Robert Borhart Email & Phone Number

Minneapolis, Mn, Us

Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States

I work in the Commercial Banking division of the Legal Department, providing advice relating to aspects of the sale of the Wells Fargo Corporate Trust Services business to Computershare. I will provide legal advice and support to Wells Fargo relating to post-sale corporate trust issues.

Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States

I was Of Counsel in the Finance Department. My practice focuses on matters involving corporate trust products and related issues, including residential mortgage-backed securities, commercial mortgage-backed securities, asset-backed products, municipal bonds, and corporate bonds. My work comprised general legal advice, new transaction reviews, workouts, and litigation support.

Greater Minneapolis-St. Paul Area

Managed a legal team in the Global Commercial and Securities Division of the Legal Department. Responsible for the team, employee evaluations, compensation, and human relations issues. Supported Corporate Trust Services (CTS), providing legal advice for escalated high-risk matters, regulatory matters, and interfacing with senior management in business, risk, and legal. Assessed and managed high-risk escalated matters involving all CTS products (RMBS, CMBS, asset-backed products, municipal bonds, and corporate bonds), including new transaction reviews, workouts, litigation, and government inquiries to lessen the bank’s risk and financial exposure. Ensured compliance with internal reporting and escalation procedures. Communicated with and advised senior management within the Legal Department and business lines, risk management officers, corporate communications officers, compliance personnel, and numerous external counsels, while collaborating with internal risk escalation committees and program teams, and financial regulators. Leadership of the Covid-19 legal response for Corporate Trust Services which has nearly $1 trillion in assets under management.  Led the internal and external legal, business, and default teams to address a Native American tribe restructure of its casino corporate bond debt, involving an underlying Amended Indenture, with nearly $240MM in bonds due in 2020.

Greater Minneapolis-St. Paul Area

Provided legal counsel and support to Global Commercial & Securities Division in the Legal Department, supporting the Default and Restructuring Group of CTS. Involved in substantial business negotiations with underlying asset values up to $100B. Provided legal assessment and ongoing legal advice regarding securitized products in or near default, bankruptcy, or restructuring scenarios. Managed coordinated teams within the CTS Legal team, General Commercial and Securities Division, Wholesale Litigation, Risk, Finance, senior business management, external counsel, and other stakeholders to ensure complete legal and internal coverage for hundreds of DRG matters through successful resolution. Led intensive and stressful negotiations to obtain a comprehensive indemnity agreement and related transaction documents for the bank relating to the nearly 800 separate capital markets securities-related transfers, with underlying assets of over $100B. Streamlined legal support to the Default & Restructuring Group (DRG) to ensure complete coverage and significantly reduce response time.  Took leadership over a “robo-signing” jury verdict, addressed significant senior executive questioning and regulatory concern until resolution.

Greater Minneapolis-St. Paul Area

Provided bondholder services, financial product restructuring and workouts, legal risk and litigation, counsel and vendor negotiations, and management and compliance reporting. Managed litigation matters involving both internal and external counsel. Mastered complex systems for risk, compliance, audit, management reporting, specialized systems, and staffing models for day-to-day account management and risk escalation. Led the default team response to mitigate $200MM in potential financial, reputational and regulatory risk.

Greater Minneapolis-St. Paul Area

Founding partner of a law practice of ten personnel focused on legal representation of public and private companies to fulfill regulatory obligations, devise strategic business plans and initiatives, and obtain favorable litigation outcomes. Oversaw marketing and public image functions for the firm. Focused the firm’s priorities on general commercial litigation, emphasizing closely held company shareholder litigation and banking-related matters. The practice included arbitration, mediation, and court experience at the trial and appellate levels. Developed personal expertise specializing in workplace employment investigations. Advised and worked on strategy and corporate transactional work for privately held companies, including those in early startup phases for technology and biotech products and services. Successfully argued and won a legal appeal involving $15MM presented to the Minnesota Supreme Court. Led Equal Employment Opportunity Office (EEOC) investigations for a Fortune-25 company that included 1,000 depositions and written factual reports addressing over 180 alleged EEO infractions.

I was a member of the Senior Staff, Special Assistant to Governor Arne H. Carlson, and legal counsel. I had various job duties at the direction of the Governor or the Chief of Staff, including participation in weekly staff planning meetings, coordination and management of interdepartmental policy issues, and support to the Governor and his staff as needed.

Juris Doctor (Jd) | Law

Activities and Societies: Executive Editor, Virginia Environmental Law Journal

Bachelor Of Arts (Ba) | International Affairs

Activities and Societies: Phi Eta Sigma Freshman Honor Society, Phi Beta Kappa