Matthew Havice, Georgia's Own Credit Union, Atlanta (Courtesy photo)

Matthew Havice, vice president for enterprise risk management and general counsel at Georgia's Own Credit Union, achieved pioneer status in 2018 by navigating the first credit union acquisition of a bank in Georgia history. Georgia's Own Credit Union's purchase of State Bank of Georgia was under scrutiny from a host of regulatory bodies, including the National Credit Union Association, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. and the Georgia Department of Banking and Finance.

Havice orchestrated the acquisition from a legal standpoint and also served as the project lead on the immersion of the acquired employees and the integration of all systems. This included data conversion all the way to making sure the employees understood any changes to their employee benefits.

Havice also negotiated the relocation of Georgia's Own Credit Union's headquarters, which is expected to net $1 million in savings. It also landed two large signs adorning the 100 Peachtree building during the Super Bowl. This negotiation required working with the building owner, vendors and multiple governmental entities.

Havice serves as legal counsel for the Georgia's Own Foundation, which means his services are pro bono. The foundation supported hungry schoolchildren during the summer, empowered at-risk youth throughout Atlanta, provided scholarships for the underserved and performed numerous other forms of outreach.

What was the biggest challenge in the acquisition of State Bank of Georgia?

Obtaining regulatory approval from three regulatory agencies was most certainly a challenge; however, the biggest challenge was ensuring the staff at both institutions were on board with the acquisition, had the tools and time for the project and those on the transition teams were working together to minimize the impact on the credit union's members and the bank's customers.

Who was one of your mentors, and what did you learn from that person?

My father was and continues to be one of my most trusted mentors.  While I have learned many things from him, and thankfully continue to, some of his most poignant advice has been:

1. That good, bad or otherwise, once a deal is made, whatever was bargained for and agreed to remains the deal until it is satisfied;
2. That opportunity only knocks on the door of the individual who is prepared to take advantage of it (as otherwise it is not an opportunity); and finally
3. Always be prepared!

What is a misconception lawyers have about the role of in-house counsel?

The biggest misconception is the thought that it is a 9-5 job, unlike private practice.  As in-house counsel, you only have one client, and they know where you are at all times. As such, you cannot ignore a phone call or email and explain the next day that you were tied up in court.  In-house counsel are provided a phone and computer from their only client and are therefore on call 24-7-365.