Overview
Coy Garrison, a former SEC counsel and career staffer, advises private fintech companies, public companies, and financial institutions on how to navigate challenging legal and regulatory issues related to crypto and blockchain technology. Drawing on more than eight years of experience at the SEC and his technical understanding of federal securities laws, he provides regulatory counsel and unique insights to clients on the securities law implications of their business plans. He also advises public companies and their boards on compliance with SEC reporting and disclosure requirements, including the growing area of environmental, social, and governance (ESG) matters, and cybersecurity risk management, strategy, governance, and incident disclosure.
Prior to joining Steptoe, Coy served as counsel to SEC Commissioner Hester Peirce and to former Director of the SEC's Division of Corporation Finance, Bill Hinman. As Commissioner Peirce's lead advisor on crypto matters, Coy counseled her on every SEC crypto enforcement matter since November 2019. He was responsible for crafting crypto policy positions, including composing two token sale safe harbor proposals, and negotiating the Commission's no-action position on custody of digital asset securities by special purpose broker-dealers. As counsel to former Division of Corporation Finance Director Bill Hinman, Coy coordinated and advised on reviews of all proposed registered offerings by crypto exchange-traded products and token offerings, represented the Commission on the FSOC’s Digital Assets Working Group, and worked closely with the director of FinHub on a variety of matters. Coy also previously served as special counsel in the SEC's Office of Real Estate and Commodities, where he led the agency's disclosure review program for the non-listed REIT industry. Coy started his career at the SEC as an attorney-adviser in the Office of Real Estate and Commodities and also served as a reviewer on the SEC’s Shareholder Proposal Task Force.
- District of Columbia
- Maryland
- US Court of Appeals, Fourth Circuit
- Certificate in Securities and Financial Regulation, Georgetown University Law Center, 2016
- J.D., Pepperdine University School of Law, 2012, magna cum laude; Associate Editor, Pepperdine Law Review
- B.A., University of Maryland, 2008, Phi Beta Kappa
Speaking Engagements
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"The Novel Chances of Regulating DeFi," State of Crypto: Policy and Regulation, October 24, 2023
- "ESG and Climate Disclosure," Steptoe Food Contact Conference, April 26, 2023
- "Emerging Issues in Sustainability", The Food Industry Association, October 18, 2022
News & Publications
Client Alerts
March 8, 2024
Media Mentions
Associated Press Quotes Coy Garrison in Article About SEC's New Climate Rule
March 7, 2024
Client Alerts
AML Program Requirements for Investment Advisers: FinCEN’s Proposed Rulemaking
February 16, 2024
By: Andrew C. Adams, Coy Garrison, Jack R. Hayes, David M. Stetson, Evan T. Abrams, Sophia Breggia, Vito Arethusa
Steptoe Blockchain Blog
What Does the BTC ETP Approval Mean for the SEC’s Regulatory Approach to Crypto?
January 16, 2024
Media Mentions
Bloomberg and The Block Quote Coy Garrison in Articles About Spot Bitcoin ETFs
January 12, 2024
Publications
CFPB As Pay App Watchdog May Invite More Fintech Regs
January 12, 2024
By: Alan Cohn, Andrew Owens, Coy Garrison, Evan T. Abrams, Sophia Breggia, Vito Arethusa
Client Alerts
November 30, 2023
By: Ryan Hayden, Stacie R. Hartman, Micah S. Green, Coy Garrison, Richard Shilts
Client Alerts
Proposed Rule Subjects Digital Payments to CFPB Oversight
November 14, 2023
By: Alan Cohn, Andrew Owens, Coy Garrison, Evan T. Abrams, Sophia Breggia, Vito Arethusa
Events
Seminars & Events
Global Trade and Enforcement Symposium in Hong Kong
June 1, 2023
Speakers: Renato Antonini, Yongqing Bao, Brigida Benitez, Brian G. Burke, Ali Burney, Henry Cao, John Caracappa, Boyd Cloern, Robyn C. Crowther, Brian J. Fleming, Coy Garrison, Stacie R. Hartman, Zoey Hong, Stanley C. Kuo, Amy J. Lentz, Michelle L. Levin, Patrick F. Linehan, Lucinda A. Low, Jamie Lucia, Alexandra Melia, Cáitrín McKiernan, Eva Monard, Darryl Nirenberg, Gwendolyn Prothro Renigar, Angus Rodger, Guy Soussan, David M. Stetson, Grace Wang, Philip R. West, Charles Whiddington, Wendy Wysong, Lin Yang, Bo Yue, Wilson Zhao
Seminars & Events
Complimentary Food Contact Conference
April 25, 2023 - April 26, 2023
Speakers: Joan Baughan, Daniel C. Rubenstein, Joseph Dages, Carly Rolph, Kimberly Cassidy, Ph.D., Jessica Cooper, Ph.D., Patricia Kinne, Glen Rosini, Tom Gillett, Anthony G. Hopp, Ruxandra Cana, Coy Garrison, Abigail Miller, Regulatory Review Chemist, US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Sean Fischer, Consumer Safety Officer, US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Daniel Felton, Executive Director, AMERIPEN
Webinars
Investigations & Enforcement Webinar Series
January 26, 2023
Speakers: Jason Abel, Iris E. Bennett, Lee Berger, Christopher R. Conte, Amba M. Datta, Coy Garrison, Patrick F. Linehan, Lucinda A. Low, Zoe Osborne, Wendy Wysong
Webinars
Investigations and Enforcement Webinar Series
October 27, 2022
Speakers: Jason Abel, Iris E. Bennett, Coy Garrison, Stacie R. Hartman, Patrick F. Linehan, Lucinda A. Low, Michael Campion Miller, Jason M. Weinstein, Charles Whiddington, Wendy Wysong
Webinars
Investigations & Enforcement Webinar Series
July 28, 2022
Speakers: Jason Abel, Iris E. Bennett, Amba M. Datta, Coy Garrison, Lucinda A. Low, Michael Campion Miller, Zoe Osborne, Wendy Wysong
Previous Employment
- Counsel, Office of Commissioner Hester M. Peirce, US Securities and Exchange Commission (2019-2022)
- Senior Special Counsel, Office of Director of Division of Corporation Finance, US Securities and Exchange Commission (2018-2019)
- Special Counsel, Office of Real Estate and Commodities, US Securities and Exchange Commission (2016-2018)
- Attorney-Advisor, Office of Real Estate and Commodities, US Securities and Exchange Commission (2013-2016)
- Staff Attorney, US Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit (2012-2013)