Ben Lee advises insurers, financial institutions, and insuretech start-ups on sophisticated insurance regulatory issues, particularly relating to credit insurance policies used by banks for capital risk-weighted substitution.

A former Army officer, Mr. Lee delivers straight-forward solutions to clients’ complex, cross-border insurance matters relating to:

  • Risk-weighted asset (RWA) substitution under the applicable Basel Accord rules
  • Trade credit insurance
  • Financial guaranty insurance law issues
  • Regulatory compliance analysis communication with regulators
  • General insurance regulatory matters, including licensing matters, formation of insurance producers, regulatory filings, risk-based capital analysis, and insurance transactional matters
  • Insurer investments

He strategically advises clients on developing their insurance-related businesses and coordinates seamlessly across the firm’s global network to execute on those plans. Mr. Lee has negotiated hundreds of credit insurance policies on clients’ behalf.

A recognized thought leader in the credit insurance market, he co-authored a standardized industry template for trade credit transactions published by the International Trading & Forfaiting Association (ITFA) and speaks regularly at industry conferences, such as for the International Association of Credit Portfolio Managers.

Mr. Lee maintains an active pro bono practice, including leading a 50-state survey for Start Small Think Big on benefits and resources available to veteran-owned businesses.

Mr. Lee’s experience includes advising:

Credit Insurance

  • Energetic Insurance on developing its market-leading credit insurance policy template for solar energy projects
  • Marketlend on multiple matters involving its trade credit insurance program
  • Nomura Securities International on developing its credit insurance program, including negotiating more than 100 policies that have provided billions of dollars in coverage
  • SMBC as long-time counsel to its credit insurance program, reviewing billions of dollars in coverage

General Regulatory

  • Mastercard on regulatory and transactional issues for its global insurance program*
  • East Asset Management, a special-purpose acquisition company, on its business combination with Abacus, a life insurance settlement provider
  • A global insurance company on resolving a regulatory concern before the New York Department of Financial Services*

Insurer

  • William Penn Life Insurance Company of New York on general advice relating to its asset management and trading operations, joint ventures, insurance M&A, longevity de-risking, and insurance licensing and regulatory considerations

*Matter handled prior to joining Latham

Bar Qualification

  • New York

Education

  • JD, Georgetown University Law Center, 2014
  • BA in English Literature, Hamilton College, 2007
    with Honors