Latham & Watkins LLP is praised for its ‘incredibly deep bench of financial regulatory expertise that positions it at the top of the market for fintech legal counsel‘. The firm represents clients from across the industry, including major financial institutions, established technology companies and startups, investment funds, and industry trade organizations. The diverse clientbase is matched by its wide-ranging advice, including capital markets, broker-dealer arrangements, financial regulatory, data protection, M&A and technology joint ventures. The firm also has a significant presence in the cryptocurrency space, as demonstrated by its role on the Coinbase IPO, and advice to clients including Celsius Networks and Cipher Mining Technologies. The firm’s global reach is also noted, ‘with London and Hong Kong being highlights of their international fintech practice‘. Key partners include global co-chair Todd Beauchamp, and, also in Washington, DC, Mitchell Rabinowitz and Jenny Cieplak. New York partners Yvette Valdez and Stephen Wink, and Silicon Valley-based global technology chair Benjamin Potter are ‘stand outs‘ who are ‘willing to work to yes, rather than stopping at no‘.

Mayer Brown has a market-leading fintech practice that covers all the bases. The firm’s enviable client list, particularly among major payment processors and credit card companies, including Square, PayPal and American Express, is demonstrative of the firm’s standing. This extends beyond US borders, with clients, including major investors such as Goldman Sachs, receiving strong support in Europe and Asia. Assistance with product launches and partnership agreements feature prominently on the team’s agenda, with clients benefiting from a comprehensive range of expertise, from financial services regulatory and enforcement, through to outsourcing and technology transactions, payments, lending, capital markets, M&A, venture capital and cybersecurity. The fintech leadership team also reflects the group’s multidisciplinary strengths, with regulatory partners David Beam and Steve Kaplan in Washington DC jointly heading the practice with Chicago-based outsourcing partner Brad Peterson. Other key individuals include New York finance partner Amanda Baker and Palo Alto-based Rohith George, who is especially experienced in business service agreements and related licensing matters.

Paul Hastings LLP is ‘truly an extension of an in-house team‘ and ‘as good as it gets at understanding exactly what in-house counsel is dealing with‘. The strong service is complemented by its ‘hyper technically competent‘ lawyers with ‘very strong expertise in payments‘. The firm’s comprehensive offering covers all regulatory, compliance, transactional and litigation issues facing the fintech market. This extends to cutting-edge crypto launches, where it has been assisting Coinbase and Circle on their joint venture to launch a fiat stablecoin pegged to the US dollar. Atlanta-based partner Chris Daniel chairs the global fintech and payments group and advises on a broad mix of transactional and regulatory matters. Washington DC’s Behnam Dayanim chairs the privacy and cybersecurity side, while Thomas Brown in San Francisco is highly experienced on the litigation front. The recruitment of corporate partner Eric Sibbitt (San Francisco) as new fintech and payments co-chair from O’Melveny & Myers adds significant weight to an already strong team. New York corporate partner Christopher Austin is another leading figure in the market. Clients also single out the ‘truly exceptional‘ San Francisco-based associate Molly Swartz.

Cravath, Swaine & Moore LLP‘s combination of transactional and regulatory expertise has made it a compelling choice for some of the country’s largest banking and fintech operators. Corporate partner Scott Bennett has an extremely strong track record representing issuers and underwriters in related public and private securities offerings. The firm’s representation of the online trading platform Robinhood Markets in 2021 is demonstrative of its cross-practice approach to supporting clients. This included the company’s $1.9bn Nasdaq IPO, a $3.4bn private placement of convertible notes and warrants, and the successful dismissal of several lawsuits, led by litigation partner Kevin Orsini, concerning Robinhood’s decision to temporarily restrict trading during the volatile GamesStop short squeeze. The regulatory side of the practice was also boosted following the recruitment of financial services partner David Portilla from Debevoise & Plimpton LLP. Practice head and IP partner David Kappos is a key asset, working closely with corporate and regulatory partners on related blockchain and fintech issues.

DLA Piper LLP (US) is noted for its ‘unmatched experience and reputation for advising on novel projects’ through ‘thoughtful analysis’ and ‘creative alternatives and solutions’. The firm represents an impressive selection of financial institutions, investment funds and technology companies. In addition to its regulatory expertise, which covers traditional and disruptive products, including blockchain and non-fungible tokens (NFT), the team is also active on the corporate side, having been involved in several high-profile IPOs, SPAC mergers and M&A deals. The firm’s capacity to handle novel mandates was demonstrated by its advice to TikTok on its first NFT launch. US co-chair Margo Tank in Washington DC, Chicago’s David Whitaker and Seattle’s Trenton Dykes are highly experienced in this area. San Francisco disputes partner Michael Fluhr provides ‘great customer service’ and is ‘always responsive and proactively identifying new areas that he could help in’. Mark Radcliffe in Silicon Valley is considered ‘highly experienced‘ in the crypto space. Former global co-chair David Luce joined Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP in January 2022.

Goodwin has one of the leading technology practices in the market, and this expertise extends to the fintech market where it represents a wide range of start-ups and established providers. These include leading companies in the payments, wealth management, alternative lending, insurtech, and digital currencies and blockchain space. In addition to corporate finance and high-end transactional matters, the firm provides strong support on partnership agreements with banks and financial services companies, as well as contentious and non-contentious regulatory, privacy and cybersecurity advice. Fintech co-chairs Mitzi Chang and Scott Joachim, who respectively lead the team out of San Francisco and Silicon Valley, are both highly active on the corporate transactional side, representing investment funds and public and emerging companies. Key partners in the financial services regulatory practice, which is praised for its ‘amazing bench and great practitioners with years of experience in government service and advising clients‘ include Mike Whalen in Washington DC and the ‘fantastic expert‘ Kimberly Monty Holzel in Boston.

Hogan Lovells US LLP has a far-reaching global fintech group, which is co-chaired out of Washington DC by the highly experienced regulatory partner Richard Schaberg. The team works closely with colleagues in other key global financial hubs, including London. The practice offers a broad spread of transactional, regulatory, litigation, IP and advisory support. The clientbase is equally diverse, ranging from major financial institutions through to start-ups, emerging and public technology companies. On the transactional side, the firm has a strong track record for major M&As and partnering agreements, and regularly assists clients on product launches and associated regulatory approvals and inquiries. Regulatory and compliance advice also extends to key areas such as cybersecurity and anti-money laundering initiatives. Other key individuals include senior counsel Gregory Lisa, who handles regulatory issues, and corporate partner Nathaniel Gallon in Silicon Valley.

Morrison Foerster combines an impressive pedigree for technology-focused advice with strong financial services regulatory and enforcement expertise. Clients include banks, payments providers, established technology companies and start-up and emerging disruptors. On the technology side, the team regularly assists with digitization projects and the development of new products and platforms, and is also a market leader in data privacy issues. Blockchain and cryptocurrencies are also climbing up the agenda, with recent advice to banks on related custody issues and the development of stablecoin platforms. The practice is jointly led by Washington DC-based regulatory partners Crystal Kaldjob and Jeremy Mandell. DC-based partner Maria Earley (who recently joined from Reed Smith LLP with the ‘exceptionally knowledgeable‘ New York regulatory partner Jeffrey Silberman) is a former Consumer Financial Protection Bureau enforcement attorney who adds weight on enforcement issues. Stephanie Sharron in Palo Alto is active on the technology transactional side. New York of counsel Evan Minsberg, who joined from Venable LLP, is a ‘go-to attorney for all new product introductions and iterations‘.

Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP‘s longstanding track record for market-leading advice to technology companies and investors also extends to the fintech sector. The firm stands out for its experience in representing fintech companies, from emerging start-ups through to established players such as PayPal and LendingClub. The team has been especially busy assisting payment processors and challenger banks on high-end corporate matters and product launches, as demonstrated by its advice to mobile banking app Dave on its $4bn SPAC merger. Clients benefit from a comprehensive service that includes regulatory, venture capital, litigation, IP, cybersecurity and data privacy. The firm’s adaptability is noted by clients who appreciate that the ‘team is always taking time to learn the distinctive nature of the products and companies that they represent‘. Key partners include Washington DC practice chair and regulatory partner Barrie VanBrackle, capital markets partner Robert Moyle in New York, and corporate partners John Bautista and Josh Pollick in Santa Monica.

Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP combines a strong mix of financial services and technology expertise. The team is ‘well integrated across disciplines’, fielding several experienced corporate, regulatory, transactional and litigation lawyers. The regulatory side of the practice includes senior counsel Christopher Giancarlo, a former chairman of the US Commodity Futures Trading Commission who co-chairs the firm’s Digital Works practice and is ‘well known for his vast understanding and knowledge of the crypto space‘. Fellow digital works co-chair Conrad Bahlke is also noted for his good regulatory experience in crypto and blockchain. Washington DC-based regulatory partner Justin Browder is also ‘a brilliant lawyer with an acute business semse and an amazing service level‘. Clients, which include fintech providers, financial services companies and investment funds, also benefit from the firm’s transactional capabilities. Private equity co-chair Jeffrey Poss has a good track record representing investors while Matthew Berger in Palo Alto assists on related technology transactions and IP matters. The recruitment of David Luce, DLA Piper LLP (US)‘s former global co-chair, adds weight to an already strong group. Lawyers are based in New York unless otherwise stated.

Ballard Spahr LLP has established an extremely good reputation for banking, payments and financial services regulatory advice. The multi-disciplinary practice is especially good at defending clients against regulatory enforcement actions and investigations. On the transactional side it assists major banks in developing in-house products and relationships with technology companies. New York’s James Kim and Minneapolis-based partner Ronald Vaske jointly lead the fintech and payments team, which includes Washington DC-based privacy and data security partner Kim Phan. Philadelphia’s Peter Jaslow co-leads the blockchain technology and cryptocurrency group, while recently promoted New York partner Judy Mok is active in the payments arena. In Philadelphia, consumer financial services co-head Mark Furletti ‘knows everything that could be known about financial regulations’.

Clifford Chance has an experienced multi-disciplinary practice that combines the firm’s global financial services capabilities with an experienced technology group. Clients range from major global financial institutions and industry bodies through to start-up fintech companies, who benefit from the team’s transactional, regulatory and contentious support. In addition to traditional banking, insurance and payments products, the team has grown its focus on blockchain and cryptocurrency-related mandates. Assisting VanEck Associates Corporation on the development and launch of two exchange-traded cryptocurrency trusts demonstrates the firm’s melding of the traditional and the new. The fintech team is led by the Washington DC-based regulatory partner Steven Gatti who assists with enforcement and non-contentious matters. Other key lawyers include regulatory partner Megan Gordon (Washington DC) and New York’s David Felsenthal, a structured finance partner with a good track record for structuring blockchain and token sales.

Dentons has an impressive multidisciplinary practice that provides a combination of corporate finance, IP and regulatory support. Clients include major banks and financial services institutions as well as fintech start-ups and growth companies. New York-based partner Victor Boyajian heads the firm’s global venture technology and emerging growth companies practice, which represents several leading companies in this space on a wide range of issues including venture funding, corporate acquisitions and compliance. This expertise crosses into areas such as blockchain, where New York partner Charles Gelinas is establishing a good track record for distributed ledger and cryptocurrency transactions, including advising digital token issuers in token-generating events. Washington DC-based partner John Holahan and New York’s Matthew Yoon, who co-head the firm’s capital markets regulatory team, are also extremely active on the fintech side.

Eversheds Sutherland provides a comprehensive fintech service and is praised for its team of ‘down to earth, relatable people that you look forward to visiting with‘. Clients come from across all corners of the industry, including banks, payments and credit card processing companies, and digital commerce. The team’s ‘cost effective, thorough analysis‘ covers a range of issues, including regulatory, corporate, IP, litigation, cybersecurity and tax. The group is especially active on the payments and digital commerce side, regularly advising on product launches, M&A and collaboration agreements. A large portion of the team works from Atlanta, including well regarded practice head Robert Pile and fellow corporate partners Brian Murphy and David Phillips, and the ‘brilliant and great‘ finance partner Brennan Posner.  New York-based global insurance head John Pruitt is good on insurtech matters, while Washington DC’s Michael Bahar co-heads the global cybersecurity and data privacy team.

Hunton Andrews Kurth LLP‘s versatile fintech team advises on the full range of industry-relevant issues, including regulatory, finance, data protection, corporate and technology. Clients come from across the market, though the firm is especially known for representing banks, financial services and wealth management companies. Recent mandates have included advice on the launch of new products and platforms, and partnering agreements with fintech companies. The multi-faceted team is spread throughout the firm’s US office network, including Austin’s Erin Fonté, co-chair of the financial institutions corporate and regulatory practice, and New York’s Lisa Sotto, global head of privacy and cybersecurity. Other key partners include Dallas-based Jarrett Hale, co-chair of financial services litigation and compliance, and Washington DC’s Scott Kimpel, a lead contact for blockchain and distributed ledger technology.

K&L Gates has a well regarded fintech practice that approaches the market from several different angles. On the transactional side, key areas of expertise include partnering agreements between banking and fintech clients, where the team regularly assists both sides of the table, as well as advice on M&A and corporate financings. The group also has a strong cadre of financial service regulatory lawyers with good experience of related contentious and non-contentious issues. Another increasingly important plank in the firm’s offering is its experience in digital assets, blockchain and cryptocurrencies. Lead partners include New York’s Judith Rinearson who has an impressive industry background in payments systems and financial services. Robert Zinn, who divides his time between Pittsburgh and New York, is a key contact for related M&A, while Washington DC partner Jennifer Crowder is highly experienced on the regulatory side.

Perkins Coie LLP‘s comprehensive practice has an impressive track record for advising fintech companies on the full suite of related matters. The bulk of the firm’s clients are established and start-up technology providers, though it also represents venture capital investors and financial institutions. The team offers good expertise on the transactional, regulatory, litigation and compliance front, and ‘provides grounded legal advice in a manner that is implementable and executable by client legal and compliance teams‘. A major string to the firm’s bow is its longstanding focus on cryptocurrency and blockchain, regularly helping established clients as the technology enters the mainstream. The fintech industry group is co-chaired by Joe Cutler and Dax Hansen in Seattle and New York’s Dana Syracuse. Clients also rate the ‘highly responsive‘ Seattle-based counsel Steve Merriman, who ‘digs deep into issues to provide practical legal advice‘. Emerging companies and venture capital co-chair Troy Foster in Silicon Valley ‘always has solid insights‘.

White & Case LLP has a diverse and multi-faceted practice group that approaches the fintech market from several different angles. The team covers the full spread of regulatory, transactional and litigation matters, including partnership agreements and product launches. This is reflected in the clientbase, which includes banks and payment companies expanding into fintech, as well as fintech companies seeking bank charters or partnerships. The corporate finance team regularly handles SPAC mergers and business combinations, and equity and debt listings. The firm also has good credentials in cryptocurrency and blockchain, assisting providers and business investors including major media companies on non-fungible token and other related projects. Key partners in Washington DC include Pratin Vallabhaneni, a regulatory partner who advised the Republic of El Salvador on its high-profile incorporation of bitcoin as legal tender. New York-based financial services regulatory head Douglas Landy is also highly experienced in fintech and blockchain. Era Anagnosti departed the firm in February 2023.

Arnold & Porter has a strong transactional and regulatory practice that represents a broad mix of banks, investment funds, strategic investors and fintech companies. The firm has grown its focus on cryptocurrencies and digital assets, including the establishment of blockchain-backed financial products and platforms. Washington DC-based financial services chair David Freeman leads the team and has a good track record assisting banks on regulatory and transactional matters. Also in the capital, Christopher Allen is especially experienced advising on federal and state consumer finance laws and regulations, while Michael Mancusi is one of the main contacts for regulatory, compliance and enforcement issues. New York-based partners Robert Azarow and Lawton Camp are especially active on the corporate and finance side respectively.

Dechert LLP has a wide-ranging workload in the fintech space that includes cutting-edge cryptocurrency transactions, as well as more traditional transactional, cybersecurity and regulatory matters. Silicon Valley-based partner Timothy Spangler has experience of fund management, fintech and cryptocurrency issues, all of which intersected on his lead role assisting Franklin Templeton on the launch of its groundbreaking blockchain-based mutual fund. Philadelphia-based Ralph Mazzeo is also experienced in related securitizations and digital assets. The regulatory and compliance aspects are typically handled by Susan Grafton in Washington DC and San Francisco practice head Mark D Perlow, a former senior counsel in the SEC’s Division of Enforcement. Karen Neuman (Washington DC) and Boston’s Brenda Sharton are respectively on hand for non-contentious and contentious privacy and cybersecurity issues.

Greenberg Traurig, LLP is a ‘leading edge, innovative, technology driven law firm‘ with a multi-faceted cradle-to-grave practice. The team’s experience covers a range of products and digital assets including cryptocurrencies, mobile and online payment systems, crowdfunding and banking platforms to name a few. This includes advice on shared service agreements, corporate finance, cybersecurity, IP, regulatory and litigation. The practice grew in 2021 with the recruitment of Chicago partner William Turner  from Steptoe & Johnson LLP, who is praised for his cryptocurrency expertise, and regulatory expert Benjamin Saul in Washington DC, formerly of Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner LLP. The team is jointly led by the ‘innovative, informed, knowledgeable‘ Los Angeles-based corporate partner Barbara Jones, versatile Miami-based partner Carl Fornaris, and New York IP and technology partner David Greenberg.

Manatt, Phelps & Phillips, LLP has a ‘very responsive‘ team whose partners are ‘experts in their fields and have strong networks and relationships with relevant regulators and legislators‘. The firm represents a good mix of banks and financial institutions, as well as start-up and emerging fintech companies. The expanding practice has been actively building the regulatory and enforcement side of the practice, including the recruitment of Chicago partner Bryan Schneider from the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. Further experience is provided on transactional and strategic commercial issues, including advice on blockchain and cryptocurrency matters, such as NFTs, tokenization and decentralized finance. New York corporate finance partner Brian Korn leads the highly rated team, which includes Los Angeles-based regulatory and compliance partner Scott Pearson (‘an amazing partner to work with‘).

McGuireWoods LLP has an experienced team of fintech lawyers spread throughout its US office network. The firm assists banks and fintech companies on the full range of corporate, finance, regulatory, litigation, and data privacy and security issues. In addition to corporate finance matters, the team regularly assists fintech companies on shared service and partnership agreements, including related IP licensing issues. Lead partners include Charlotte-based fintech head Rakesh Gopalan, a technology and securities lawyer with good expertise in outsourcing deals and IPOs. The firm is also strong on the contentious side, with Charlotte’s Susan Rodriguez, who co-leads the firm’s financial institutions team, a key contact for related litigation, regulatory and enforcement matters, and Chicago partner Sarah Zielinski, who is highly experienced in civil claims and compliance issues. Richmond-based partner James Anderson is a key partner on the corporate finance front.

Norton Rose Fulbright brings a reliable mix of domestic and international fintech expertise to clients who appreciate the ‘geographic reach of the firm‘ and its ‘highly skilled resources‘. The broad offering covers corporate finance, commercial agreements, regulatory, IP, litigation and data privacy. The practice also has good expertise in emerging areas such as blockchain, including custody solutions, tokenization, payments, and OTC and exchange trading. New York disputes partner Stephen Aschettino leads the practice and has over 20 years’ experience of related litigation, regulatory and compliance issues. Andrew Lom (New York) regularly assists investment funds on fintech products, while Dallas partner Ronald David Smith is another key contact for litigation and contentious regulatory matters. Senior counsel Santo Manna in New York brings  ‘excellent experience in fintech work, having been in-house at a number of leading vendors‘.

Ropes & Gray LLP is especially busy on the transactional front. The team advised on several prominent SPAC mergers, often with a strong cross-border element, such as as Altimeter Growth’s $40bn combination with Singapore’s Grab Holdings. The firm’s market-leading private equity practice also generates a steady flow of related investment mandates. The team regularly assists underwriters and issuers on IPOs and bond listings. Additional support is provided on regulatory matters and high-end contractual negotiations including shared services agreements. Key partners include Boston-based Edward Black, who heads the firm’s global fintech practice and has a good track record in cryptocurrency, payments technology and robo-advisors. Black co-heads the TMT practice with Silicon Valley IP litigator Andrew Thomases. New York’s Scott Abramowitz is busy on the private equity side while Samer Musallam in Washington DC is a lead partner for fintech regulatory investigations and disputes.