Duncan Douglass heads Alston & Bird’s payment systems practice and focuses on transactions, product development and regulatory issues related to retail and wholesale payment systems and products.

Payment Card Services
Mr. Douglass regularly counsels payment card issuers and service providers in regulatory compliance matters, in structuring card issuance programs, and in negotiating co-branding, program manager, issuer processor and sales/distribution agent agreements. He also advises merchants, processors and acquirers in regulatory matters and in negotiating sponsorship, acquiring and processing agreements. Further, Mr. Douglass frequently counsels PIN and signature-based card network operators in the structuring of partner relationships and in the development and implementation of network operating rules and procedures.

ACH and Check Services
Mr. Douglass has extensive experience advising financial institutions, processors and merchants in connection with ACH and check-based payments, including negotiating agreements on behalf of third party service providers, third party senders, retailers and financial institutions related to the authorization, acceptance and processing of ACH and check-based payments.

Emerging Payment Services
Mr. Douglass has represented numerous bank and non-bank clients in connection with product development, implementation and compliance issues related to emerging and evolving payment mechanisms and systems, including mobile payments, person-to-person payments, and account-to-account transfers.