Katten announced today that Daniel J. Davis, formerly general counsel for the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), has joined the firm’s Financial Markets and Funds group as a partner in its Washington, DC office, expanding Katten’s industry-leading proficiency in derivatives regulation and raising the award-winning group’s global profile.

“Dan clearly is an exceptional attorney who brings important skills and substantial experience that will benefit our worldwide client base,” said Lance Zinman, Global Chair of the Financial Markets and Funds group.

“With the always changing regulatory landscape, we must be ever prepared to offer pragmatic advice and effective strategies that will help attain business objectives,” Zinman said. “Dan’s presence on our team furthers our already expansive abilities in this regard. We are very glad to have him.”

Davis was the CFTC’s general counsel for nearly four years before joining Katten. He led and managed its 65-person Legal Division, handling all aspects of the agency’s legal operations, including litigation, rulemakings, enforcement actions, financial agency negotiations and internal agency operations, among other areas.

At the CFTC, his group reviewed all proposed and final rules and other recommended agency and staff actions; oversaw all appellate litigation; reviewed all enforcement actions; and addressed a wide range of legal questions related to labor and employment, congressional inquiries and many others. Davis served with distinction and received the agency’s highest honor, the Chairman’s Award for Excellence, given annually to one employee for extraordinary accomplishments and superior service dedicated to realizing the CFTC’s vision, mission, and values.

“Dan’s extraordinary grasp of regulatory issues involving derivatives as well as virtual currencies, and his extensive litigation experience make him a valuable asset for our clients,” said Gary DeWaal, who heads Katten’s Financial Markets and Regulation practice, of which Davis is a member. Early in his career, prior to joining Katten, DeWaal was a senior trial attorney in the CFTC’s Division of Enforcement.

Davis clerked for The Honorable Judge Douglas H. Ginsburg on the US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit. He also worked at the Department of Justice in both the Civil Division and the Office of Legal Counsel. In private practice, he has focused on administrative law and complex civil litigation.

Davis graduated with high honors from The University of Chicago Law School, where he served as executive editor of the Law Review.

Katten is a full-service law firm with nearly 700 attorneys in locations across the United States and in London and Shanghai. Clients seeking sophisticated, high-value legal services turn to Katten for counsel locally, nationally and internationally. The firm’s core areas of practice include commercial finance, corporate, financial markets and funds, insolvency and restructuring, intellectual property, litigation, real estate, structured finance and securitization, transactional tax planning, and trusts and estates. Katten represents public and private companies in numerous industries, as well as a number of government and nonprofit organizations and individuals. For more information, visit katten.com.