Adam Chernichaw

With a particular focus on financial technology, payments and digital assets—including blockchain platforms and NFTs—Adam represents both buy-side and sell-side institutions, users of fintech solutions, and companies seeking strategic partnerships or product integrations.

Renowned for his innovative approach, Adam frequently partners with clients adopting or developing groundbreaking technologies. His extensive experience includes advising on deals in cryptocurrency and blockchain, digital transformations, IT and business process outsourcing, systems integration, cloud and “as-a-service” offerings, payment processing services (such as BIN sponsorships and peer-to-peer systems), as well as mergers, acquisitions and joint ventures.

Reflecting the trust he has earned, clients routinely commend his commitment and performance. As one client noted, “Adam and his team have been outstanding consistently. We are assured a high level of dedication and quality work.”

• Represented a global messaging platform in connection with various international payments matters, including a large-scale technology, commerce and product integration deal associated with a multibillion-dollar investment in a company facilitating the creation of an online retail marketplace.
• Represented a multinational technology company in connection with the launch of its social networking services’ digital collectables product, as well as other NFT-related products and services.
• Represented a life sciences company in the establishment of a “community of vendors,” which involved parallel and consecutive negotiations of global framework agreements with a multitude of service providers, aligned to a common risk tolerance, to allow for an expedited and more efficient bidding process for procuring managed and project-based services. It also established a robust community governance protocol to allow for collaboration and cooperation among the vendor community.
• Represented a global financial institution in connection with a strategic, multiyear partnership with Google Cloud aimed at accelerating the bank’s transition to cloud services and the co-innovation of new products and services.
• Represented a financial services and digital payments company in connection with founding the Cryptocurrency Open Patent Alliance, a nonprofit community formed to encourage the adoption and advancement of cryptocurrency technologies.
• Represented a global financial institution in the establishment of its U.S. online retail banking platform (a “bank in a box”).
• Represented a public petroleum and natural gas company and its IT and services subsidiary on a strategic outsourcing for systems integration, application development and maintenance for IT systems to run one of the largest integrated chemical facilities in the world. The transactions include four separate framework agreements covering the complete automation of the facilities and integration of the systems of the various facilities that are associated with the project.
• Represented a global financial institution in outsourcing certain human resources functions (such as recruitment processes, travel and entertainment services, background screening, commission payment and employee benefit plan administration) and “software as a service” transactions.
• Represented an international baked goods company in what was, at the time, one of the largest information technology outsourcing transactions for Latin America.
• Represented a wireless communications network in connection with a joint venture to develop a wireless payments platform. Work included advising on the structure of technology and IP contributions, vendor selection and negotiation of the sourcing and licensing arrangements with the various parties engaged to build the platform, commercial terms, and potential royalty and value streams, as well as the rights as between the venture and the participating carriers and third-party licensees.
• Represented a global financial institution in the outsourcing of its asset management investment platform to BlackRock and onboarding to BlackRock’s Aladdin platform.

• IAM Patent 1000 (2012–2024)
• Publications
  • “Crypto-tunities: Transaction strategies in the challenging crypto markets,” Allen & Overy update, July 13, 2022.
  • “Oh no, where's my crypto? What happens to crypto assets when a custodian fails,” Allen & Overy update, June 23, 2022.
  • “The Year of Blockchain: Global Legal Framework Begins to take Form,” SA Financial Regulation Journal, 2018. Coauthor.
  • “Chambers 2017 Legal Developments in the Global FinTech Sector Guide,” introduction and contributing author.
• Associations
  • “The Future of Financial Services Within Web3,” Fintech Nexus USA, mainstage keynote discussion with Catherine Porter, VP of Global Partnerships at Meta Financial Technologies, June 2022.
  • “Innovation through Partnerships and Collaboration,” Fintech Week Tel-Aviv, March 2022. Panelist.
  • “Lessons Learned from Failed IT Projects,” International Technology Law Association Webinar, May 27, 2020. Moderator.
  • “Risk Management Issues and Challenges Around Growth Strategies,” AON Consulting Industry Symposium, June 13, 2017. Panelist.
  • “New Developments in Software Law,” International Bar Association Annual Conference, September 2016. Speaker.