McGlinchey is on the cutting edge of financial technology and regularly advises both the FinTech industry and the broader financial services market on the legal complexities associated with emerging technologies. Our team’s technology, legal, and business acumen – together with industry experience advising dozens of FinTech companies – enable us to deliver industry-leading advice at highly competitive prices. Early-stage FinTech companies engage us because they know they can get top-quality, highly responsive legal and business advice very efficiently – in straightforward, plain language – while controlling their legal spend (often with fixed fee and other alternative fee arrangements). We help these companies – as well as traditional financial services companies integrating new technologies – to address essential legal and business questions without getting mired in needless research and unnecessary legal complexity. We have particular strength advising on:

Consumer lending FinTech companies.  We advise many companies that hold a wide variety of roles in the extension of consumer credit – brokers, debt collectors, banks, non-depository lenders, marketplace lenders, auto finance companies, and more. We also represent more than half of the founding members of the Marketplace Lending Association in this capacity.

Comprehensive regulatory analysis, including regular interaction with state and federal regulatory agencies.  With our firm’s nationally recognized capabilities in consumer financial services regulatory compliance, we are able to advise FinTech companies on all relevant federal and state-level regulations and to represent them before state agencies for purposes of licensing, examinations, and regulatory enforcement. We know what state regulators say and do in day-to-day routine examinations and in enforcement actions relating to the FinTech industry, which enables us to anticipate and forestall complications for our clients.

Artificial intelligence (AI).  As financial services providers introduce AI and machine learning algorithms to various aspects of their operations, they must also address a host of regulatory issues that these technologies implicate.

Identify verification.  Introducing unorthodox factors to the identity verification (anti-fraud) or underwriting process has brought scrutiny by regulators – which we help clients to address.

Robotic process automation (RPA).  We work with mortgage and non-mortgage brokering and lending entities to address regulatory issues affecting the incorporation of robotic process automation into their operations.

Blockchain and digital currencies.  We assist FinTech companies in integrating the use of digital currencies, blockchain, and cryptocurrencies into their business models and operations.

"The McGlinchey team operate in a complex space that requires depth not only in federal law or the law of a particular state, but federal law, the laws of each state, and industry standards. The team has experts across all of these areas who work seamlessly together." Chambers Fintech Legal: Payments & Lending - USA, 2023

"I have been happy with every analyst that has produced deliverables for us. The timeliness of their work indicates a deep bench as well." Chambers Fintech Legal: Payments & Lending - USA, 2023

"McGlinchey Stafford is known for its expertise in financial regulatory matters. The firm is extremely well regarded by companies for its ability to coordinate and advise on state and federal licensing matters, particularly concerning the payments and lending sides of the FinTech market." Chambers Fintech Legal: Payments & Lending - USA, 2022

"I always feel like I am in very good hands with this team in terms of being able to detect and proactively respond to industry trends." Chambers Fintech Legal: Payments & Lending - USA, 2022

"They are the go-to firm, particularly for licensing-related matters and state-by-state regulatory analysis, which is pretty complex because you have to keep an eye on all 50 states." Chambers Fintech Legal: Payments & Lending - USA, 2022

"Probably the best firm out there in the market right now for the hardcore regulatory piece, both at the federal and state level. On top of state legislative and regulatory developments, and the work product is top level." Chambers Fintech Legal - District of Columbia - USA, 2021

"McGlinchey's attorneys have been helpful in analyzing state licensing laws, navigating the licensing process, and analyzing state and federal consumer financial protection laws, among other issues. Often these issues have had a unique spin. I have been impressed by their knowledge and experience not only in consumer financial services law generally, but specifically in the context of FinTech businesses (including bank-partner relationships) and the esoteric issues that tend to arise." Chambers Fintech Legal: Payments & Lending - USA, 2021