Miami and Los Angeles – Global law firm K&L Gates LLP welcomes two new partners with deep experience in digital currency, blockchain, and fintech issues to its Miami and Los Angeles offices. They join the firm from Carlton Fields.
 
Miami partner Andrew (Drew) M. Hinkes advises companies on cryptocurrency and blockchain matters and is also an experienced trial attorney who has litigated complex commercial matters. Hinkes is an adjunct professor at New York University’s Stern School of Business and the New York University School of Law, where he has co-taught “Digital Currency, Blockchains, and the Future of Financial Services’’ for the past four years. He has been nationally recognized as one of the Most Influential People in Blockchain by CoinDesk.
 
An experienced attorney in the cryptocurrency industry, partner Justin S. Wales represents cryptocurrency, blockchain, and fintech companies in complex litigation, regulatory, and transactional matters. A recognized leader on the intersection of law and technology, he speaks regularly on the constitutional implications of decentralized technologies and is a co-author of a preeminent treatise on the application of state law on blockchain and cryptocurrency businesses. Wales will split his time between K&L Gates’ Los Angeles and Miami offices.
 
“We are thrilled to welcome Drew and Justin to the firm,” said Steven Weinstein, managing partner of K&L Gates’ Miami office. “Miami is an emerging technology hub and the knowledge and experience of this team in cutting-edge blockchain and cryptocurrency issues will expand our capabilities to service our clients’ growing regulatory, finance, and litigation needs related to digital currency.”
 
“While K&L Gates has been a leader in the digital asset and cryptocurrency practice area for a number of years, the addition of Drew and Justin will help to fuel enormous growth for us in this exciting space,” stated partner Judith Rinearson, a leader of K&L Gates’ payments, banking regulation, and consumer financial services practice.
 
“These talented lawyers understand that blockchain technology is a critical component of today’s digital economy,” said Margaret Rosenfeld, a corporate and securities law partner whose work includes security token and digital asset offerings and blockchain technology matters. “They have the strategic skills needed to meet client demands, and also share with us a passion to be a part of the global technology revolution.”
 
A fully integrated global firm with offices on five continents, K&L Gates has a team of lawyers with vast experience assisting clients in navigating the regulatory, policy, and business issues surrounding the fintech and cryptocurrency spaces, including providing strategic and efficient legal solutions that are representative of the constantly evolving platforms, services, regulations, and technologies.
 
The arrival of Hinkes and Wales follows the addition of more than 75 other new partners and of counsel to K&L Gates since the beginning of 2020, including in the firm’s corporate; health care; tax; commercial litigation; energy, infrastructure and resources; environment, land and natural resources; asset management and investment funds; banking and asset finance; labor and employment; IP procurement and portfolio management; IP litigation; technology transactions; real estate; government contracts; and investigations, enforcement and white collar practices.