WASHINGTON, DC/NEW YORK, November 28, 2022: Morgan Lewis’s 150-lawyer market-leading investment management practice continues to add depth with the arrival of Christopher Paridon, a former Davis Polk lawyer who previously served with the Federal Reserve System, and Kristin Lee, former senior vice president and assistant general counsel in Citi’s bank regulatory group. Chris and Kristin join as partners resident in Washington, DC, and New York, respectively. They will continue their broad-based bank regulatory work, including considerations for traditional banks, fintechs and digital assets, and cryptocurrencies.
“The arrival of Chris and Kristin comes at a time of growing client demand for comprehensive expertise on bank regulation, transactional, and enforcement matters,” said Firm Chair Jami McKeon. “With their in-house and significant law firm experience, they will guide our banking and financial institution clients through the myriad challenges and obstacles they face to meet their business objectives.”
In addition to counseling and acting as a trusted adviser to clients on regulatory matters, including enforcement actions, Chris has nearly two decades of experience working and advising on bank mergers and acquisitions and capital markets transactions involving financial institutions. He also has an extensive background advising on private equity investments involving banks and bank holding companies and Volcker Rule issues. During his time in the Legal Division of the Board of Governors at the Fed, Chris concentrated on the regulation of banks and bank holding companies and advised on mergers and acquisitions involving banks, bank holding companies, and nonbanking subsidiaries.
Kristin has spent more than a decade handling an array of bank regulatory matters, most recently holding executive positions in Citi’s bank regulatory group, and previously worked at USAA and in Sullivan & Cromwell’s financial services group. During her career, Kristin has developed thorough knowledge of the regulation of banks and bank holding companies and has handled securities transactional work, debt deals, digital assets, and crypto initiatives.
“Chris and Kristin are welcome additions to our investment management and financial services teams and key to enhancing our bank regulatory offerings,” said Tim Levin, who leads Morgan Lewis’s global investment management practice. “Their straightforward and pragmatic approach to advising clients during a period of increased regulatory oversight is a boon to our firm.”
Earlier this year, Morgan Lewis added to its global investment management practice with the addition of a four-lawyer investment funds team anchored by partners Zeke Johnson and Brian Jacobson, and, more recently, Divya Thakur who joined as a partner resident in Singapore.