Associate- Corporate- Fintech & Financial Services

Latham & Watkins is one of the world’s leading global law firms advising the businesses and institutions that drive the global economy. We are the market leaders in major financial and business centers globally and offer unmatched expertise and resources to help you grow from an intellectually curious self-starter into an exceptional lawyer. If you aspire to be the best, this is where you belong.

Latham & Watkins is seeking a talented mid-level (3rd-5th Year) associate to join its market-leading Fintech & Financial Services practice. This is a high-impact role at the convergence of regulatory counsel, complex transactions, and the rapidly evolving digital finance landscape.
The right candidate will bring sharp analytical instincts, a genuine interest in emerging financial technology, and the ability to advise sophisticated clients — from established financial institutions to cutting-edge fintech and crypto companies — on their most consequential matters.

Practice Areas: Fintech Regulatory · Payments & Money Transmission · Crypto & Digital Assets · Bank Partnerships · M&A & Investments · Capital Markets · Licensing & Compliance · Blockchain

Responsibilities:
• Advise fintech companies, banks, and institutional clients on federal and state regulatory requirements, including licensing, compliance frameworks, and bank partnership structures
• Counsel clients on payments regulation, money transmission laws, and the evolving regulatory landscape for digital assets, cryptocurrency, and blockchain-based products
• Lead and support M&A transactions, strategic investments, and capital markets activity involving fintech and financial services companies
• Draft and negotiate complex commercial agreements, including bank partnership agreements, program manager agreements, and technology contracts
• Monitor and analyze regulatory developments across the CFPB, OCC, Federal Reserve, FinCEN, CFTC, SEC, and state regulators, delivering actionable guidance to clients
• Collaborate with multidisciplinary teams across Latham's global platform on cross-border transactions and regulatory matters

Qualifications:
• J.D. from an accredited law school with strong academic credentials
• 3–5 years of experience at a top-tier law firm or relevant regulatory agency (e.g., OCC, CFPB, Federal Reserve, SEC, or CFTC)
• Substantive experience in fintech regulatory matters, financial services transactions, or both
• Demonstrated knowledge of payments, digital assets, crypto regulation, or emerging fintech business models strongly preferred
• Admitted to practice in New York and/or California, or eligible for admission
• Exceptional written and oral communication skills, with the ability to distill complex regulatory issues for clients and business audiences
• Strong entrepreneurial mindset and comfort operating in a fast-moving, innovative practice area

If you have any questions about the application, please contact:

Lateral Recruiting — Corporate
LateralRecruiting.Corporate@LW.com

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Associate Base Salary

Discretionary bonuses may be available depending on application circumstances and position.

 

Class of	US Payroll
2026	$225,000
2025	$225,000
2024	$235,000
2023	$260,000
2022	$310,000
2021	$365,000
2020	$390,000
2019	$420,000
2018	$435,000