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Barbara A. Jones

Barbara A. Jones is Co-Managing Shareholder of the firm’s Los Angeles office and a member of the firm’s Global Corporate practice. Barbara serves as Chair of the firm's interdisciplinary Blockchain & Digital Assets practice. Barbara maintains a diverse corporate and securities law practice across industry groups, emphasizing complex international and domestic transactions, including private and public financings, dual listings, mergers and acquisitions, strategic collaborations and joint ventures, and licensing transactions. She serves as a trusted advisor to public and private company boards of directors on governance matters and complex regulatory reporting and compliance issues. Barbara's clients include financial institutions, private equity and venture capital groups, and public and private companies in emerging technology, life sciences and biotechnology, defense and security, blockchain and digital assets, telecommunications, information technology, energy (traditional and renewable), mining, media, entertainment and sports. Barbara also represents Olympic and professional athletes and sports-related organizations.

Barbara practiced U.S. law in London from 1990 through 1997 with Sullivan & Cromwell, LLP, and headed the international capital markets practice of Kirkland & Ellis LLP from 1999 to 2003 before relocating to Boston. From 1997 to 1999, she served as Vice-President, Assistant General Counsel and Regional Counsel for capital markets with J.P. Morgan Securities Ltd. in Europe, the Middle East and Africa. Since returning to the U.S., she has continued to actively represent public and private companies, private equity groups and investment banks in the European, Scandinavian, African and greater Asian markets, including China.

Barbara is a past chair of the ABA’s Subcommittee on International Securities Matters. She is a frequent speaker at conferences relating to cross-border securities matters, strategic alternatives, and digital asset structures. She serves on the Government of Bermuda’s Global FinTech Advisory Board.

On July 18, 2025, President Trump enacted the GENIUS Act, the first comprehensive crypto legislation in U.S. history. The law introduces rigorous rules for payment stablecoins, including mandatory federal or state approval, 1:1 reserve backing, and enhanced disclosure obligations. Digital asset service providers must fully comply by July 2028.

Continue Reading GENIUS Act Enacted, Establishing a Regulatory Framework for Payment Stablecoins Issued or Sold in the United States

The California Department of Financial Protection and Innovation (DFPI) on April 4, 2025, issued its formal notice of rulemaking for digital financial business regulation, following receipt of two sets of 2024 comments on its draft proposed rules for California’s “Digital Finance Assets Law” (DFAL) (AB 39 and SB 401, 2023).
Continue Reading California DFPI Issues Formal Rulemaking for Digital Financial Asset Regulation

On March 20, 2025, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission took a step towards clarifying its position on crypto mining activities. In a recent statement, the SEC’s Division of Corporation Finance provided non-binding guidance on the application of federal securities laws to proof-of-work (PoW) mining activities, stating that such activities are beyond the SEC’s purview.
Continue Reading SEC Staff Clarifies Stance on Crypto Mining

On March 3, 2025, the Securities and Exchange Commission’s Division of Corporation Finance issued new guidance expanding the availability of confidential (nonpublic) review of draft registration statements (DRS).

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Continue Reading SEC Expands Confidential Review Process for Draft Registration Statements

On Oct. 22, 2024, the SEC announced settled administrative actions against four current or formerly public technology companies, finding that the companies all made materially misleading disclosures to investors in

Continue Reading SEC Files Actions Against 4 Public Companies for Negligent Cybersecurity Disclosures

U.S. Sen. Cynthia Lummis (R-WY) and Reps. Wiley Nickel (D-NC) and Mike Flood (R-NE) are working to overturn a controversial Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) staff accounting bulletin, SAB 121

Continue Reading Lawmakers Introduce Resolution to Nullify SEC’s Crypto Accounting Bulletin

A holding subjecting Term Loan Bs to securities regulation would have a profound effect on the $1.4 trillion market for syndicated term loans and on financial institutions at a time of limited liquidity.
Continue Reading Are Syndicated Term Loans Securities Under Reves v. Ernst & Young? 2nd Circuit Solicits SEC Views

On March 10, 2023, the California Department of Financial Protection and Innovation closed Silicon Valley Bank, Santa Clara, CA (SVB) and appointed the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) receiver of

Continue Reading The 2023 Banking Crisis: Updated Questions & Answers for Insured and Uninsured Depositors, Other Affected Parties

This GT Alert provides a general overview for investors interested in acquiring or investing in the assets of failed depository institutions and requirements and restrictions applicable to private investors’ participation

Continue Reading The 2023 Banking Crisis: Guidance for Private Investors Seeking to Acquire or Invest in Assets of Failed Insured Depository Institutions