Latham Earns Top Derivatives Rankings

Latham & Watkins has been ranked in Band 1 in the nationwide Derivatives category by Chambers USA 2021, with seven lawyers individually recognized. The top rankings demonstrate the firm’s position at the forefront of complex transactional, regulatory, and enforcement matters involving commodities and derivatives.

Chambers USA said Latham has a “well-regarded transactional team with a notable focus on OTC derivatives and equity-linked products” that is “able to offer guidance on regulatory and enforcement issues such as Dodd-Frank developments” and “draws on the firm's significant international presence when acting for clients in transactions, both on the buy side and sell side.”

Chambers USA spotlighted Yvette Valdez and Douglas Yatter, Co-Chairs of Latham’s Commodities and Derivatives Regulation and Enforcement Practice, for their “impressive” and “well respected” practices and “in-depth knowledge of the CFTC” and understanding of the markets.

The following Latham lawyers are recognized in the Derivatives category for their extensive knowledge and skillset:

• Witold Balaban, former Global Co-Chair of Latham’s Financial Institutions Industry Group and Capital Markets Practice (ranked in Band 1) 
• Rafal Gawlowski, Global Chair of the Financial Institutions Industry Group and former Deputy Managing Partner of the New York office (ranked in Band 3) 
• Yvette Valdez, Co-Chair of the Commodities and Derivatives Regulation and Enforcement Practice (ranked in Band 4) 
• Douglas Yatter, Co-Chair of the Commodities and Derivatives Regulation and Enforcement Practice (ranked in Band 4) 
• Catherine Lee, partner in the Financial Institutions Industry Group and Capital Markets Practice, and member of Latham’s Opinion Committee and Mentoring Committee (ranked in Band 4) 
• Reza Mojtabaee-Zamani, partner in the Financial Institutions Industry Group and Capital Markets Practice (named “Up and Coming”) 
• Eric Rice, associate in the Financial Institutions Industry Group and Capital Markets Practice (named an “Associate to Watch”)

Latham advises financial institutions, fintech ventures, energy companies, investment funds, sovereign funds, brokers, trading platforms, and corporate end-users on the full range of over-the-counter (OTC) and exchange-traded derivative products and on regulatory issues and complex investigations and litigation across key jurisdictions. In tandem with our market-leading Fintech Industry Group, Latham advises clients on complex and novel regulatory and enforcement issues involving digital assets and distributed ledger technology in a rapidly evolving regulatory landscape.