Leading FinTech Team Joins McDermott

NEW YORK, Oct. 30, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- International law firm McDermott Will & Emery announced today that FinTech lawyer and thought leader, Lee Schneider, has joined as a partner in the firm's Financial Institutions Advisory Practice Group. Lee will be based in the firm's New York office and leads a team including partner Lilya Tessler and associate Verity A. Van Tassel Richards.

Lee most recently served as head of Debevoise & Plimpton's Broker-Dealer and FinTech practices. He is a recognized FinTech attorney and regularly assists financial services and other firms in token offerings associated with blockchain projects. Lee is the author of Coinbase's widely read guidance: "A Securities Law Framework for Blockchain Tokens."

"Our clients share our Firm's passion for innovation and we're excited to help them capitalize on the opportunities that blockchain presents in FinTech and beyond," said Firm Chair, Ira J. Coleman. "Lee and his team's widely respected capabilities align with McDermott's commitment to be indispensable to clients by delivering high-value, growth-oriented services in today's evolving marketplace."

"Lee, Lilya and the team will help position McDermott at the forefront of blockchain and other emerging areas of FinTech, and we look forward to integrating their stellar capabilities across the firm's global platform," said David L. Taub, head of McDermott's Financial Institutions Advisory Practice Group. "They represent the future of what McDermott has to offer our clients in financial services and other arenas, and we are thrilled to welcome them."

The new McDermott attorneys bring a strong background in broker-dealer regulation, advising clients on operations of broker-dealers and alternative trading systems, SEC and FINRA inquiries, cross border regulatory issues, and the structuring and development of policies and procedures for companies in their start-up phase.

"I am impressed by the commitment McDermott shows to anticipating and responding to client needs in an increasingly complex market," said new partner, Lee Schneider. "The FinTech landscape is diversifying quickly, and our team will help ensure that the Firm is advising clients ahead of the curve."

About McDermott Will & Emery
McDermott Will & Emery is a premier international law firm with a diversified business practice. Numbering more than 1,000 lawyers, we have offices in Boston, Brussels, Chicago, Dallas, Düsseldorf, Frankfurt, Houston, London, Los Angeles, Miami, Milan, Munich, New York, Orange County, Paris, Seoul, Silicon Valley and Washington, DC. Further extending our reach into Asia, we have a strategic alliance with MWE China Law Offices in Shanghai.

SOURCE McDermott Will & Emery LLP