Book excerpt: Securities lending master agreements are vital for covering securities loans between contracting parties. They also offer legal and credit protection and a close-out netting procedure if a party defaults or goes bankrupt. These agreements are widely used by banks, securities houses, pension funds, hedge funds and insurance companies. Mastering Securities Lending Documentation is a practical guide to understanding the negotiation of these master agreements used in the United Kingdom, United States and Europe. It is an essential handbook for anyone involved in negotiating these agreements and includes: An introduction to the history and operations of the market A clear, user-friendly explanation of all paragraphs of the master agreements An easy-to use split page format with the original text and commentary Examples of commonly negotiated additions and amendments and their implications Answers to legal, risk and operational questions