Michael Morehead has more than 20 years of experience in banking and securities regulatory law, holding top-level positions within the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation and Illinois Securities Department. In private practice today, he represents financial institutions in their day-to-day legal matters.

As Chief Counsel for the Division of Banking within the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation for more than seven years, Mr. Morehead reviewed all state-chartered financial institution corporate applications, including purchase and assumption agreements, change in control and merge applications, and issued legal interpretive and no-objection letters related to approved activities for state-chartered banks, corporate fiduciaries and foreign banking offices. He developed and drafted legislation related to the regulation of state banks, corporate fiduciaries and foreign banking offices. He also served as the central point of contact for legal representatives of financial industry trade groups and federal banking regulators.

As Assistant Director for Enforcement with the Illinois Securities Department, Mr. Morehead served as liaison between the Illinois Securities Department and the North American Association of Securities Administrators to develop and implement national cooperative securities prosecutions. He provided prosecution assistance that resulted in a 100 percent conviction rate of more than 70 state and federal criminal securities fraud prosecutions. Mr. Morehead joined Hinshaw & Culbertson LLP in February 2007. From 1999 to 2007, he was Chief Counsel for the Division of Banking of the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation; and from 1985 to 1999, Mr. Morehead was with the Illinois Securities Department, first as a staff attorney and later as Assistant Director for Enforcement.

While still in law school, Mr. Morehead clerked for a summer with the Office of the United States Attorney in the Central District Illinois, Springfield Division.

Mr. Morehead is a member of the Leading Lawyers Network, where he was selected by his peers as a Leading Lawyer in the area of Banking & Financial Institutions Law. Mr. Morehead’s presentations include:

• “A Review of Recent Regulation Z Rules,” Community Bankers Association of Illinois, Springfield, Illinois, March 2009.
• “Raise the Flags and Catch Some Z’s,” Community Bankers Association of Illinois, Springfield, Illinois, October 2008.
• “Background Checks,” Community Bankers Association of Illinois seminar, “A Guide to Human Resources Law,” Springfield, Illinois, June 2008.
• “What Directors Should be Asking Their Managers about BSA/AML Compliance Procedure and Training Programs,” Community Bankers Association of Illinois’ 33rd Annual Convention, Memphis, Tennessee, October 2007.

Mr. Morehead assists parent leaders of Boy Scouts of America Troop 31, in Springfield, Illinois.