AttorneysEd Center

Joel Telpner is a highly sought-after legal advisor in the blockchain space, actively working with a large number of clients in structuring token distributions and enterprise blockchain applications. Joel brings more than 30 years of legal experience in a career that includes time as an AmLaw 100 partner, the former U.S. general counsel of a global financial institution and a venture capitalist.

Joel is leading policy initiatives on global regulatory issues for blockchain on behalf of the Global Blockchain Business Council and the Blockchain Research Institute. He is also a member of the Wall Street Blockchain Alliance’s Legal Working Group, which is developing guidance on best practices for ICOs. He is recognized for his ability to deftly manage complex financial transactions, especially those involving sophisticated structured finance and derivatives matters, and has an extensive and unique combination of transactional and regulatory experience. Joel gave the key note speech "ICOs – Best Practices" at the World Economic Forum’s Blockchain Central in Davos, Switzerland in January 2018.

He represents a diverse client base, including financial institutions, top 10 cryptocurrencies, governments, dealers, corporations, investment managers, mutual funds, hedge funds and pension plans.

His practice focuses on the following:

• Complex, structured finance and derivatives transactions
• Private mergers and acquisitions transactions
• Capital raising transactions in public and private U.S. and foreign markets
• Risk management and assessment
• Advising early-stage companies on business and strategic plans, budgets, capital structures and raising capital
• Advising senior management on corporate governance, regulatory and compliance matters
• Developing compliance and regulatory policies and procedures
• Providing road maps for managing complex and conflicting financial global regulatory requirements

Mari Tomunen advises blockchain and cryptocurrency companies with legal and regulatory issues and proceedings, most commonly those related to securities and commodities law. She has helped clients through dozens of successful token offerings ranging from $10 million to $200 million.

Previously, Mari served as a judicial intern to the Honorable Denny Chin of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit, NY. She has also worked as an international corporate tax lawyer at KPMG Oy Ab, Finland, and as a research assistant to SEC Commissioner Robert J. Jackson, Jr. when he was a Professor at Columbia Law School, NY.

Mari graduated from Fordham University School of Law with magna cum laude, and served as a staff member on Fordham Journal of Corporate and Financial Law.