Kari S. Larsen
Partner, Corporate & Financial Services
Kari Larsen is a partner and Co-Chair of the Willkie Digital Works practice based in the firm's New York office. A pioneer in the digital asset industry, Kari has more than two decades of private practice, in-house and government experience advising financial institution, digital asset, environmental commodity, derivatives, financial technology, and blockchain clients on some of the industry's most innovative technologies and products.
As part of her practice, Kari counsels clients on business and usage strategies, drafts and negotiates third-party agreements, advises on potential regulatory requirements, and liaises with government agencies. She regularly assists clients in their interactions with the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) and the New York Department of Financial Services (NYDFS) and other state regulators. Her experience regularly includes the potential application of governmental requirements to innovative financial instruments and assisting clients in navigating often complex and overlapping regulatory regimes.
Kari has extensive exchange and trading platform experience, including as general counsel for an environmental derivatives exchange and also a digital asset derivatives exchange and clearinghouse. She often represents CFTC registrants in regulatory, compliance, and market infrastructure matters, and assists clients with applications for CFTC registration, such as designated contract markets, swap execution facilities, and foreign boards of trade. She also advises spot trading and auction platforms, particularly concerning environmental commodities, providing product counseling, financial regulatory and compliance guidance, and assistance with policies and procedures.
Her blockchain clients include platforms in the funds, payments and money transmitters, trading, investments, and exchange spaces. She also assists fintech and digital business clients in matters involving information governance, anti-money laundering, Bank Secrecy Act (BSA), Know-Your-Customer, and vendor management matters.
Kari recently ended her term as a board member of the Futures Industry Association (FIA) and speaks regularly regarding fintech matters.
Experience
Prior to joining Willkie in 2022, Kari was a partner at Perkins Coie, where she was co-lead of the Blockchain, Digital Asset, and Custody group within its Fintech practice. She served as general counsel and Chief Compliance Officer at Ledger Holding Inc./LedgerX LLC, the first U.S.-based federally regulated digital asset derivatives exchange and clearing organization. She also served as general counsel at Green Exchange LLC, a large environmental derivatives exchange. She also has many years of private practice experience representing commodity, derivatives, and fintech clients at leading international law firms.
Kari began her career as International Operations Counsel for the Enforcement Division of the CFTC, advising on cross-border policy matters.
- Prior Futures Industry Association (FIA), Board Member
- Prior Futures Industry Association (FIA), Diversity Committee, Board Member
Credentials
Education
American University, Washington College of Law, J.D. (magna cum laude), 1998 Binghamton University, B.A., 1995