Cooley LLP‘s practice is well-equipped to assist its clientele with the breadth of fintech matters, particularly those regarding complex issues relating to blockchain, crypto financings, and payments; its cases range from product design to regulatory compliance and risk mitigation. Bet-the-company litigation is also a key area of focus for the group. The team is led from Washington DC by enforcement and regulatory specialist Michelle Rogers, with Obrea Poindexter, who is experienced advising fintech, tech, and retail companies, also being a name to note at the same office. Chicago’s Kate Goodman advises on corporate formation and strategy, examinations, and investigations. Regulation, operation and strategy are areas of focus of DC-based Adam Fleisher. New York’s James Kim has notable litigation expertise and joined the team in May 2025. Joshua Kotin departed in the same month, while Sean Ruff left in July of the same year.
Legal 500 Editorial commentary
Testimonials
Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.
‘Cooley’s venture capital practice stands out for both scale and substance.'
'The team consistently handles more VC-backed company and investor deals than any other firm, which gives it an unmatched, real-time understanding of market terms, trends, and dynamics. That volume translates directly into better judgment and faster execution for clients.'
- 'What differentiates Cooley in practice is its ability to operate quickly and commercially without overcomplicating matters.'
- 'The team has an excellent grasp of where the market actually is and provides pragmatic guidance that reflects how deals are getting done today. Compared to other firms, Cooley is notably more efficient, more decisive, and more aligned with the realities of venture-backed businesses and funds.’
‘The individuals I work with at Cooley stand out for their responsiveness, judgment, and ability to distil complex legal issues into clear, workable solutions. They combine deep technical expertise with strong commercial instincts, which is not always easy to find.'
- 'Derek Colla is exceptionally responsive and highly commercial. He has excellent market knowledge and a strong ability to identify simple, practical solutions to complicated problems, even under time pressure.'
Key clients
- Nishad Singh
- Nelk Inc.
- ZAR
- Helius
Work highlights
Defending the client in the lawsuit filed by the New York State Attorney General (NYAG), currently pending in New York federal court, regarding the recharacterization of the client’s popular earned-wage-access (EWA) product into loans subject to New York consumer lending laws and usury limits.
Advised ZAR in its $7M seed round led by Dragonfly.
Representing a large payments platform and application provider that facilitates payments between employers and their employees or independent contractors in an investigation by the CFPB; the investigation reflects a particular interest by the CFPB in both “gig economy” workers and efforts to add additional consumer protection controls to payment providers.
Lawyers
Leading partners
The strongest partners in their field, leading on market-leading deals and endorsed by peers and clients alike.
Practice head
Michelle Rogers
Other key lawyers
Obrea Poindexter; Kate Goodman; Adam Fleisher; James Kim; William Pao; Derek Colla; Rodrigo Seira