International law firm McDermott Will & Schulte is pleased to announce that Leel Sinai has joined the Transactions Practice Group as partner, based in New York. Leel brings extensive experience in banking and financial services regulation, with an emphasis on cryptocurrency and payment system innovations, further strengthening the firm’s capabilities in highly regulated and evolving sectors.

“Leel’s arrival marks a significant enhancement to our Transactions and cryptocurrency teams,” said Harris Siskind, McDermott’s Global Transactions Practice Group Head. “His trusted relationships with banking and fintech clients, coupled with hands-on experience in areas of emerging tech, provide significant benefit for our clients’ most challenging regulatory matters.”

Leel advises premier financial institutions and fintech enterprises on an array of regulatory frameworks, including federal and state banking oversight, trust company regulation, money transmission, lending compliance, and anti-money laundering protocols. His practice spans domestic and international financial markets, and he has held significant in-house and regulatory consulting roles. In addition to conducting complex regulatory diligence for corporate acquisitions, Leel also designs and implements robust regulatory compliance and risk management frameworks for companies.

“I am thrilled to join McDermott’s dynamic global team, particularly given the firm’s strengths in private funds and financial services,” said Leel. “The firm’s integrated approach to technology, transactions, and regulatory compliance aligns well with my practice, and I look forward to working with my new colleagues to help clients design forward-thinking solutions to payment processing, digital asset, and banking matters.”

McDermott’s Bank Regulatory Group helps clients create value at the complex intersection of financial services and private capital; this includes assisting financial institutions in establishing or investing in private funds, as well as helping private funds with their investments in financial institutions. The group’s interdisciplinary approach brings together the experience of former banking regulators, M&A dealmakers, investment management lawyers, and other practitioners to help clients achieve business objectives.

Leading organizations turn to global law firm McDermott Will & Schulte for a better way to address legal challenges, connect with those at the forefront, and drive stronger outcomes. Working across more than 20 offices globally, our 1,750+ lawyers act on data-driven insights, deep relationships, and unmatched industry experience to deliver on our commitment of Always Better.