Practice Areas
- Banking & Financial Services
- Banking Mergers and Acquisitions
- Business and Corporate
- CARES Act / COVID-19 Response Team
- Commercial Lending
- Consumer Lending
- Corporate Governance
- Financial Services Litigation
- FinTech
- General Regulatory and Compliance Matters
- Securities Law
- WE Mean Business: Women Executives and Entrepreneurs
Education
J.D., Brooklyn Law School (1986)
- Notes Editor, Brooklyn Law Review
B.A., Yale University (1981)
Admissions
- Supreme Court of Appeals of West Virginia
- Supreme Court of Virginia
- U.S. District Courts for the Northern and Southern Districts of West Virginia
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit
Sandra M. Murphy
Sandra M. Murphy focuses her practice on acquisition, regulatory, enforcement, corporate governance and securities law matters for banks and other financial institutions. She also represents Community Bankers of West Virginia.
Admitted to practice in West Virginia and Virginia, Sandy has been engaged in major bank acquisitions by bank holding companies, including over 30 acquisitions in Virginia, Maryland and West Virginia by United Bankshares, West Virginia’s largest bank holding company. She has also assisted Summit Financial Group and First Community Bankshares with their Virginia and West Virginia acquisition activities.
Sandy’s regulatory practice encompasses the representation of clients before both state and federal regulatory agencies on a wide variety of matters, including regulatory enforcement actions, corporate activity and expansion activities and compliance issues.
In the securities area, Sandy advises bank holding company clients on a variety of issues and provides ongoing legal advice to bank holding company clients registered with the Securities Exchange Commission. Sandy also provides advice to the firm's financial institutions clients on corporate governance issues.
Through her work with West Virginia's banking associations, Sandy has assisted the banking industry in its legislative efforts and has been deeply involved in the passage of significant legislation affecting the financial services industry. Most recently, Sandy advised and advocated for the industry in the passage of favorable legislation implementing sweeping changes to West Virginia consumer protection laws and West Virginia's consumer late fee laws.
Sandy and Bowles Rice have been at the forefront of critical issues and developments affecting West Virginia financial institutions. This preeminent role has been recognized by many clients in their comments to national peer review and credentialing organizations, including the following:
"Best there is in West Virginia." (Client Comment, U.S. News & World Report's Best Law Firms)
"Sandra Murphy provides, without question, the best banking counsel in West Virginia." (Client Comment, U.S. News & World Report's Best Law Firms)
"I have worked with Sandy for over 20 years. She is, in my opinion, the top banking lawyer in WV. She has been instrumental in helping us achieve legislative changes that put us on parity with Bank Holding Companies and National Banks. Not only would I recommend her to a prospective client, I have." (Client Comment, U.S. News & World Report's Best Law Firms)
Professional Highlights
- Chair, Bowles Rice Banking and Financial Services Team
- Former member, Bowles Rice Executive Committee
Successfully completed the following banking transactions:
- The issuance of common stock in connection with private equity investment in a public client;
- A registered common stock rights offering;
- The acquisition of a bank holding company and its bankers subsidiary headquartered in Charleston, South Carolina, with an approximate transaction value of $1.1 billion;
- The acquisition of a bank holding company and its Virginia banking subsidiary with an approximate transaction value of $300 million;
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The acquisition of a Virginia bank holding company and its Virginia subsidiary bank having a presence in northern Virginia and Washington, D.C., with an approximate transaction value of $912 million;
- The acquisition of a Virginia bank holding company and its Virginia subsidiary bank having a presence in northern Virginia and Washington, D.C., with an approximate transaction value of $490 million;
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The acquisition of a privately held community bank headquartered in Washington, D.C., with an approximate transaction value of $269 million;
- The acquisition of a West Virginia bank holding company and its West Virginia subsidiary bank having a presence in West Virginia, Maryland and Pennsylvania, with an approximate transaction value of $186 million;
- The acquisition of a Maryland bank holding company and its Maryland subsidiary bank having a presence in northern Virginia, Washington, D.C. and Montgomery County, Maryland, with an approximate transaction value of $109 million;
- The acquisition of a bank holding company headquartered in Washington, D.C. and its national bank subsidiary bank having a presence in northern Virginia, Washington, D.C. and Montgomery County, Maryland, with an approximate transaction value of $62.5 million;
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The sale of a West Virginia bank holding company and its West Virginia subsidiary bank having a presence in southwestern West Virginia and southwestern Virginia, with an approximate transaction value of $43 million;
- The acquisition of a Virginia bank having a presence in Richmond, Virginia, with an approximate transaction value of $40.6 million;
- The acquisition of a bank holding company and its West Virginia banking subsidiary with an approximate transaction value of $28.5 million;
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The acquisition of a Virginia bank holding company and its Virginia subsidiary bank having a presence in northwestern Virginia, with an approximate transaction value of $22 million; and
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The sale of a West Virginia community bank in southern West Virginia, with an approximate transaction value of $7.4 million.
Honors
- Named to The Best Lawyers in America ® (Banking and Finance Law; Corporate Governance Law; Corporate Compliance Law; Corporate Law; and Financial Services Regulation Law) 2003-present
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Named Best Lawyers’ Lawyer of the Year in the southern West Virginia region (Banking and Finance Law - 2020, 2017, 2015 and 2009; Corporate Law - 2023, 2018 and 2012; Financial Services Regulation Law - 2016 and 2013)
- Recognized by Chambers USA: America’s Leading Lawyers for Business among “Leaders in their Field” for Corporate/Commercial Law - Banking & Finance
- Peer-Review Rated AV by Martindale-Hubbell
- Recognized by Super Lawyers (Banking), 2007-present
- West Virginia Bar Foundation Fellow
Sandra M. MurphyRated by Super Lawyers
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News
- August 29, 2022
- May 20, 2021
- May 6, 2021
- Best Lawyers in America®, August 20, 2020
- April 24, 2020
- August 15, 2019
- August 15, 2019
- June 3, 2019
- April 17, 2019
- February 27, 2012
Presentations & Events
- Presentation: Working with Borrowers in the Wake of COVID-19 by Sandra M. Murphy and Floyd BooneCommunity Bankers of West VirginiaWebinar, May 6, 2020
- D.A. Davidson Mid-Atlantic ConferenceThe Duquesne Club, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, September 20, 2018
- D.A. Davidson Mid-Atlantic ConferenceThe Duquesne Club, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, September 20, 2018
- Presentation: 2015 Legislature Session: A Banking Industry Success Story, by Sandra M. MurphyWest Virginia Bankers AssociationStonewall Resort, Roanoke, West Virginia, April 23, 2015
- Presentation: West Virginia Consumer Credit and Protection Act - Review & Update, by Floyd Boone, Julia A. Chincheck, Daniel J. Cohn, Sandra M. Murphy and Amy J. TawneyWest Virginia Bankers AssociationDays Conference Center, Flatwoods, West Virginia, December 3, 2014
- Presentation: West Virginia Consumer Credit and Protection Act, by Sandra M. Murphy and Amy J. TawneyWest Virginia Bankers AssociationFlatwoods, West Virginia, December 2014
- Presentation: West Virginia Consumer Credit and Protection Act - Review & Update, by Floyd Boone, Julia A. Chincheck, Stuart A. McMillan, Sandra M. Murphy and Amy J. TawneyWest Virginia Bankers AssociationCharleston, West Virginia, November 20, 2013
- Presentation: West Virginia Consumer Credit and Protection Act, by Sandra M. Murphy and Amy J. TawneyWest Virginia Bankers AssociationCharleston, West Virginia, November 2013
- Presentation: Fair Lending, by Floyd Boone, Julia A. Chincheck and Sandra M. MurphyWest Virginia Bankers AssociationDays Conference Center, Flatwoods, West Virginia, April 24, 2013
Articles & Alerts
- West Virginia Banker, Fall 2021
- Banking & Financial Services e-Alert, December 22, 2020
- Banking & Financial Services e-Alert, October 21, 2020
- Banking & Financial Services e-Alert, October 9, 2020
- Banking & Financial Services e-Alert, October 8, 2020
- August 12, 2020
- The West Virginia Banker Magizine Summer Edition 2020Banks Give Green Light for Small-Dollar Loans in Response to COVID-19Summer 2020
- June 13, 2020
- Spring 2020
- April 14, 2020
- April 9, 2020
- April 7, 2020
- April 2, 2020
- March 31, 2020
- Banking & Financial Services e-Alert, June 29, 2017
- Bowles Rice Banking Alert, April 10, 2017
- Bowles Rice Banking Alert, April 2016
- Fluharty v. Quicken Loans Inc. (applicable standard for proving unconscionability per the WVCCPA)Amicus Brief, July 14, 2015
- "Related Interests Under Regulation O: It's All About Control," by Daniel J. Cohn, Sandra M Murphy and Amy J. TawneyWest Virginia Banker Magazine, Summer 2015
- Banking AlertBowles Rice Banking Alert, July 7, 2015
- "TILA Takes a Turn: Recent TILA Decisions Expand Recission Rights," by Sanda M. MurphyWest Virginia Banker Magazine, Spring 2015
- McFarland v. Wells Fargo Bank and U.S. Bank National Association (applicable standard for proving unconscionability per the WVCCPA)Amicus Brief, March 31, 2015
- Bowles Rice Banking Alert, January 20, 2015
- Banking Alert, January 9, 2015
- "Supreme Court of Appeals Defines Parameters of Incorporation By Reference," by Floyd Boone and Sandra M. MurphyWest Virginia Banker Magazine, Winter 2014
- "New Vendor Management Regulatory Guidance May Help Banks Negotiating Contracts," by Sandra M. Murphy and Amy J. TawneyWest Virginia Banker Magazine, Summer 2014
- "Amount of Loan in Excess of Value of Home is Not Enough to Render Loan Unconscionable," by Sandra M. Murphy and Amy J. TawneyThe Community Banker Magazine, Summer 2014
- Banking Alert, April 2014
- Banking Alert, October 24, 2013
- "Holding Lenders Liable for Auto Dealers' Interest Rate Decisions," by Sandra M. Murphy and Charles F. Printz, Jr.West Virginia Banker Magazine, Fall 2013
- "Trolling for Dollars – Banks Targeted in Costly Patent Infringement Cases," by Sandra M. Murphy and Amy J. TawneyWest Virginia Banker Magazine, Summer 2013
- "CFPB Guidance on Reducing Enforcement Liability Creates Compliance Dilemma," by Sandra M. Murphy and Amy J. TawneyThe Community Banker Magazine, Summer 2013
- "West Virginia Supreme Court Upholds Court-Imposed Penalties and Attorneys' Fees Despite Jury Finding Plaintiff Suffered No Damages," by Floyd Boone and Sandra M. MurphyThe Community Banker Magazine, Spring 2013
- "Cause for Caution: Quicken Loans Case Clarifies Standard for Unconscionability Claims in West Virginia," by Floyd Boone and Sandra M. MurphyThe Community Banker Magazine, Winter 2013
- Banking Alert, 2012
- "Fourth Circuit Court Gets It Right: Court Holds Claims Are Time-Barred Under the West Virginia Consumer Credit and Protection Act," by Sandra M. MurphyWest Virginia Banker Magazine, Fall 2012
- "Client Alert: Recent Case Provides Guidance on Protecting Banks from ATM Notice Liability," by Floyd Boone and Sandra M. MurphyThe Community Banker Magazine, Fall 2012
- "Has Your Bank Become 'Publicly Traded' Without Your Knowledge?," by Lynn S. Clarke and Sandra M. MurphyWest Virginia Banker Magazine, Summer 2012
- "Ability to Repay: CFPB Should Grant Complete Exemption For Balloon Loans Held in Portfolio," by Sandra M. MurphyWest Virginia Banker Magazine, Winter 2011
- Bowles Rice Banking Alert, April 19, 2011
- "Technology May Assist Borrowers in Holding Banks Liable for Excessive Phone Calls," by Sandra M. Murphy and Amy J. TawneyWest Virginia Banker Magazine, Winter 2010
- "Risky Business: Regulators and Dodd-Frank Target Incentive Compensation Arrangements," by Sandra M. MurphyWest Virginia Banker Magazine, Fall 2010
- "Beware of Tenant's Rights Upon Foreclosure," by Sandra M. Murphy and Amy J. TawneyWest Virginia Banker Magazine, Summer 2010
- Amicus Brief, May 5, 2006
- Amicus Brief, July 19, 2004
- Amicus Brief, May 6, 2004
- Amicus Brief, 2004
- Brief in support of Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company's briefAmicus Brief, March 16, 2003
- Amicus Brief, 2001
- Amicus Brief, August 1999
Views & Visions
- Spring 2016
Professional Affiliations
- American Bar Association
- West Virginia Bar Association
- Kanawha County Bar Association
Community/Civic Activities
- The Greater Kanawha Valley Foundation (Development Committee)
- The Glotfelty Foundation (Board of Directors, Secretary)
- Education Elevator at Piedmont Elementary School
- West Virginia Symphony Chorus
- Greater Kanawha Valley Foundation (Former Chair of Board of Trustees and Development Committee; Operations and Scholarship Committees)