TEL:+1 202.887.3632
FAX:+1 202.530.9634
1050 Connecticut Avenue, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20036-5306 USA
Jeffrey L. Steiner is a partner in the Washington, D.C. office of Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher. He is Chair of the firm’s Derivatives practice group and Co-Chair of the firm’s Global Financial Regulatory practice group. Mr. Steiner is also the Co-Chair to the firm’s Global Fintech and Digital Assets practice group and a member of the firm’s Financial Institutions, Energy and Public Policy practice groups. Mr. Steiner advises a range of clients, including commercial end-users, financial institutions, dealers, hedge funds, private equity funds, clearinghouses, industry groups and trade associations on regulatory, legislative, enforcement and transactional matters related to OTC and listed derivatives, commodities and securities. He frequently assists clients with compliance and implementation issues relating to the Dodd-Frank Act, the rules of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), the National Futures Association and the prudential banking regulators. He also helps clients to navigate through cross-border issues resulting from global derivatives requirements, including those resulting from the Dodd-Frank Act, the European Market Infrastructure Regulation (EMIR), the Markets in Financial Instruments Directive II (MiFID II) and the rules of other jurisdictions.
Mr. Steiner also advises a range of clients on issues related to digital assets, cryptocurrencies and distributed ledger technology, including analyzing and advising on regulatory and enforcement matters relating to their application and use. He regularly works with clients on structuring products involving the use of digital assets and the application of blockchain technology, including digital token issuances and cryptocurrency trading. He also analyzes the cross-border impacts relating to clients’ use of digital currencies and blockchain technology.
Mr. Steiner has been named a 2018 Cryptocurrency, Blockchain and Fintech Trailblazer by The National Law Journal. Additionally, Chambers Global ranked Mr. Steiner as an international leading lawyer for his work in derivatives. He has also been recognized as a leading derivatives lawyer in Chambers USA from 2014-2023 and has been ranked in Band 1 for Derivatives: Mainly Regulatory, with clients saying that he is “a phenomenal attorney and business adviser,” “very aware of all aspects of derivatives regulation in the US, UK, and EU,” and that “he’s someone that can speak knowledgeably.”
Prior to joining Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher, Mr. Steiner was special counsel in the Division of Market Oversight at the CFTC where he handled issues relating to trading and execution of futures and swaps, designated contract markets (DCMs), market maker and incentive programs, exempt markets, reporting, swap data repositories (SDRs) and off-exchange derivatives transactions (block trades, EFRPs). He served as team lead for the Real-Time Public Reporting of Swap Transaction Data rulemaking team for both the proposed and final rules, both of which he presented before the CFTC for public vote. While at the CFTC, he also worked on resolving and advising on issues relating to Title VII of the Dodd Frank Act, including reporting, trading and execution in all asset classes (i.e., interest rates, credit, FX, equity and other commodity), SDRs, swap execution facilities (SEFs), block trades and extraterritoriality. Prior to being a special counsel at the CFTC, he served as an attorney-advisor in the CFTC’s Division of Market Oversight from 2009 – 2010. Mr. Steiner began his career in private law practice where he focused on representing clients on OTC derivatives, futures and commodities related matters, capital markets transactions and hedge fund formation.
Mr. Steiner is a frequent speaker and author on issues relating to derivatives, the CFTC, digital assets and blockchain technology. He graduated from Tulane Law School in 2004. While at Tulane Law School, he served as a Business Editor of the Tulane Environmental Law Journal. Mr. Steiner received his B.B.A. in 2001 from Emory University’s Goizueta Business School.
Recent Speaking Engagements
Tulane University - 2004 Juris Doctor
Emory University - 2001 B.A. Business Administration
District of Columbia Bar
Maryland Bar