Signature Bank Ranks in the Top Three of Best Business Bank, Best Private Bank and Best Attorney Escrow Services Provider Categories of New York Law Journal’s Annual Survey

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Signature Bank (Nasdaq: SBNY), a New York-based full-service commercial bank, announced today that it was named in the Best Business Bank, Best Private Bank and Best Attorney Escrow Services Provider categories of the New York Law Journal’s third annual survey and rankings. Signature Bank ranked third in both the Best Business Bank and Best Private Bank listings and second in the Best Attorney Escrow Services Provider category. This is the third year that the Bank has ranked in the Business Bank category; the second in the Private Bank and the first as Attorney Escrow Services Provider.

The rankings, which appeared in the September 10, 2012 issue of this leading New York-area legal publication, include reader opinions spanning 63 categories of a range of services to the New York legal community. They were the result of the Journal surveying its print and online subscribers for the third consecutive year. This year, 6,800 votes were cast, surpassing the prior year’s totals by more than 50 percent. Each subscriber was provided an official ballot with an opportunity to write in additional candidates for consideration that were not listed on that ballot. While the rankings are not a scientific survey of the marketplace but rather convey the purely democratic process that was conducted, the results represent the candid opinions of New York Law Journal readers.

“For the third consecutive year, Signature Bank has earned some of the highest marks possible in the New York Law Journal’s annual survey. This year, the Bank ranked in the top three across those categories most relevant to our client focus. Once again, Signature Bank was recognized for the way we distinguish the institution in the marketplace through an unrelenting dedication to our clients,” explained Joseph J. DePaolo, Signature Bank President and Chief Executive Officer.

“Our single-point-of-contact approach and emphasis on true, relationship banking allows us to effectively compete with the city’s mega-banks. Clearly, readers of the New York Law Journal recognize this, as our client mix includes many law firms. We appreciate those that took time to vote for Signature Bank, based on our differentiated service commitment, and also thank our growing network of private client banking teams who expend tireless efforts catering to our clients. We also extend gratitude to the New York Law Journal for this prominent ranking,” DePaolo said.

About Signature Bank

Signature Bank, member FDIC, is a New York-based full-service commercial bank with 25 private client offices throughout the New York metropolitan area. The Bank’s growing network of private client banking teams serves the needs of privately owned businesses, their owners and senior managers. Signature Bank offers a wide variety of business and personal banking products and services. The Bank operates Signature Financial, LLC, a specialty finance subsidiary focused on equipment finance and leasing, transportation financing and taxi medallion financing. Investment, brokerage, asset management and insurance products and services are offered through the Bank’s subsidiary, Signature Securities Group Corporation, a licensed broker-dealer, investment adviser and member FINRA/SIPC.

Since commencing operations in May 2001, the Bank has grown to $15.9 billion in assets, $13 billion in deposits, $1.5 billion in equity capital and $1.70 billion in other assets under management as of June 30, 2012. Signature Bank's Tier 1 and risk-based capital ratios are significantly above the levels required to be considered well capitalized.

Signature Bank's 25 offices are located: In Manhattan (9) - 261 Madison Avenue; 300 Park Avenue; 71 Broadway; 565 Fifth Avenue; 950 Third Avenue; 200 Park Avenue South; 1020 Madison Avenue; 50 West 57th Street and 2 Penn Plaza. Brooklyn (3) - 26 Court Street; 84 Broadway and 6321 New Utrecht Avenue. Westchester (2) - 1C Quaker Ridge Road, New Rochelle and 360 Hamilton Avenue, White Plains. Long Island (6) - 1225 Franklin Avenue, Garden City; 279 Sunrise Highway, Rockville Centre; 68 South Service Road, Melville; 923 Broadway, Woodmere; 40 Cuttermill Road, Great Neck and 100 Jericho Quadrangle, Jericho. Queens (3) - 36-36 33rd Street, Long Island City; 78-27 37th Avenue, Jackson Heights and 8936 Sutphin Blvd., Jamaica. Bronx (1) - 421 Hunts Point Avenue, Bronx. Staten Island (1) - 2066 Hylan Blvd.

For more information, please visit www.signatureny.com.

This press release and oral statements made from time to time by our representatives contain "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 that are subject to risks and uncertainties. You should not place undue reliance on those statements because they are subject to numerous risks and uncertainties relating to our operations and business environment, all of which are difficult to predict and may be beyond our control. Forward-looking statements include information concerning our future results, interest rates and the interest rate environment, loan and deposit growth, loan performance, operations, new private client team hires, new office openings and business strategy. These statements often include words such as "may," "believe," "expect," "anticipate," "intend," “potential,” “opportunity,” “could,” “project,” “seek,” “should,” “will,” would,” "plan," "estimate" or other similar expressions. As you consider forward-looking statements, you should understand that these statements are not guarantees of performance or results. They involve risks, uncertainties and assumptions that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements. These factors include but are not limited to: (i) prevailing economic conditions; (ii) changes in interest rates, loan demand, real estate values and competition, any of which can materially affect origination levels and gain on sale results in our business, as well as other aspects of our financial performance, including earnings on interest-bearing assets; (iii) the level of defaults, losses and prepayments on loans made by us, whether held in portfolio or sold in the whole loan secondary markets, which can materially affect charge-off levels and required credit loss reserve levels; (iv) changes in monetary and fiscal policies of the U.S. Government, including policies of the U.S. Treasury and the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System; (v) changes in the banking and other financial services regulatory environment and (vi) competition for qualified personnel and desirable office locations. As you read and consider forward-looking statements, you should understand that these statements are not guarantees of performance or results. They involve risks, uncertainties and assumptions and can change as a result of many possible events or factors, not all of which are known to us or in our control. Although we believe that these forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, beliefs and expectations, if a change occurs or our beliefs, assumptions and expectations were incorrect, our business, financial condition, liquidity or results of operations may vary materially from those expressed in our forward-looking statements. Additional risks are described in our quarterly and annual reports filed with the FDIC. You should keep in mind that any forward-looking statements made by Signature Bank speak only as of the date on which they were made. New risks and uncertainties come up from time to time, and we cannot predict these events or how they may affect the Bank. Signature Bank has no duty to, and does not intend to, update or revise the forward-looking statements after the date on which they are made. In light of these risks and uncertainties, you should keep in mind that any forward-looking statement made in this release or elsewhere might not reflect actual results.