Commitments and Contingencies

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2016

Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract]

We rent certain premises under long-term, non-cancelable operating leases expiring at various dates through the year 2032. Most of the leases contain certain renewal options and escalation clauses. At December 31, 2016, the approximate minimum future commitments payable under non-cancelable contracts for leased premises are as follows:



(in thousands)	2017		2018		2019		2020		2021		Thereafter		Total
Operating leases¹	$	3,850	$	3,919	$	3,725	$	3,405	$	2,114	$	4,069	$	21,082

¹ Minimum payments have not been reduced by minimum sublease rentals of $151 thousand due in the future under non-cancelable subleases.

Rent expense included in occupancy expense totaled $3.9 million in 2016 and $4.2 million in 2015 and 2014, respectively.

Litigation Matters

We may be party to legal actions which arise from time to time as part of the normal course of our business. We believe, after consultation with legal counsel, that we have meritorious defenses in these actions, and that litigation contingent liability, if any, will not have a material adverse effect on our financial position, results of operations, or cash flows.

We are responsible for our proportionate share of certain litigation indemnifications provided to Visa U.S.A. ("Visa") by its member banks in connection with lawsuits related to anti-trust charges and interchange fees ("Covered Litigation"). Visa maintains an escrow account from which settlements of, or judgments in, the Covered Litigation are paid. While the accrual related to the Covered Litigation could be higher or lower than the litigation escrow account balance, Visa did not record an additional accrual for the Covered Litigation during 2016. At December 31, 2016, according to the latest SEC Form 10-Q filed by Visa, Inc. on February 2, 2017, the balance of the escrow account was $1.0 billion. Visa had reached a $4.0 billion interchange multidistrict litigation class settlement agreement. However, a number of objectors have appealed and on June 30, 2016, an appellate court reversed the approval of the settlement by the lower court. Until the appeal process is complete, Visa is uncertain whether it will resolve the claims as contemplated by the settlement agreement and additional lawsuits may arise. The conversion rate of Visa Class B common stock held by us to Class A common stock (as discussed in Note 2, Investment Securities) may decrease if Visa makes more Covered Litigation settlement payments in the future, and the full effect on member banks is still uncertain. However, we are not aware of significant future cash settlement payments required by us on the Covered Litigation.