Overview
(May 7, 2025, New York) – Steptoe LLP continues to expand its fintech regulatory and investigations capabilities with the addition of Neel Chopra, who joins the firm after serving as the Head of Legal (Americas) at Binance. Neel joins Steptoe's Investigations and White-Collar Defense practice as a partner in its New York office.
With an extensive background in cryptocurrency, including regulatory, litigation, and investigative matters, Neel will bring additional strength to Steptoe's fintech and blockchain services. In his role as Head of Legal (Americas), Neel oversaw Binance’s legal efforts in numerous high-profile litigations and investigations, including the resolution of criminal and civil investigations brought by DOJ, the CFTC, FinCEN, and OFAC as well as ongoing independent compliance monitorships, litigation with the SEC, and the company's US civil litigation docket. Neel advised on a wide array of regulatory matters, including obtaining licenses and registrations, representing the company in regulatory inquiries, launching innovative new products, designing effective compliance programs, and consulting with lawmakers across the world on emerging crypto laws and regulations. Neel also consulted on commercial transactions, including with various stablecoin and other token issuers, and strategic M&A and venture capital investments.
Prior to Binance, Neel held various roles at the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, including as Senior Special Counsel in the Division of Enforcement.
"Neel's deep understanding of current and emerging cryptocurrency regulatory frameworks and disputes from his time at both Binance and the CFTC will be instrumental in advancing our clients' interests. We are excited to see the innovative approaches Neel will bring to clients facing issues at the intersection of business, regulation, policy, and the courts," said firm chair Gwen Renigar.
Neel's arrival follows another group of recent high-profile hires in the financial services innovation and regulation, blockchain and cryptocurrency and investigations spaces by Steptoe, including Kate Jensen, Ben Saul, Alexandra Scheibe, Stephen Aschettino, Juliana Gerrick, Stephen Newman, Christopher Fredrich, Andrew Owens, Ryan Hayden, Ross Weingarten, former Assistant United States Attorney (AUSA) in the District of Connecticut; Claire Rajan from A&O Shearman; Jonathan Drimmer, a business and human rights, and anti-corruption lawyer from Paul Hastings; Yousuf Aftab, a global leader in business and human rights law; Timothy Dickinson, a professor and practitioner in global investigations and compliance; and Sandra Hanna, a renowned leader in securities enforcement and defense.
Neel added: "Steptoe's reputation in the Crypto and Blockchain space as well as its deep bench of talent in the Investigations and White-Collar Defense world is unparalleled. I have long respected the firm's commitment to excellence and its talented team of attorneys. I am eager to leverage Steptoe's robust resources and collaborate with my new colleagues to provide exceptional service to our clients and address their complex legal challenges."
Steptoe’s Financial Innovation and Regulation (FIR) practice is well known for handling some of the most significant and complex matters. These include advocating on behalf of a US-based cryptocurrency exchange on the issue of what constitutes "actual delivery" in the digital currency context under CFTC rules, serving as regulatory counsel to the Wholesale Markets Brokers Association, Americas (WMBAA), providing full regulatory representation before the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), and advising crypto-asset firms around the world, including trading platforms, stablecoin and other crypto-asset issuers, layer-1 protocols, and venture capital firms on regulatory issues in the US and abroad, including securities, commodities, BSA/AML, sanctions, state money transmission regulation, data protection, and tax.
Steptoe's highly renowned Investigations and White-Collar Defense group is likewise well-known for its work on some of the most noteworthy and complex matters. This includes representing iFinex and Tether in connection with investigations relating to Bitfinex and/or Tether by multiple enforcement agencies, securing favorable resolutions with the New York Attorney General's Office and the CFTC, and the representation of eight former executives of FTX related to the collapse of the crypto exchange and ensuing investigations by the DOJ, SEC, and CFTC, as well as civil litigation and bankruptcy proceedings. The largest and most high-profile crypto-related investigation and prosecution ever pursued by DOJ, SEC, and CFTC.
Neel started his career as an associate at a leading white collar and government investigations boutique (2010-2014) and was a law clerk for Judge Walker on the Second Circuit (2009-2010) and for Judge Sand at the SDNY (2008-2009). He earned his JD magna cum laude in 2008 from New York University School of Law, and his BA cum laude from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 2004.
About Steptoe
In more than 110 years of practice, Steptoe has earned an international reputation for vigorous representation of clients before governmental agencies, successful advocacy in litigation and arbitration, and creative and practical advice in structuring business transactions. Steptoe has more than 500 lawyers and other professional staff across offices in Beijing, Brussels, Chicago, Hong Kong, Houston, London, Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco, and Washington. For more information, visit www.steptoe.com.
