Jack McNeily represents clients in high-stakes civil litigation and white collar defense involving traditional finance, digital assets, and the areas in which they intersect.

Jack leverages a trial-ready posture with a track record of success guiding his clients through a full range of litigation, enforcement, and arbitration matters at all stages, including multiple civil and criminal trial victories. Jack represents clients in matters involving a wide array of subject matters related to traditional and digital finance, including:

  • Federal and state securities laws 
  • Statutory and common law fraud
  • Breach of contract
  • Breach of fiduciary duty
  • Market manipulation
  • Insider trading
  • Securities and commodities-related registration violations
  • RICO

In the white collar sphere, Jack has defended clients in civil and criminal matters before all key state and federal agencies, including:

  • Department of Justice (DOJ)
  • Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC)
  • Commodity Futures Exchange Commission (CFTC)
  • Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN)
  • Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC)
  • Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA)
  • State attorneys general
  • State securities agencies

In addition to his work advising clients in active litigation and investigations, Jack regularly helps clients navigate litigation risks associated with launching novel fintech products. He collaborates with transactional lawyers across Latham’s global platform to advise companies at all stages on compliance and diligence in the context of cutting-edge products, markets, and deals involving digital assets.

He also maintains a robust pro bono practice and has obtained numerous notable victories, including securing a landmark restitution award for a victim of sex trafficking, as well as prevailing on Americans with Disabilities Act claims in federal court against New York City on behalf of two classes of disabled city residents, constitutional rights claims in federal court on behalf of a class of prisoners, a wrongful conviction claim in state court, and several contract disputes in state family courts.

Before joining Latham, Jack was an associate at a major law firm based in New York.

Jack’s experience includes representing:

Cryptocurrency and DeFi Civil Litigation

  • A high frequency digital asset trading firm in federal and state court litigation concerning alleged market manipulation and breach of liquidity consulting agreements
  • A high frequency digital asset trading firm in international arbitration concerning alleged breaches of token loan agreements
  • A governance keyholder of a DeFi cross-chain bridge protocol in a class action alleging RICO violations relating to a third party hack of the bridge in which Jack and the Latham team obtained a full dismissal at the motion to dismiss stage

Cryptocurrency and DeFi White Collar Matters

  • A decentralized exchange in a CFTC investigation concerning registration violations and wash trading
  • An individual founder of a high frequency digital asset trading firm in connection with parallel DOJ, SEC, and CFTC investigations concerning alleged market  manipulation
  • A corporate cryptocurrency client in parallel DOJ, SEC, and CFTC investigations relating to token offerings
  • A leading cryptocurrency platform in more than 25 criminal and regulatory investigations relating to the client’s business model and registration status
  • An individual founder of a cryptocurrency client in parallel criminal and regulatory investigations

Securities and Corporate Fraud

  • A former CEO of a public company charged in parallel DOJ and SEC actions alleging accounting fraud and in which Jack and the Latham team tried the criminal case and obtained a full acquittal for the client in the criminal action
  • Public companies in shareholder derivative suits related to accounting fraud allegations
  • Public companies in shareholder class action suits alleging misleading and inadequate disclosures
  • A public financial services firm in more than 40 related securities and contracts lawsuits brought by private plaintiffs, federal agencies, and state attorneys general in federal and state court relating to the issuance of mortgage-backed securities*

White Collar and Regulatory Enforcement

  • A registered investment advisor and its principals in a novel SEC insider trading investigation that was closed without charges
  • A CEO of a public company in a federal criminal investigation into improper lobbying practices
  • A financial services firm in an SEC investigation into allegedly improper wash trading
  • An operator of real estate investment funds in an SEC investigation into the funds’ accounting practices
  • A leading investment adviser in an SEC investigation into allegedly undisclosed conflicts of interest
  • A public company in an SEC investigation into alleged improper accounting practices

Complex Commercial Litigation

  • A private equity sponsor in a contract dispute relating to earn-out provisions from an energy company spin-out
  • A public company in a bellwether products liability action tried to a favorable jury verdict in state court*
  • A public financial services firm in a bankruptcy adversary action against a defunct major financial institution relating to the firm’s derivatives trading with the defunct entity*
  • A public company in two Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980 actions in federal court*
  • A public company in a complex contract dispute with its supplier in federal court*

*Matter handled prior to joining Latham

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bar Qualification

  • Illinois
  • New York

Education

  • JD, University of Chicago Law School, 2013
  • BA, Dartmouth College, 2010

Languages Spoken

  • English
McNeily, Jack Mitchell
August 13, 2025 Recognition

Rising Star: Latham’s Jack McNeily

Partner Jack McNeily honored for representing clients in the FinTech and digital assets markets in high-stakes civil litigation and white collar defense involving financial institutions and products.

Badges and Logos_Law360_Fintech Group of the Year_2024
February 20, 2025 Recognition

Fintech Group of the Year: Latham

Firm honored by Law360 for advising startups, financial institutions, VCs, digital asset and Web3 participants, and corporations on their most innovative and complex transactions, investigations, litigation, and regulatory matters.