Overview
Joseph (Joe) B. Evans is the co-head of the FinTech & Blockchain Practice and head of Crypto Litigation and Regulatory Defense at McDermott. He is widely recognized as a leader in the crypto industry. The American Lawyer recognized Joe as a “Trailblazer” for his progressive work in crypto and he is one of the few individuals that is Chambers ranked in Crypto-Asset Disputes. Joe runs the industry’s only crypto-exclusive team whose members spend 100% of their time serving the crypto industry. That team is one of the few that is Chambers ranked in crypto-asset disputes.
Since 2013, Joe has been representing companies and individuals in all aspects of crypto and blockchain-related legal matters, spanning from defending government investigations, pursuing cutting-edge crypto litigation, obtaining money transmitter and other state licenses, and advising on initial coin offerings. Joe leads a team of crypto-lawyers who are devoted exclusively to working on crypto and blockchain matters.
Joe has been recognized for his success in crypto-related litigation. Joe has demonstrated success in pioneering first of its kind crypto litigation, including crypto tracing, decentralized autonomous organization (DAO) litigation, and pursuing actions against fictitious entities and anonymous founders. Joe’s in-court successes include a series of wins in connection with the crypto industry’s largest bankruptcy cases in the United States and intellectual property litigation between competing crypto companies. Joe has qualified crypto tracing experts in federal court and obtained immediate recovery of stolen crypto. Joe also obtained emergency relief in intellectual property litigation against competitors using the same and similar names for competing crypto. Joe has defended crypto exchanges and other market participants in federal and state investigations. With regularity, Joe successfully defends these crypto regulatory investigations without penalties, fines, enforcement actions, or media attention of any kind.
Joe regularly rolls out crypto exchanges and other technology companies nationwide by obtaining state-by-state money transmitter and similar licenses and seeking no action relief. Joe specializes in banking regulations, money transmitter laws, and securities regulations as they pertain to crypto and other FinTech companies. Joe and others from McDermott obtained a first-of-its kind determination by the Wyoming Division of Banking holding that a particular Wyoming trust company is permitted to custody crypto as a qualified custodian under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940. Joe also advises crypto companies and other digital payment platforms on anti-money laundering, regulatory, sanctions, and other compliance issues.
For many years Joe has been publishing crypto-related articles and performing at speaking engagements. Joe was recently called upon to provide a training program on crypto tracing to a federal law enforcement agency.
Joe has defended government officials and senior executives in some of the nation’s most high-profile government investigations and criminal jury trials. Joe represents clients in complex litigation matters and appeals in state and federal courts, with a primary focus on fraud-related litigation. Joe also defends public figures, senior executives, and corporate defendants in a variety of state felony and misdemeanor matters.
Joe is a Certified Fraud Examiner and a member of the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners.
Results
- Currently represents the Official Committee of Unsecured Creditors in the Chapter 11 bankruptcy proceedings of Voyager Digital Holdings, Inc., a publicly traded crypto company and one of the largest crypto platforms in the world
- Currently represents the Official Committee of Unsecured Creditors in the Chapter 11 bankruptcy proceedings of Cred Inc., a global crypto financial services platform, and the first Chapter 11 crypto case of its kind. Subsequently represented the Cred Inc. Liquidation Trust and prosecuted all related litigation
- Recovered nearly $6 million in stolen Bitcoin and other crypto for an Official Committee of Unsecured Creditors representing customers of Cred, a crypto trading platform, following its Chapter 11 bankruptcy and thefts made by one of its executives
Recognitions
- Chambers FinTech Guide, USA: FinTech Legal – Crypto-Asset Disputes, 2023
- The American Lawyer, Northeast Trailblazer, 2022
- The National Trial Lawyers: Top 40 Under 40 Criminal Defense Lawyers in New York, 2020
Community
- Association of Certified Fraud Examiners, member
Credentials
Education
Fordham University School of Law, JD, 2013
Fordham University, BS, 2010
Admissions
New York
Courts / Agencies
US District Court for the Southern District of New York
US District Court for the Eastern District of New York
