pompan, William J. Donovan
CFPB Watch
Related Topic Area(s): Antitrust and Trade Regulation, Miscellaneous November 2, 2010, Banking on Front Burner of Next Congress as Dodd-Frank Meets Reality
William J. Donovan
BNA's Banking Report September 2010, Suggested Approaches to Preemption Following the Dodd-Frank Act
CFPB Watch July 2010, Venable CFPB Watch: Introducing the New Sheriff in Town
CFPB Watch May 2010, Financial Services Reform: Next Step - Resolving the Differences
William J. Donovan, Suzanne Fay Garwood
Financial Services Alert July 20, 2009, Consumer Financial Protection Agency: A Jack of All Trades but Master of None
William J. Donovan, Suzanne Fay Garwood, Gary D. Hailey, Edward F. Glynn, Jr.
Financial Services Alert June 2009, National Banks Are Subject to Enforcement of State Laws
John F. Cooney, Ronald R. Glancz, John B. Beaty, Ralph E. Sharpe, William J. Donovan
Financial Services Alert June 11, 2009, Historic Credit Card Crackdown Law Affects Creditors, Credit Card Issuers, Gift Card Sellers, Colleges and More
Emilio W. Cividanes, William J. Donovan, Suzanne Fay Garwood, Stuart P. Ingis, Robert L. Smith, II, Melissa Landau Steinman
Financial Services Alert March 31, 2009, Treasury and the SEC Intend to Require Managers of Hedge Funds to Register
Frank A. Ciatto, Rory M. Cohen, William J. Donovan, Charles J. Morton, Jr., Robert L. Smith, II March 24, 2009, Treasury's Public / Private Investment Program: What You Need to Know and Do Today
Suzanne Fay Garwood, William J. Donovan, Charles J. Morton, Jr., Rory M. Cohen
Economic Crisis Team Alert February 20, 2009, White House Looks to Mortgage Modifications to Stabilize Housing Market
Suzanne Fay Garwood, William J. Donovan
Economic Crisis Team Alert February 18, 2009, Executive Compensation Limitations & Corporate Governance Standards in Stimulus Bill
Suzanne Fay Garwood, Ronald R. Glancz, John B. Beaty, John F. Cooney, William J. Donovan, Ralph E. Sharpe, D. E. Wilson, Jr., Robert L. Smith, II
Financial Services Alert February 2, 2009, Financial Services Alert: What the Cram-Down Legislation Means to Mortgage Lenders, Servicers and Investors
William J. Donovan, Darek S. Bushnaq
Financial Services Alert October 15, 2008, Federal Government Takes Historic Actions in Support of U.S Financial Institutions
Thomas W. France, William J. Donovan, Robert L. Smith, II, Ronald R. Glancz, John B. Beaty, John F. Cooney, Ralph E. Sharpe, D. E. Wilson, Jr.
Economic Crisis Team Alert October 8, 2008, Economic Crisis Team Alert: "Overview of the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008"
William J. Donovan, Robert L. Smith, II, Ronald R. Glancz, John B. Beaty, John F. Cooney, Ralph E. Sharpe, D. E. Wilson, Jr., Suzanne Fay Garwood
Economic Crisis Team Alert September 2008, Legislative and Financial Services Alert
William J. Donovan, Ronald R. Glancz
Capitol View Events/Speaking Engagements Mr. Donovan frequently speaks at conferences, seminars and workshops, providing an insider's view on matters pending before Congress. He has also participated in a number of planning retreats to assist boards of directors and senior management of financial services providers in assessing strategic opportunities including expanded/alternative chartering options. Past Events May 24, 2011, What Investors Need to Know About Municipal Bankruptcies and Insolvencies
William J. Donovan, Edward A. Smith November 10, 2010, Post-Election Briefing, hosted by Venable LLP
Samuel Olchyk, William J. Donovan November 9, 2010, Post-Election Briefing, hosted by Venable LLP
Samuel Olchyk, William J. Donovan September 28, 2010, Consumer Financial Protection Bureau Symposium, hosted by Venable LLP
William J. Donovan, Suzanne Fay Garwood, D. E. Wilson, Jr., Emilio W. Cividanes,Ronald R. Glancz, Stuart P. Ingis May 14, 2009, Northern Virginia Chapter of the Virginia Credit Union League
William J. Donovan April 15, 2009, Panel discussion on the status and prognosis for Financial Regulatory Reform, New York Yacht Club, NY
William J. Donovan, Samuel Olchyk, Jake Seher November 11, 2008, Post-Election Recap and Analysis, Harvard Club, NY William J. Donovan, Jake Seher February 8, 2006, How Washington Will Impact Credit Unions in 2006 (Webinar)
William J. Donovan Credit Union Focus Bill Donovan has spent the last 33 years as an attorney working in the financial services sector. For 26 years he was chief in-house counsel at the National Association of Federal Credit Unions ("NAFCU"), where he developed an in-depth knowledge of the credit union industry, the laws that govern credit unions, and the rules and regulations that circumscribe the responsibilities and obligations of credit union officers and officials. In 2005, Donovan stepped down from his position as general counsel of NAFCU to go into the private practice of law, joining the Financial Services Practice Group at Venable LLP. Over the course of his legal career, Mr. Donovan has played a key role in shaping many of the federal laws and regulations impacting credit unions and the officers and directors of credit unions. He has also managed NAFCU's role in federal litigation involving the interpretation and application of laws and regulations impacting credit unions, and when NAFCU joined as an intervenor defendant in an action brought against NCUA regarding field of membership issues, he worked closely with both NCUA and DOJ counsel. Mr. Donovan also has direct experience as a credit union board member, having served as a member of the board of Saint Ann's Arlington Federal Credit Union for a number of years in the 1980s. |