DLA Piper Takes ArentFox Metaverse and Digital Assets Leader in Los Angeles

As demand for Web3 experience continues to balloon, DLA Piper has introduced on James Williams, the chief of ArentFox Schiff’s metaverse, blockchain and digital assets practice.

The transfer is the newest in a sequence of Massive Regulation development initiatives directed on the fintech sector. This week alone, Jones Day introduced it might launch a fintech accelerator in Northern California, and Gunderson Dettmer Stough Villeneuve Franklin & Hachigian continued its push within the sector with the addition of a three-time fintech general counsel.

Williams joined DLA Piper on Sept. 1 as a accomplice in Los Angeles.

Williams mentioned he was seeking to “fill in some gaps” for his purchasers and was significantly drawn to DLA Piper’s worldwide presence and its expertise within the regulation of the monetary providers business. He joined the agency’s monetary regulation and know-how subgroup.

“Expanding our capabilities in the blockchain and digital assets space is a strategic priority,” Edward ”Smitty” Smith, chair of the agency’s regulatory and authorities affairs apply, which encompasses the subgroup that Williams joined, mentioned in an announcement.

Williams spent about two years at ArentFox, the place he constructed a apply centered on advising corporations on company, securities and mental property legislation in Web3 and crypto content material transactions.

He represents skilled basketball, soccer and soccer groups on crypto naming rights offers, fan tokens and non-fungible tokens. He additionally works with world manufacturers, entertainers and media corporations on ventures into the metaverse and NFT commercialization.

Earlier than his stint at ArentFox, Williams was an working accomplice for a crypto enterprise capital fund. He was additionally the CEO and chairman of worldwide womenswear model Planet Blue. Earlier in his authorized profession, he held management roles within the trend and client model practices at Loeb & Loeb and transactional boutique Davis Shapiro Lewit & Hayes.