Bernard B. Nebenzahl

Bernard B. Nebenzahl is Of Counsel to ECJ’s Business and Corporate Department. Mr. Nebenzahl specializes in representing financial institutions. His practice also includes real estate and business law.

Mr. Nebenzahl is a leading national authority on industrial banks and industrial loan corporations. He represents clients and has extensive experience representing these insured institutions before the respective state regulators and the FDIC in regard to de novo charters, mergers and acquisitions, branching and loan production office activities, regulatory and compliance matters, and operation policies, credit documentation and depository activities.

Mr. Nebenzahl is active in representing and protecting the interests of California industrial banks before Congress, including participating in drafting the exception for industrial banks from the Bank Holding Company Act, business interest checking (NOW) accounts, and interstate branching. He frequently testifies before California legislative committees on matters relating to industrial banks and as requested, from time to time, before the Nevada legislature on behalf of Nevada thrift companies.

Mr. Nebenzahl has participated in drafting most California laws regarding industrial banks. He was a member of the California Ad Hoc Advisory Committee responsible for the creation of the California Department of Financial Institutions. He represented the industrial banking industry in the creation of the California Industrial Banking Law, working in concert with members of the State legislature and the Commissioner of Financial Institutions. Mr. Nebenzahl has served as General Counsel to the California Association of Industrial Banks and its predecessor for over 30 years. Moreover, he participated in revision of the Nevada Thrift Companies Act governing Nevada thrift companies, including testifying before Nevada legislative committees. Mr. Nebenzahl has also served as Chief Consultant to the California Assembly Judiciary Committee.

Mr. Nebenzahl received both his undergraduate and his J.D. degrees from the University of California at Los Angeles. He was admitted to the California Bar in 1963. Mr. Nebenzahl founded the firm of Nebenzahl and Kohn in 1979 which became Nebenzahl Kohn Davies & Leff. Mr. Nebenzahl joined Rein Evans & Sestanovich LLP in 2003 as Of Counsel.

Mr. Nebenzahl has been active as board member of the Beverly Hills Bar Association, as well as member of the Los Angeles County, Beverly Hills, American and California State Bar associations. He has served on the Financial Institutions Committee of the State Bar of California and the Federal Government Relations Committee of the California Bankers Association. He has also served as president and board member of various local and national charitable organizations. Mr. Nebenzahl was born in Mercedes, Texas on September 26, 1933.

Current Employment Position(s)

• Of Counsel

Areas of Practice

• Business and Corporate

Bar Admissions

• California, 1963

Education

• University of California at Los Angeles School of Law, Los Angeles, California
  J.D.
• University of California at Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California
  B.A.

Professional Associations and Memberships

• State Bar of California

Past Employment Positions

• Moldo Davidson Fraioli Seror & Sestanovich LLP, Los Angeles, California, Partner