Law FirmLatham & Watkins

Yvette Valdez

Global Co-Chair, Digital Assets & Web3

New York, USA

Quick Facts

Best For
US digital asset securities compliance, token structuring, and high-level regulatory strategy

Overview

Yvette Valdez co-chairs Latham's global Digital Assets & Web3 practice and is one of the most prominent women in crypto law globally. She advises exchanges, token issuers, DeFi protocols, and infrastructure providers on regulatory strategy, token structuring, and complex transactions. A frequent speaker at major industry conferences and a key contributor to Latham's US Crypto Policy Tracker — one of the most widely used free regulatory resources in the industry.

Focus Areas

US Securities Law for Digital AssetsToken StructuringExchange RegulationDeFi Legal FrameworksCrypto Policy

Notable Work

Global leadership of Latham's digital assets practice; US crypto securities law expertise; Crypto Policy Tracker

Frequently Asked Questions about Yvette Valdez

What is Yvette Valdez's role at Latham & Watkins?
Yvette Valdez is Global Co-Chair of Latham & Watkins' Digital Assets & Web3 practice — one of the most senior leadership positions in crypto law globally. Based in New York, she co-leads the practice alongside Stephen Wink, overseeing the firm's crypto legal work across 40+ offices globally and setting the strategic direction for one of BigLaw's most comprehensive digital assets teams.
What types of crypto matters does Yvette Valdez handle?
Yvette Valdez advises on US digital asset securities compliance, token structuring, exchange regulation, DeFi legal frameworks, and high-level regulatory strategy. Her client base includes exchanges, token issuers, DeFi protocols, and infrastructure providers navigating the US securities regulatory landscape — arguably the most complex and high-stakes regulatory environment for crypto globally.
What has Yvette Valdez contributed to the wider crypto policy space?
Yvette Valdez is a key contributor to Latham's US Crypto Policy Tracker — one of the most widely-used free regulatory resources in the crypto industry, tracking US legislative and regulatory developments in real time. She is also a frequent speaker at major industry conferences and is widely cited as one of the most prominent women in global crypto law.
Is Yvette Valdez accessible to early-stage crypto founders?
As Global Co-Chair of one of BigLaw's most prominent crypto practices, Yvette Valdez's engagement is typically reserved for significant mandates where partner-level involvement is necessary. Early-stage founders with straightforward legal needs may be better served by more junior members of the Latham team or by engaging through structured pathways such as a referral from an existing client.
How do I reach Yvette Valdez at Latham & Watkins?
Yvette Valdez can be reached through Latham & Watkins' New York office or via the firm's website at lw.com/en/people/yvette-valdez. Warm introductions through existing Latham clients, ecosystem investors, or conference connections are the most effective route to engagement with a partner at this level. Her LinkedIn profile is listed as yvette-valdez-lw.
What makes Yvette Valdez particularly valuable for US-facing crypto projects?
Yvette Valdez's combination of deep US securities law expertise, leadership of the firm's global digital assets practice, and active contribution to crypto policy discourse makes her uniquely valuable for projects navigating the US regulatory environment at the highest level. Her visibility with US regulators and policymakers is an asset for clients managing complex compliance or enforcement situations.

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crypto lawyerUS crypto lawtoken structuringexchange regulationDeFi legalcrypto policyUSANew Yorksecurities lawLatham & Watkins

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