(NEW YORK) Katten Muchin Rosenman LLP noted today that Gary DeWaal, Special Counsel in its New York Financial Services practice, has been named by global legal news service Lexology as the Legal Influencer for Financial Services US for the second quarter of 2019. DeWaal was chosen as a result of his expository writing about key legal and regulatory developments related to financial services and Fintech, including distributed ledger technology and digital assets.

"Gary is an exceptional attorney whose thorough understanding of complicated matters of finance deserves recognition," said Lance Zinman, Global Chair of Katten's Financial Services Practice.

A former US Commodity Futures Trading Commission senior trial attorney, DeWaal is the author and publisher of Bridging The Week at www.bridgingtheweek.com, a weekly blog widely read by industry participants, including regulators and media, for its insightful summary of legal and regulatory issues identified by DeWaal as most relevant for lawyers and non-lawyers in financial services and Fintech. DeWaal provides context, often in the form of historical background, on the most important developments. He has been called a "Go-To Thought Leader," by the National Law Journal. The New York Law Journal has called him a "Cryptocurrency, Blockchain and Fintech Trailblazer."

His latest distinction, Legal Influencer, was announced as part of the Content Marketing Awards Q2 2019 presented by Lexology, published by Globe Business Publishing Ltd.

"(Gary's) commitment to providing quality content to over 400,000 active subscribers on Lexology is what makes our platform the most powerful in its field," Lexology Managing Director Edward Costelloe wrote in a letter to DeWaal. "(You) deserve high praise for your knowledgeable insights."

Frequently quoted in the media for his thoughts on the international financial services industry, particularly blockchain matters, DeWaal assists buy-side and sell-side clients as well as trading facilities and clearing houses navigating complex and developing laws and regulations. He also helps clients who may have enforcement matters before regulators. He has published numerous articles on futures and securities industry issues and often serves as a presenter at futures and securities industry conferences as well as in training sessions for international regulators.

Before joining Katten, DeWaal was senior managing director and group general counsel for Newedge, where he oversaw the worldwide Legal, Compliance, Financial Crimes Prevention (including AML) and Regulatory Developments departments.

Katten's Financial Services practice offers integrated and comprehensive counsel that helps clients navigate the entire scope of their business including regulatory, transactional, compliance, litigation and enforcement, product structuring, tax, and technology matters.