When Fintech Meets Legal We Get Disruption

Financial products are turning out to be more and more complicated and the need for new technologies is being driven by the pressure to boost profitability and streamline processes.  Our cross-disciplinary, market-leading international fintech lawyers have vast experience in working with reputable strategic investors, cutting-edge technology companies, and financial institutions throughout all the phases of growth.

From Law Firms to Bankers everyone is using fintech platforms to make processes more seamless whether they know it or not.  Law firms that have been positioned uniquely to provide clients with counsel for a full range of services are being disrupted by robo advisors and AI legal services.  

By bringing together experts from technology companies, venture capital, banking, and other financial services.  White-collar defense attorneys are able to get file transfers faster than they did a decade ago. Litigation finance companies are able to use fintech platforms to price out deals in seconds without having to go to an underwriter. Securities litigation is tremendous today with the growth of DeFi while traditional services at law firms like:  tax, intellectual property, and employment and labor practices fall by the wayside.  

The digital transformation of financial markets has been taking place at rapid speeds and as to capitalize of this, fintech is offering significant challenges and opportunities for both innovators and investors across the globe.

When a company starts the research for the inaugural survey for a law firm like Goodwin on the financial technology industry, the goal was to shed light on the most crucial issues that are faced by this lively sector at the crossroads of innovation and capital.  

Since then, the entrance of COVID-19 pandemic has produced a unique set of conditions with the capacity to boost the pace of innovation considerably and change the corporate landscape significantly.  As a result of these recent issues, it is our belief that it has become more and more vital to recognize the existing state of the financial technology market and to also have perceptions and assessment into the number of forces shaping the future.

Industry Verticals

Digital Currency and Blockchain

• Blockchain technology platforms
• virtual and cryptocurrency-focused funds
• Token developers
• Digital ledgers

Alternative Lending/Banking

• Peer-to-peer lending
• Marketplace lending
• Blockchain lending technology
• Alternative underwriting platforms

Mobile Payments

• Alternative payments
• Mobile wallets
• E-commerce
• Money transmitters

Wealth Management/Capital Markets 

• Online exchanges
• Robo-advising
• Broker tech
• Investment management tech

Insure Tech

• Digital insurance
• Software and data analytics for re-insurers
• Alternative insurance offerings

Privacy and Financial Information

• Alternative insurance offerings
• Data analytics and software for re-insurers
• Digital insurance

Working for Clients

We are providing assistance that will shape the world of law, delivering service to investors and innovators alike at the junction of financial technology and services.  Included among the services that are provided for fintech clients are:

• Providing guidance on FinCEN, FINRA, DOJ, SEC, FCPA, CFIUS, broker-dealer, money-service-business, money-transmitter, and other federal and state regulations
• Transactions including consortium investments, venture capital, M&A, private equity, and other forms of financings
• Providing advisory on fund formation along with recommendations for other private investment funds 
• Giving advice on strategic alliances, outsourcing and joint ventures
• Providing advice on patent strategy, licensing, intellectual property and prosecution 
• Responding to federal and state government inquiries and enforcement activities
• Giving guidance on securities class action lawsuits
• Providing banking and bank regulatory advice
• Providing general corporate recommendations related to tax, global trade, privacy and cybersecurity and labor and employment.