Eversheds Sutherland (US) LLP

Insurance companies confront a myriad of regulatory, tax, accounting and structuring considerations when they look for financing solutions to their capital, liquidity or risk management needs. They regularly need lawyers with a broad range of practical experience and deep industry knowledge to assist them. Eversheds Sutherland lawyers have spent decades helping insurers access capital markets and pursue new financing strategies.

We advise clients on complex transactions that enable them to improve liquidity, strengthen capital, manage risks and expand businesses. Our multidisciplinary approach brings together the collective experience of seasoned professionals in finance, securities, swaps and other derivatives, tax, insurance and reinsurance to help clients find and implement the best financing solutions.

Our understanding of insurance encompasses products, distribution, operations, regulation, reserving, risk transfer, reinsurance credit, taxation and the competitive landscape. We handle onshore and offshore captives and funds, equity offerings, securitizations and insurance-linked securities (including advising on the newly developing ILS regime in the UK), catastrophe (CAT) bonds and extreme mortality bonds, equity-linked products and private placements, debt offerings, premium financing, investment grade bonds and hybrids, derivatives and industry loss warranties, bespoke insurance coverage, all forms of reinsurance, surplus notes and securities backed by funding agreements and distressed debt trading and restructuring. Eversheds Sutherland guides insurance companies and regulators through XXX and AXXX and AG 48 compliant transactions in the United States.

Recent transactional work by the firm and members of the insurance M&A team at predecessor firms includes:

• Represented a large U.S. publicly traded company and its life insurance subsidiaries domiciled in various U.S. jurisdictions in their reserve financing transactions for life and annuity products through on-shore or offshore captives, funded surplus notes issuances, bilateral letter of credit facilities, note for note exchange transactions using trust notes or credit linked notes, or financial reinsurance structures
• Represented a U.S. life insurance subsidiary of a large internal insurance company in its captive reserve financing transactions involving both life and annuity products.
• Represented a U.S. life insurance company in its reserve financing transaction with excess of loss and monthly renewable term reinsurance facility sponsored by an unaffiliated third party reinsurer
• Represented a U.S. life insurance company in connection with its reserve financing transaction backed by a credit linked note, swap and retrocession
• Represented two affiliated U.S. life insurance companies in their XXX/AXXX reserve financing transactions and Rule 144A notes offering
• Represented insurance holding company in Rule 144A/Regulation S offering of senior unsecured notes
• Represented a mutual insurance holding company in its reinsurance of a regulatory closed block to a captive using a note for note exchange structure
• Represented various companies in their cat bond issuance covering U.S. wind and earthquake risk, European wind, or Japanese earthquake risks

§  “Diversity at Sutherland Asbill & Brennan LLP” to “Diversity at Eversheds Sutherland (US) LLP”

§  “Diversity” section:

o   The firm’s emphasis on diversity is reflected in numerous ways throughout the firm, such as the manner in which we recruit lawyers and other employees, our work-life policies and our professional service efforts. We have been recognized for our achievements in diversity.  More importantly, we understand the significant role a diverse community plays in the firm's growth and development.

§  “Our Awards and Recognitions” section:

o   Eversheds Sutherland (US) LLP continues to be recognized for its efforts to promote diversity in the workplace and in the legal profession. In 2016 we were named a “Best Place to Work for LGBT Equality,” having earned a perfect 100 score on the Human Rights Campaign’s Corporate Equality Index, and we also were ranked a Top 100 Firm for Minority Attorneys by Law360. In addition, the firm was awarded the Gold Standard Certification for the fifth consecutive year by the Women in Law Empowerment Forum.

§  “Our Commitment” section:

o   Eversheds Sutherland (US) LLP is committed to promoting diversity within the firm and in the legal profession.  We believe that diverse skills, knowledge and viewpoints make us a stronger, more productive law firm.  We hire and promote qualified lawyers and other professionals regardless of race, color, national origin, religion, disability, gender, gender identity or sexual orientation.  We understand that diversity enhances our value to clients by allowing us to staff our client teams with professionals who possess broad experiences and a spectrum of perspectives.

o   Eversheds Sutherland (US) LLP has a cross-office Diversity Committee with responsibility for supporting and enhancing our firm culture.  Our committee has helped coordinate and lead a number of efforts to advance diversity within our firm and the community. Affinity groups at the firm serve as support networks for attorneys of color; women lawyers; and gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender attorneys.

o   We are committed to working with our clients as they pursue the common goal of a professional workplace where opportunity is available to all.