James Williams

James Williams

Partner
US Co-Chair, Blockchain, Digital Assets & Metaverse
About

James Williams has extensive experience navigating the intersection of corporate, securities and intellectual property law in Web3.0 and crypto content transactions. He advises blockchain native companies on matters relating to venture financing, token generation events and airdrops, decentralized autonomous organization (DAO) structuring and formation, protocol design and regulatory compliance with the Securities and Exchange Commission.  

James also routinely acts as legal and strategic advisor to many of world's well-known brands on crypto and blockchain integrations. He has represented numerous professional basketball, football and soccer teams on crypto naming rights deals, fan tokens, non-fungible tokens (NFTs) and Proof of Attendance protocols. His work for global consumer brands, entertainers and media companies includes all aspects of metaverse and NFT commercialization, from branding and smart contract design strategy to handling of all transactional aspects, including metadata design, NFT minting and marketplace partnership agreements.  

Along with more than 20 years of legal experience, James has a diverse business background. He served as the CEO of a global consumer brand, and an operating partner for a venture capital fund.

Bar admissionsCalifornia
CourtsUnited States Court of Appeals for the Ninth CircuitUnited States District Court for the Central District of CaliforniaUnited States District Court for the Northern District of California
Education
  • J.D., Southwestern University School of Law
  • B.A., Classics, University of California, Riverside
    magna cum laude

Awards

  • The Legal 500 United States
    • Recommended, Fintech (2023)
    • Recommended, Fintech: Crypto (2023)

Seminars

  • Speaker, "Metaverse/Real Estate Convergence Trends" American College of Real Estate Lawyers, May 2023
  • Speaker, "The New Paradigm: How Web3 is Changing the way Businesses and Customers Interact" YPO San Diego, April 2023
  • Panelist, "NFT Licensing Unlocking the Next Level of Monetization" NFT.NYC, April 2023
  • Speaker, "DAO Structuring In Light of the Ooki DAO Decision" Rock Center for Corporate Governance at Stanford University, April 2023
  • Speaker, "Legal Issues Surrounding Decentralized Autonomous Organizations" UC Berkely School of Law, April 2023
  • Panelist, "Blockchain and Digital Assets 2022" Key Issues for the Digital Future” Practicing Law Institute, December 2022
  • Moderator, "Advanced Topics: Stablecoins" Stanford University Crypto Policy Conference, November, 2022
  • Panelist, "Non-Fungible Tokens: Technical and Legal Overview" Lexology Webinar, October 2022
  • Panelist, "Digital Assets Considerations for GC's and Executives" Mondaq Connect Roundtable, October 2022
  • Panelist, "NFTs: Keeping it Legal" NFT.NYC, 2022
  • Speaker, "Future of the Metaverse" Center of Law and Information Policy at Fordham Law School, March 2022
  • Panelist, "Blockchain and Cryptocurrency Legislative and Enforcement Priorities" Association of Attorneys General Cybersecurity and Cryptocurrency Summit, November 2021
  • Panelist, "NFTs and the Future of Art"  Art Basel Miami, December 2021

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