About Grant
Grant P. Fondo: Leading Legal Counsel for Technology and Digital Currency Matters
Grant P. Fondo is a highly respected and experienced attorney specializing in complex legal matters for the technology, fintech, blockchain, and digital currency industries. As Head of the Litigation Department for Goodwin’s California offices, and a founder and Co-Chair of its Digital Currency & Blockchain Technology practice, he’s a recognized leader in navigating the rapidly evolving landscape of digital assets and emerging technologies. Mr. Fondo consistently delivers exceptional results for clients facing regulatory scrutiny, commercial disputes, and litigation across a diverse range of sectors – including private equity, venture capital, and cybersecurity.
With a distinguished background as a former Assistant U.S. Attorney in the Northern District of California, Mr. Fondo brings a unique blend of prosecutorial insight and strategic defense capabilities. His deep understanding of federal and state regulations, combined with his hands-on trial experience, allows him to effectively represent clients before governmental agencies like the DOJ, SEC, FTC, State Attorneys General, and FinCEN, as well as private sector clients facing complex commercial disputes.
Mr. Fondo’s expertise spans a broad spectrum of legal challenges, including white-collar criminal defense, securities litigation, class action litigation, internal investigations, and data privacy and cybersecurity matters. He’s frequently sought after to advise boards of directors on critical corporate governance issues and mitigate legal risks. His recognized expertise in blockchain and cryptocurrency has garnered significant attention, including rankings by Chambers USA for White Collar Defense and Chambers FinTech for his blockchain and cryptocurrency work, recommendations by The Legal 500 U.S. for Financial Services Litigation, White Collar Defense, and Fintech, recognition by U.S. News Best Lawyers for White Collar Defense, and designation as a “Future Star” litigator by Benchmark Litigation.
Notably, Mr. Fondo successfully defended former J.P. Morgan Securities LLC analyst Ashish Aggarwal on 30 counts of criminal conspiracy, insider trading, and wire fraud charges, earning him recognition as a Top White Collar Lawyer by Daily Journal for the second consecutive year and “Litigator of the Week” by The American Lawyer. He’s also been cited as a National Law Journal Trailblazer in both White Collar and Cryptocurrency, Blockchain and Fintech, solidifying his position as a leading legal strategist in these specialized areas.
Beyond his litigation prowess, Mr. Fondo is an active contributor to the global fintech community. He serves as a member of the Government of Bermuda’s Global Fintech Advisory Board, relating to blockchain technology, and the Crypto Valley Association in Switzerland, demonstrating his commitment to fostering innovation and responsible regulation within the digital asset space.
Practice Areas
- Commercial Litigation
- Criminal Defense: White-Collar
- Litigation - Securities
- FinTech Practice
- Blockchain and Digital Currency
- Data, Privacy & Cybersecurity
- Foreign Corrupt Practices Act + Investigations for Technology
Awards & Recognition
Mr. Fondo has been repeatedly recognized for his outstanding legal achievements, including:
- Recognized in Best Attorney USA since 2018
- Recognized as a Top White Collar Lawyer by Daily Journal for the second consecutive year
- Named “Litigator of the Week” by The American Lawyer
- Recognized as a National Law Journal Trailblazer in both White Collar and Cryptocurrency, Blockchain and Fintech
- Ranked as a leading lawyer by Chambers FinTech for his blockchain and cryptocurrency work
- Recommended by The Legal 500 U.S. for Financial Services Litigation, White Collar Defense, and Fintech
- Listed by U.S. News Best Lawyers for his White Collar Defense work
- Named a “Future Star” litigator by Benchmark Litigation
Education & Credentials
- Experienced Federal Prosecutor and Former Assistant U.S. Attorney in the Northern District of California
- Head of the Litigation Department for Goodwin’s California offices
- Founder and Co-Chair of its Digital Currency & Blockchain Technology practice
- Co-chair of the firm’s Foreign Corrupt Practices Act + Investigations for Technology group
- Partner in the firm’s Securities Litigation & White Collar Defense group, and in its Data, Privacy & Cybersecurity practice
Grant P. Fondo represents technology, Fintech, blockchain, digital currency, private equity, venture capital, and individual clients in a wide range of regulatory and contested matters. He possesses significant experience conducting trials and arbitrations, as well as representing clients before governmental agencies. He focuses his practice on white collar criminal defense, blockchain and digital currency, securities and class action litigation, federal and state regulatory matters including before the DOJ, SEC, FTC, State Attorneys General, District Attorneys, and FinCEN, cybersecurity and privacy matters, internal investigations, and commercial disputes, and often advises boards on a variety of matters. His strategic legal counsel and aggressive advocacy have consistently achieved favorable outcomes for his clients.
