Joanna F. Wasick

She | Her | Hers

Partner

New York
T +1.212.589.4635
F +1.212.589.4201

Overview

Joanna Wasick is a litigation partner in the New York office of BakerHostetler. She handles a broad range of complex commercial litigations, with a focus on financial fraud cases and disputes involving cryptocurrencies and other digital assets. Joanna is also a member of the firm’s Blockchain Technologies and Digital Assets team and regularly counsels clients on regulatory obligations, compliance and funding issues in the digital space. She has appeared as a speaker on legal podcasts, CLE programs and panels on cryptocurrency and blockchain topics. Joanna also has written articles and treatises on web3 and other crypto subjects, and is a regular contributor to the firm’s Blockchain Monitor blog.

Select Experience

  • A member of court-appointed counsel to the Securities Investor Protection Act (SIPA) Trustee, Irving H. Picard, for the liquidation of Bernard L. Madoff Investment Securities LLC (BLMIS), leading select litigation teams in the worldwide investigation and asset recovery efforts for the benefit of BLMIS customers.
  • Serves as counsel to the court-appointed SEC receiver of a former cryptocurrency investment fund and helps lead the team on foreign asset recoveries.
  • Advises blockchain industry clients on regulatory issues and drafts compliance and AML policies and procedures for clients utilizing cryptocurrencies and other digital assets.
  • Successfully drafted and argued for a dismissal of all fraud and business tort claims on behalf of a major U.S. retailer client in a real estate dispute.
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Experience

  • A member of court-appointed counsel to the Securities Investor Protection Act (SIPA) Trustee, Irving H. Picard, for the liquidation of Bernard L. Madoff Investment Securities LLC (BLMIS), leading select litigation teams in the worldwide investigation and asset recovery efforts for the benefit of BLMIS customers.
  • Serves as counsel to the court-appointed SEC receiver of a former cryptocurrency investment fund and helps lead the team on foreign asset recoveries.
  • Advises blockchain industry clients on regulatory issues and drafts compliance and AML policies and procedures for clients utilizing cryptocurrencies and other digital assets.
  • Successfully drafted and argued for a dismissal of all fraud and business tort claims on behalf of a major U.S. retailer client in a real estate dispute.
  • Successfully litigated on behalf of a major domestic financial institution, and objected to a subpoena issued pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1782 for financial documents to be used in a foreign proceeding.

Recognitions and Memberships

Recognitions

  • J D Supra Readers' Choice Awards
    • Top 10 Author in Finance & Banking (2022)
    • Top 10 Author in Securities (2020)
  • New York Metro Super Lawyers "Rising Star" (2014)

Publications

Alerts

Articles

Blog Posts

Pro Bono

  • Litigated an innocence claim on behalf of a client on death row.
  • Conducted interviews in Haiti to determine whether women victimized in internally displaced camps could qualify for humanitarian parole in the United States.
  • Member of the drafting team for Supreme Court and Fourth Circuit amicus briefing in Gloucester County School Board v. G.G. ex rel. Grimm, in support of the rights of transgender students under Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972.

Admissions

  • U.S. Supreme Court
  • U.S. Court of Appeals, Second Circuit
  • U.S. Court of Appeals, Fourth Circuit
  • U.S. Court of Appeals, Fifth Circuit
  • U.S. Court of Appeals, Eleventh Circuit
  • U.S. District Court, Eastern District of New York
  • U.S. District Court, Southern District of New York
  • New York

Education

  • J.D., Fordham University, 2006
  • B.A., University of Michigan, Phi Beta Kappa

Blog

In The Blogs

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Blockchain Monitor
Australia and BIS Address CBDCs; OCC, PCAOB and U.S. Senators Address Crypto Risks; SEC, DOJ and USSS Continue Crypto Enforcement Actions
By Lauren Bass, Amos Kim, Keith R. Murphy, Robert A. Musiala Jr., Joanna F. Wasick
March 13, 2023
In this issue: • Reserve Bank of Australia and BIS Commence Efforts to Advance CBDCs• Acting Comptroller of the Currency and PCAOB Address Crypto Risks• Binance and Binance.US Face Inquiry from U.S. Senators• SEC and DOJ Continue...
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Blockchain Monitor
DOJ, CFTC and SEC Bring Separate Actions for the Same Conduct: Alleged Digital Asset Manipulation and Fraud Scheme on Mango Markets Platform
By Teresa Goody Guillén, Sydney W. Park, Veronica Reynolds, Joanna F. Wasick
March 1, 2023
Mango Markets is a decentralized cryptocurrency exchange that allows users to purchase and borrow cryptocurrencies and cryptocurrency-related financial products. Mango Markets is run by the Mango Decentralized Autonomous Organization...
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Blockchain Monitor
PoS Principles Published; Crypto Market Analysis and POC Announced; Court Interprets NFTs Under Howey; SEC, CFTC and DOJ Continue Crypto Enforcement
By Amos Kim, Christopher W. Lamb, Keith R. Murphy, Robert A. Musiala Jr., Joanna F. Wasick
February 27, 2023
In this issue:• Proof of Stake Alliance Publishes Analysis, Advocates for Industry Standards• BIS Analyzes Crypto Market Data, Digital Asset PoC and Consultation Announced• U.S. District Court Denies Motion to Dismiss Claims that NFTs Are...
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Blockchain Monitor
DeFi Protocols Announce Updates; FSB Addresses DeFi Risks; Museum to Host NFT Exhibit; Crypto Enforcement Continues; Crypto Crime Reports Published
By Amos Kim, Christopher W. Lamb, Robert A. Musiala Jr., Joanna F. Wasick
February 17, 2023
In this issue: • DeFi Protocols Announce Updates, US Bank Introduces Deposit Token Concept• Financial Stability Board Addresses DeFi Risks in New Report• French Museum to Host NFT Exhibit, New Report Provides 2022 NFT Market Data• SEC...
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Blockchain Monitor
Crypto Market Data Published; Digital Assets RFI Issued; BIS Addresses DeFi; NY DFS Issues Crypto Guidance; SEC Brings Crypto Actions; FBI Addresses Hacks
By Lauren Bass, Teresa Goody Guillén, Amos Kim, Christopher W. Lamb, Robert A. Musiala Jr., Veronica Reynolds, Joanna F. Wasick
January 27, 2023
In this issue: Reports Address Crypto Ownership, Stablecoins and Dapp Adoption By Amos Kim Recent reports provide new data on various areas of the digital asset market. In one report, a survey published by a cryptocurrency trading platform...
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