MCLE Seminar: BitLicense and the Virtual Currency Regulatory Landscape

Nikiforos Mathews Partner

New York

His practice focuses on representing financial institutions, governmental and regulated entities, hedge funds and corporate end-users in developing, structuring and negotiating a broad range of fixed income, foreign exchange, commodity, energy and credit derivative products. Among other things, he has successfully negotiated numerous domestic and cross-border lien-secured hedging transactions relating to leveraged loans and infrastructure transactions, as well as deal-contingent hedges. In addition, Nik has significant experience in foreign exchange and fixed income prime brokerage issues, as well as various structured products. He also regularly advises clients in connection with derivatives regulation, including the application of the Dodd-Frank legislation and related regulations. Also, Nik provides counsel on close-out netting matters and UCC issues relating account control arrangements for collateral. Nik regularly advises on the structuring and negotiation of energy and commodity hedging transactions, as well as swap regulatory matters relating to VPPAs. Moreover, on a regular basis, Nik represents market participants on the termination and close-out of derivatives and other products, including providing advice on related bankruptcy matters.

Nik has published articles in several journals, including on rating agency hedge criteria in connection with structured finance transactions.

Before joining Orrick, Nik was vice president and assistant general counsel at Goldman, Sachs & Co. and director and counsel at UBS AG. He also served as a law clerk to the Honorable Nicholas Tsoucalas of the United States Court of International Trade.

From 1999 to 2007, Nik held a commission as a Captain in the United States Army Reserve, where he was qualified to practice as a Judge Advocate. A veteran of both Operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom, he served as an Operational and Administrative Law attorney in Kuwait, Iraq and Afghanistan.

Jeremy Kudon Partner

New York

Whether you’re a disruptive tech company, a global investor, or a legacy brand under siege, Jeremy’s team builds and runs campaigns that change laws, open markets, and protect billions in enterprise value.

Their work has been profiled by The New York Times and BU's The Record and featured on The Daily, Michael Lewis’s Against the Rules, and Crooked Media’s What a Day podcasts.

They are on the frontlines of the national battles over AI frontier model regulation, clean energy, sports betting, and the future of communication services—earning the trust of elected officials and ensuring clients are in the room where it matters on their most important issues.

This isn’t government affairs. It’s the power to make order out of the chaos of 50 state legislatures and leverage it to your advantage.

Jonas Robison Of Counsel

New York

He regularly advises on bank regulations (including, but not limited to, the Bank Holding Company Act and Regulation Y; the Federal Reserve Act; OCC regulations; Regulations U, X, and T; Regulation W; Regulation K; New York Banking Law; and U.S. regulation of foreign banks); CFTC and derivatives regulatory matters (including uncleared swap margin and capital rules, commodity pool operator and commodity trading advisor requirements, product and registrant definitions, the application of CFTC requirements to digital assets, the cross-border framework, swap data reporting, business conduct rules, mandatory clearing and related exceptions, and various key issues for derivatives end users); broker-dealer regulation; regulation of fintech companies, including digital asset clients, robo-advisers, and nonbank lenders; the Investment Advisers Act; the Investment Company Act; and the securities laws generally.

He also regularly negotiates equity and other types of derivatives transactions and related derivatives documentation on both the sell and the buy sides. In addition, he represents issuers and underwriters in commercial mortgage, auto loan, credit card, and other types of securitizations. He also has a broad background in mergers and acquisitions, capital markets, venture capital, corporate governance, and general corporate matters.