Partner Rob Long has been named to The National Law Journal’s inaugural “Cryptocurrency, Blockchain and FinTech Trailblazer” list. Published as a special supplement to the September issue of The National Law Journal, the list features 45 attorneys across the United States who have, “’moved the needle’ in facilitating [cryptocurrency, blockchain and FinTech] technologies and digital currencies.”
Long’s “Pioneer Spirit” section details his introduction to cryptocurrency, telling how a client tapped his experience and insight as a former U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) attorney for help in better understanding the applicability of the federal securities laws to cryptocurrencies. Once exposed to the technology, he “immediately recognized tremendous potential in this emerging area.”
In terms of “Trails Blazed,” Long has represented ICO issuers, both foreign and domestic, in government investigations and has helped turn imminent enforcement actions into productive dialogues with regulators. His profile notes that clients value his “insider” perspective, having spent time not just with the SEC, but also with the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) and with the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA). “He leveraged his former government experience to help his clients understand both the law and the optics of how a regulator would view the technology, business and offering.”
The profile also notes that Long “has conducted a complex investigation relating to multiple allegations of misconduct at a crypto-focused company, advised clients on exchange regulation issues and AML compliance matters and represented harmed crypto-investors.”
Looking at “Future Expectations” for cryptocurrency, Long predicts that regulatory scrutiny will continue to increase and that there is an ever-increasing chance that “good people and companies could get caught up in the action.” Long stressed that it is important to “challenge the government to ensure it doesn’t go beyond the law.”
To view Long’s profile in The National Law Journal’s “Cryptocurrency, Blockchain and FinTech” list, please click here.
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