Margaret E. Tahyar

Partner

margaret.tahyar@davispolk.com

Ms. Tahyar is a member of Davis Polk’s Financial Institutions Group. Her practice focuses on providing strategic bank regulatory and financial regulatory reform advice and advising on troubled bank M&A and recapitalizations and capital markets transactions where the target or issuer is a financial institution. She also advises on corporate governance and securities settlement systems and payment systems. Since the financial crisis, she has worked closely with a number of U.S. and foreign financial institutions providing regulatory, legislative reform and financial crisis advice. From 1997 to 2009, Ms. Tahyar worked in the Davis Polk Paris and London offices and frequently advises on the international aspects of transactions and regulatory reform.

Contact

New York
450 Lexington Avenue
New York, NY 10017
P: 212-450-4379
F: 212-701-5379

Related Practices

Bar Admissions

State of New York
District of Columbia
Paris, Avocat à la Cour

Education

A.B., University of Michigan, 1982
J.D., Columbia Law School, 1987
- Valedictorian
- Articles Editor, Columbia Law Review

Languages

French

Work Highlights

Ms. Tahyar has been actively involved in the international aspects of various financial crisis-related matters, including:

Various blind pools, shelf charter and other troubled bank transactions, including most recently the proposed $750 million recapitalization of Sterling Financial Corp in Spokane, Washington
Advising Synovus on its recent capital raise, including an $806 million stock offering and a $345 million offering of tMeds
Advising a major U.S. financial institution on a review of its corporate governance
Advising Citi on the international regulatory aspects of the conversion into common stock of up to $58 billion of preferred stock held by the U.S. government and private investors
Advising ICICI on all aspects of U.S. securities laws related to its NYSE listing and 144A offerings
Providing legal and technical support to the Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association (SIFMA), the leading U.S. financial industry association, on financial regulatory issues as well as providing advice to a number of U.S. and international financial institutions on the impact of the Dodd-Frank Act

Recognition

Listed as a leading lawyer in several legal industry publications, including:

Chambers Global: The World’s Leading Lawyers for Business
Chambers Europe: Europe’s Leading Lawyers for Business
Chambers USA: America’s Leading Lawyers for Business
IFLR1000: The Guide to the World’s Leading Financial Law Firms

Of Note

Adjunct Lecturer-in-Law for Financial Institutions, Columbia Law School, currently teaching “Systemic Risk and the Financial System: The Emerging Regulatory Structure”
Editor, Davis Polk Financial Crisis Manual
The Burton Awards for Legal Achievement 2009 Distinguished Writing Law Firm Winner
Author of a number of articles and a frequent speaker at conferences

Ms. Tahyar was interviewed by the New York Times’ “Deal Professor” Steven M. Davidoff to discuss the financial regulatory requirements set forth by Dodd-Frank. In the interview, she discusses what the SEC, CFTC and other regulatory agencies must do to comply with and implement the estimated 243 rulemakings created by Dodd-Frank, and how the legislation will lead to changes in the operation of financial institutions. View the video “Dodd-Frank Requires ‘Tsunami’ of Rules” on nytimes.com.

Past Memberships

Co-Chairman, Securities Committee, International Bar Association
Rapporteur, Securities Subcommittee of the Task Force on Extraterritorial Jurisdiction, International Bar Association

Professional History

Partner, 1997-present
Associate, 1989-1997
New York office, 2009-present; 1995-1997
Paris office, 2002-2009
London office, 1997-2002
Washington DC office, 1989-1995

Law Clerk, Hon. Thurgood Marshall, U.S. Supreme Court 1988-1989
Law Clerk, Hon. Robert H. Bork, U.S. Court of Appeals, D.C. Circuit 1987-1988

News

KKR Financial Holdings LLC Senior Notes Offering

Synovus Financial Corp. Financing Transactions

Dodd-Frank Progress Report Highlighted on CNBC

View More > >

Publications

2012

Foreign Banks as U.S. Financial Holding Companies (Chapter 10, Co-Author)
Regulation of Foreign Banks and Affiliates in the United States (6th ed.)

Transparency and Confidentiality in the Post Financial Crisis World -- Where to Strike the Balance? | Harvard Business Law Review, Vol. 1

The Davis Polk Financial Crisis Manual
A Guide to the Laws, Regulations and Contracts of the Financial Crisis

View More > >

Client Publications

FSOC Proposes Hearing Procedures for Systemic Designations of Nonbank Financial Companies and Financial Market
Client Newsflash

Federal Reserve’s Comprehensive Consolidated Supervision Determination for Chinese Banks Has Broader Implications
Client Memorandum

Dodd-Frank Progress Report

View More > >

Events

Robert Colby and Margaret Tahyar to Speak at GARP’s Annual Risk Management Convention

Margaret Tahyar to Speak at IIB Conference on Dodd-Frank Implementation

Margaret Tahyar to Present Keynote Lecture at Penn Law Symposium on Dodd-Frank

View More > >

Last Name
Title ALL TITLES Associate Consultant Counsel Counsel - Registered Foreign Lawyer General Counsel Litigation Counsel Partner Registered Foreign Lawyer Senior Counsel Special Counsel for Pro Bono
Offices ALL OFFICES Beijing Hong Kong London Madrid Menlo Park New York Paris São Paulo Tokyo Washington DC
Practices ALL PRACTICES Antitrust and Competition -- Litigation Antitrust and Competition -- Transactional Asia Practice Bankruptcy Litigation Board of Directors Litigation and Strategic Counseling Capital Markets China Practice Commercial Dispute and Contract Compliance and Advisory Compliance and Advisory Consumer Class Action Consumer Products Corporate Corporate Governance Credit Derivatives and Structured Products Energy/Utilities Environmental Europe Practice Executive Compensation and Employee Benefits Financial Crisis and Subprime Lending Financial Institutions Foreign Corrupt Practices Act Health Care Health Care/Life Sciences Hedge Funds India Practice Insolvency and Restructuring Intellectual Property Intellectual Property Litigation Internal Investigations International International and Domestic Arbitration International Litigation and Enforcement Investment Funds Litigation and Investigations Investment Management Japan Practice Leveraged Finance Litigation M&A-Related Litigation Mass Torts and Product Liability Media and Telecom Mergers and Acquisitions Private Equity Professional Liability Project Finance Real Estate Securities Class Actions Securities Enforcement Spain and Latin America Practice Tax Tax Controversy Technology Trading and Markets Trusts and Estates White Collar Criminal Defense
Law School ALL SCHOOLS American University, Washington College of Law Beijing Foreign Studies University Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law Bond University Faculty of Law Bordeaux University Boston University School of Law BPP Law School Brigham Young University, J. Reuben Clark Law School Brooklyn Law School Campus Law Centre, Delhi University Chicago-Kent College of Law - I.I.T. China University of Political Science and Law College of Law, London Columbia Law School Columbia University Cornell Law School Duke University School of Law Ecole de formation des Barreaux (EFB-Paris) Emory University School of Law Fordham University School of Law Frankfurt University, Institute for Law and Finance Fudan University Law School George Washington University George Washington University Law School Georgetown University Law Center Ghent University Faculty of Law Harvard Law School Hofstra University School of Law Howard University School of Law Institut d'Études Politiques de Paris (Sciences Po) Karl-Franzens-Universität Graz, Faculty of Law King's College London School of Law King's College, University of London London School of Economics London School of Economics and Political Science London School of Economics Department of Law McGill University, Faculty of Law Murdoch University School of Law National Taiwan University (NTU Law) National University of Singapore Faculty of Law New York University New York University School of Law Northwestern University School of Law Osgoode Hall Law School of York University Peking University Pontificia Universidade Católica de São Paulo Faculdade Paulista de Direito Queensland University of Technology Renmin University of China Renmin University of China Law School Ruhr-Universität Bochum, Die Juristiche Fakultät Rutgers University Rutgers University School of Law - Newark Seton Hall University School of Law Shanghai Institute of Foreign Trade Shanghai University of Finance and Economics St. John's University School of Law Stanford Law School Stockholm University School of Law SUNY Buffalo Tel Aviv University The College of Law, Chester, England Transnational Law and Business University Trinity College, Dublin School of Law Trinity College, University of Cambridge Tsinghua University UC Berkeley - Boalt Hall School of Law UC Hastings College of the Law UCLA School of Law Universidad Carlos III de Madrid School of Social Sciences and Law Universidad Católica Argentina (Buenos Aires), Facultad de Derecho Universidad de Buenos Aires Universidad de Deusto Universität Zu Köln Université de Strasbourg - Faculté de Droit, Sciences Economiques et Gestion Université Jean Moulin Lyon 3 - Faculté de droit Université Nancy II - Faculté de Droit, Sciences Economiques et Gestion Université Paris I Panthéon-Sorbonne Université Paris II Panthéon-Assas Université Paris II Panthéon-Assas Université Paris-Sud XI University at Buffalo Law School - SUNY University of Bristol School of Law University of British Columbia Faculty of Law University of Cambridge University of Cambridge, Faculty of Law University of Cape Town University of Cape Town, Faculty of Law University of Chicago University of Chicago Law School University of Connecticut School of Law University of Delhi Faculty of Law University of East Anglia University of Edinburgh School of Law University of Genoa (Italy) University of Georgia School of Law University of Glasgow School of Law University of Groningen University of Hong Kong University of Hong Kong, Faculty of Law University of International Business & Economics University of Iowa College of Law University of Ljubljana, Faculty of Law University of London University of Melbourne University of Melbourne Law School University of Miami School of Law University of Michigan University of Michigan Law School University of Minnesota Law School University of Munich, Faculty of Law University of Murcia University of Naples Federico II School of Law University of Natal, School of Law University of New South Wales University of New South Wales, Faculty of Law University of Notre Dame Law School University of Otago, Faculty of Law University of Oxford University of Pennsylvania University of Pennsylvania Law School University of Pittsburgh School of Law University of Queensland University of Queensland, TC Beirne School of Law University of San Diego School of Law University of South Carolina School of Law University of Stellenbosch, Faculty of Law University of Sydney Law School University of Tel Aviv, The Buchmann Faculty of Law University of Texas at Austin University of Texas School of Law University of the West of England, Bristol University of the Witwatersrand, Oliver Schreiner School of Law University of Tokyo, Faculty of Law University of Toronto, Faculty of Law University of Toronto, Faculty of Law/Joseph L. Rotman School of Management University of Utah S.J. Quinney College of Law University of Virginia University of Virginia School of Law University of Warsaw, Faculty of Law and Administration University of Washington School of Law (Seattle) University of Western Australia University of Western Australia, Faculty of Law University of Western Ontario University of Wisconsin Law School Univerzita Karlova v Praze Vanderbilt University Law School Wake Forest University School of Law Washington & Lee University School of Law Washington University in St. Louis Washington University in St. Louis School of Law Wayne State University Law School Yale Law School Yale University
Clerkship ALL CLERKSHIPS Amon, Carol Bagley Aspen, Marvin E. Bates, John D. Bea, Carlos T. Becker, Edward R. Beezer, Robert Berman, Richard Bernstein, Stuart M. Binnie, Ian Block, Frederic Boggs, Danny J. Bork, Robert H. Boyle, Terrence Breitel, Charles D. Breyer, Stephen G. Brody, Morton A. Brown, Janice Rogers Buchwald, Naomi Reice Byrne, Jr., William Matthew Cabranes, José A. Caffrey, Andrew A. Callinan, Ian Cardamone, Richard J. Casey, Richard Conway Castel, P. Kevin Cedarbaum, Miriam Goldman Chagares, Michael A. Chandler III, William B. Chin, Denny Clark, Thomas A. Clay, Eric L. Coffey, John L. Conboy, Kenneth Conner, William C. Cote, Denise Cummings, Walter J. Cyr, Conrad K. Daniels, George B. Davis, Legrome Drain, Robert D. Duffy, Kevin Thomas Edelstein, David N. Feinberg, Wilfred Fisher, Raymond C. Flannery, Thomas A. Fogel, Jeremy Fuentes, Julio Gagliardi, Lee P Garaufis, Nicholas G. Garibaldi, Marie L. Garth, Leonard I. Ginsburg, Douglas H. Ginsburg, Ruth Bader Glasscock III, Sam Glasser, I. Leo Gleeson, John Goettel, Gerard L. Goodwin, Alfred T. Gorenstein, Gabriel W. Greenberg, Morton I. Gregory, Roger L. Griesa, Thomas P. Grunis, Asher Haight, Jr., Charles S. Hall, John E. Hays, Paul R. Henry, Robert H. Herndon, David R. Hornby, D. Brock Hurley, Denis R. Iacobucci, Frank Imber, Annabelle Clinton Irenas, Joseph E. Irizarry, Dora L. Jacobs, Dennis Jiuyong, Shi Judges' Chambers, Senior Kaplan, Lewis A. Karas, Kenneth M. Katzmann, Robert A. Kaufman, Chief Judge, Irving R. Kearse, Amalya L. Keeley, Irene M. Kelly, Jr., Paul J. Kennedy Jr., Henry H. Kennedy, Anthony M. Kennedy, Cornelia G. King, Carolyn Koeltl, John G. Korman, Edward R. Kravitch, Phyllis A. Laster, Travis Leaphart, W. William Lechner, Jr., Alfred J. Legg, Benson E. Leisure, Peter K. Leon, Richard J. Letts, J. Spencer Leval, Pierre N. Lew, Ronald S.W. Lumbard, J. Edward Luttig, J. Michael Marshall, Thurgood Martin, Jr., John S. Matthes, M.C. Mauskopf, Roslynn R. McLaughlin, Joseph M. McLaughlin, Mary A. McMahon, Colleen Motz, J. Frederick Mukasey, Michael B. Murphy, Diana E. Nelson, David A. Newman, Jon O. Nickerson, Eugene Oakes, James L. O'Scannlian, Diarmuid F. Otis, Louise Owen, Richard Parker, Barrington D. Patterson, Jr., Robert Pauley III, William H. Pitman, Henry B. Platt, Thomas C. Pogue, Donald C. Pollak, Louis H. Pooler, Rosemary S. Pratt, George C. Preska, Loretta A. Raggi, Reena Rehnquist, William H. Robinson, Stephen C. Roth, Jane R. Sand, Leonard B. Saunders, Mary E. Scalia, Antonin Scheindlin, Shira A. Seitz, Collins J. Sifton, Charles P. Silberman, Laurence Silberman, Laurence H. Skotnikov, Leonid Smith, D. Brooks Smith, Jerry E. Snow, G. Murray Sprizzo, John E. Stahl, Norman H. Stotler, Alicemarie H. Straub, Chester J. Sullivan, Richard J. Swain, Laura Taylor Sweet, Robert W. Sykes, Diane Tauro, Joseph L. Thomas, Clarence Thompson, David Tjoflat, Gerald B. Townes, Sandra L. Trager, David G. Van Dusen, Francis L. Wallace, J. Clifford Walls, William H. Webster, William H. Weinfeld, Edward Weinstein, Jack B. Wellford, Harry W. Wesley, Richard C. White, Byron R. Widener, Jr., H.E. Wilbur, Richard C. Williams, Richard L. Williams, Stephen F. Winter, Ralph K. Wisdom, John Minor Wollman, Roger Wright, Caleb M. Young, William G. ALL COURTS British Columbia Court of Appeals Delaware Court of Chancery District of Columbia Court of Appeals High Court of Australia International Court of Justice Montana Supreme Court New Jersey Supreme Court New York Court of Appeals Quebec Court of Appeals Supreme Court of Arkansas Supreme Court of Canada Supreme Court of Israel U.S. Bankruptcy Court, S.D. New York U.S. Court of Appeals, D.C. Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals, Eighth Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals, Eleventh Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals, Fifth Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals, First Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals, Fourth Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals, Second Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals, Seventh Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals, Sixth Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals, Tenth Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals, Third Circuit U.S. Court of International Trade U.S. District Court, Arizona U.S. District Court, C.D. California U.S. District Court, Delaware U.S. District Court, District of Columbia U.S. District Court, E.D. New York U.S. District Court, E.D. North Carolina U.S. District Court, E.D. Pennsylvania U.S. District Court, E.D. Virginia U.S. District Court, Maine U.S. District Court, Maryland U.S. District Court, Massachusetts U.S. District Court, N.D. California U.S. District Court, N.D. Illinois U.S. District Court, N.D. West Virginia U.S. District Court, New Jersey U.S. District Court, S.D. Illinois U.S. District Court, S.D. New York U.S. Supreme Court U.S. Tax Court